SCA & Crocmedia ink AFL deal

The AFL Radio Rights have been hotly contested, and the winning radio partners have been revealed this afternoon.

The winners are Southern Cross Austereo and the syndication company Crocmedia, which has overnight become a major player in the Australian media landscape. The Australian Radio Network is understood to have tabled a significant offer for the FM rights, however has been unsuccessful.

A key factor in the AFL decision was the exposure in northern and regional markets.

AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan commented:

“The fans of our 18 clubs will benefit most over the next six years, being able to listen to their team play wherever they may be listening across Australia”.

Southern Cross Austereo has retained the rights for the radio broadcast of AFL games and events across the Triple M network and the regional network. The new deal runs for 6-years from 1 November 2016, and will see the AFL broadcast on 40 stations within the SCA network nationally, calling every AFL game, every week.

Triple M will have FM commercial exclusivity in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and in addition to broadcast and simulcasting on digital radio, for the first time SCA will be streaming the games via each station’s website.

Additionally, SCA will deliver AFL to all States with calls of all Lions games into Brisbane, all Suns games into the Gold Coast and calls of all Swans and GWS games with the addition of Saturday football in Sydney.

The SCA and AFL partnership extends beyond the call of the game and beyond the Triple M network. SCA will be actively supporting women’s football, with on air promotions of the AFLW competition in Breakfast and Drive on Fox FM in Melbourne, and on Hit 107 in Adelaide and Hit 929 in Perth. The AFLW grand final will be broadcast live on Triple M in Melbourne and Adelaide. There will also be live coverage of selected other AFLW matches around the Triple M Network.

Announcing the renewal, Grant Blackley CEO of SCA said

“This is an outstanding outcome for SCA and for AFL fans around Australia. We’ve had a strong partnership with AFL for over 20 years and this new long term extension provides both continuity and security of rights moving forward.”

At the same time Crocmedia will become the AFL’s commercial regional radio partner ‘master rights holder’ which will see the syndication company partner with Macquarie, Southern Cross Austereo, NOVA Entertainment, Pacific Star Network and Grant Broadcasters in the 2017-22 AFL broadcast, distribution and content supply partnership.

Crocmedia has been broadcasting AFL since 2010, and this deal further grows that relationship, and cements it for the next 6-years. 

Crocmedia owner Craig Hutchison commented:

“We are delighted to be able to play a bigger role in shaping the way the game is heard and promoted nationally”.

Crocmedia’s existing partnerships with major regional media owners ACE Radio, Grant Broadcasters and Super Radio Network have also been extended as part of the new AFL radio rights.

Additionally, Crocmedia will develop a national AFL radio call across metro markets under the revamped AFL deal which will be provided to AM stations.