Crocmedia acquires AFL match-day publication, Record

Sports publishing and broadcasting service Crocmedia has acquired the AFL’s match day-program, AFL Record, from AFL Media.

A fixture at VFL and AFL games since 1912, the AFL Record joins Crocmedia’s Australian Rules football media portfolio which includes radio rights for regional AFL radio coverage. In January, the company merged with Pacific Star Networks, owner of Melbourne sports station SEN.

Under the deal, Crocmedia will take over publication at the start of the 2019 AFL season and will produce all weekly match-day magazine content which includes the AFL match-day Record, AFLW publications, the AFL Season Guide, along with the AFL Finals and Toyota AFL Grand Final Edition.

The AFL’s commercial general manager, Kylie Rogers, said the agreement will ensure the AFL Record remains a core part of the match-day experience for Aussie Rules fans: “The AFL Record is an essential part of the experience of attending a footy match.

“Crocmedia is a leader in content production and publishing, they will ensure the AFL Record continues to evolve, grow and succeed.

“We look forward to seeing the AFL Record remain an essential part of match day and where Crocmedia will take it.”

Crocmedia CEO Craig Hutchison said the acquisition was an opportunity to deepen the company’s relationship with the AFL market: “The AFL Record is one of the oldest magazines in Australia so it’s a great privilege to become its custodian into the future.

“It complements our broader suite of AFL assets including our flagship AFL Nation game-day call and allows us exciting opportunities to integrate our brand partners across multiple touchpoints to connect with footy fans.

“We have aspirations to grow the Record’s reach while honouring its iconic past. We’ll continue to ensure that footy fans get all the insight, team stats, match previews and exclusive features that they’ve come to know and love – and that it remains a much-loved part of our footy fabric,” he added.

The AFL Record has been produced by AFL Media for the past seven years, having previously been licensed to Slattery Publishing.

Paul Wallbank

Paul Wallbank was news editor at Mumbrella between June 2017 and June 2019. Previously he's covered business and technology issues for outlets ranging from The Australian and Sydney Morning Herald to the ABC and Business Spectator.

topics AFL AFL Record Craig Hutchison CrocMedia Football Record Footy Record Kylie Rogers Slattery Media Group

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