It is understood they will be presented with a proposal for consultation.
Entain head of radio digital and commercial Marcus Forbes and Entain group head of talent and racing Adam Hamilton are understood to be leading the meetings.
Approached today, Forbes said he could not comment.
Some of the SENZ originals before the station’s launch in July 2021: Mark Stafford (from left), Rikki Swannell, Israel Dagg, Brendon McCullum, Kirstie Stanway, Ian Smith and Stephen Donald. Photo / SENZ
Sport Nation has various commentary rights, including Black Caps and White Ferns cricket, the Warriors and NRL, and major international events, including the Rugby League World Cup.
As well as commentary, it offers sports talk, interviews and podcasts. Its weekday line-up includes Scotty & Izzy at breakfast, Sport Nation Mornings, Sport Nation Afternoons and Millsy & Guy in the drive-time slot.
Sport Nation was previously known as Senz, which was owned by publicly listed Australian-based SEG group with its majority shareholder Craig Hutchison, before it was sold and became part of the TAB/Entain media operation in 2024.
It was rebranded as Sport Nation in November 2024.
Hutchison and SEG have subsequently taken ownership of New Zealand’s biggest radio network, MediaWorks, home of music brands such as The Rock, More FM and The Breeze.
MediaWorks used to own a newstalk brand, Today FM, which featured sport at weekends, but it closed in 2023, after a year.
Although Hutchison’s SEG sold Senz/Sport Nation in 2024, it has still been running advertising sales for the brand and TAB/Entain in New Zealand.
SEG chief executive Craig Hutchison.
In an interview with Media Insider in August, when he was announced as MediaWorks’ new owner, Hutchison said his SEG firm and Entain were great partners.
Hutchison said at the time the advertising sales arrangement would continue.
But as Media Insider reported, the obvious question was whether we might see a new sports radio network emerge out of MediaWorks.
“We’ve got opportunities to review the strategy, but we’re really supportive of our fabulous partner in Entain, who we represent in the ad sales market and we’ll continue to do so,” Hutchison said at the time.
“Our sports strategy will be reviewed down the track, and we’ll work through what works for everybody.”
He said plans – whether that was “in partnership with others, whether that’s in live rights, whether that’s in more shows” – would be reviewed.
“We’d like to do more sport, clearly. In what guise that comes, we are yet to consider. MediaWorks is already doing some great sport, through podcasts and streaming.”
Hutchison could not be contacted this evening.
Sport Nation broadcasts across the country on AM and FM frequencies.
However, it lost its Auckland AM frequency this year when public broadcaster RNZ overhauled its Henderson transmission masts.
An Entain spokesman said in April that the 1476AM frequency in Auckland would be closing.
“Like other broadcasters using the RNZ southern transmission tower in Auckland, we have been working on our plans around future-proofing Sport Nation in the city.
“We have inquired about the availability of an alternate frequency that could be transmitted through the northern tower.
“However, with no frequencies available, we are sharing with our Auckland-based listeners today that from 15 April, the 1476AM frequency will be going off-air, and listeners will be able to access Sport Nation via the Sport Nation app, or sportnation.nz.”
The company said at the time that it saw the changes as a “great opportunity”.
“Digital streaming has been a core part of our strategy since Sport Nation launched.”
If MediaWorks launches a new sports brand, it is likely to return to the radio airwaves with an Auckland frequency it already owns.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.