Sports Entertainment Network chief executive Craig Hutchison has been revealed to be part of the bidding war for a second NRL team in New Zealand.
Over the last few years, he has been buying Australian and New Zealand sporting franchises.
Hutchison's company, Sports Entertainment Group, became the latest owner of the New South Wales Giants Super Netball organisation in August this year, rebranded as the Sydney Sirens, and has also purchased the Melbourne Mavericks.
SEN also has experience owning basketball teams, most notably the Perth Wildcats in the NBL before selling in 2024, and currently has a majority stake in the Perth Lynx and full ownership of the Bendigo Spirit in the WNBL.
He also owned two teams, the Southern Hoiho and the Otago Nuggets, in the New Zealand Basketball League before selling them in 2025.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Hutchison has joined one of the Christchurch-based bids.
This year, he acquired a New Zealand audio business, MediaWorks.
SEN's chief executive sat in the NRL's corporate box at Eden Park when the Warriors hosted two finals games in September.
Last week, Hutchison was also seen with the NRL's chief executive Peter V'landys in the Directors' Room at The Everest.
When The Daily Telegraph asked him directly whether the whispers were true, Hutchinson responded vaguely.
“I can't comment on that - we seem to be part of speculation on all teams that come up across different sports,” Hutchison told the publication.
“What I would say is we are on the record as believers of sports teams and their impact with our Sports Entertainment Group. And we remain interested in growing our interests in rugby league across radio, TV and beyond.
“The league has great leadership under Peter V'landys and amazing momentum, and we are always open-minded in all sports of any role we can play that drives value for fans and our shareholders.”
After SEN launched in Melbourne and had early success, they launched in Sydney in 2020 and became a radio broadcast partner of the NRL.
V'landys is expected to confirm the NRL's 20th team in the short-term future, which is expected to join the competition in 2029.
New Zealand's bids have come from Christchurch and Hamilton, with Hamilton currently ahead of the two city-based bids.
Several Queensland bids are expected to be in the bidding war, despite Central Queensland ruling itself out of the venture with Darling Downs and South West Queensland.
Rugby league could view a second team in New Zealand as a way to boost revenue and continue the NRL's relationship with Sky Sports.
V'landys is seeking strong wealth from any team becoming the expansion side joining in 2029, with funding needing to start at $100 million in its first five years of existence, with an announcement by Christmas on who will win the bid.
