Nine Radio‘s talk stations have added to the listening experience with sync commentary on the 2GB, 4BC, 3AW and 6PR apps during AFL and NRL coverage.
The new feature gives footy fans the power to synchronise the 3AW Football, 6PR Football and Continuous Call Team game calls with any live match, whether they’re at the ground or watching on TV.
The sync technology is integrated directly into the app’s live streaming player.
With a selection of In-Stadium, Free to Air TV or Streaming and a simple on-screen slider, users can sync the commentary, allowing for a perfect match with live stadium action or any television broadcast.
The feature is available now for footy finals. Listeners simply need to:
- Ensure they have the latest version of the app, available on the App Store and Google Play
- Stream the football or CCT broadcast during any live match
- Tap the ‘Change Audio Sync’ icon that appears at the bottom of the player
- Select your viewing experience – in stadium, free to air TV, or streaming
- Adjust the simple slider to delay the audio until it perfectly matches the live action.
Tom Malone, Nine Radio Managing Director, said:
“This new feature is the next step in providing our listeners the flexibility to consume our audio content, however, wherever and now alongside whatever other content they want. Audi-sync fuses the unparalleled ‘live and local’ strength of our stations with technology that makes our content more accessible and engaging than ever before.”
Juliane Djidi, Product Manager Audio and Streaming, said:
“I am thrilled to launch Audio Sync! It’s incredibly rewarding to deliver a feature you know your users will love, and Audio Sync is a perfect example of this. It brings our sports fans even closer to the action and provides them with a new way to enjoy our live commentary, no matter how they’re watching the game.”
Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) launched their own pioneering SEN Sync and SEN Stadium technology last year to provide a zero latency experience when at home or at a game in the audio commentary received.
SEN CEO Craig Hutchison told Radioinfo earlier this year of the products:
“It’s taken four years to get it 100% perfect. Now it’s every game, everywhere, zero delay. And to my knowledge, we’re the only business in the world that are doing that at this quality or level in real time.
SEN Sync was a secondary product off that where in venue and at home were two areas that the radio industry really hasn’t been able to maximise. At home people would understandably choose the television. In venue the tech wasn’t sufficient. SEN didn’t want to just be a place where people listened in transit or in cars or when they’re out remotely. We wanted to unlock those two big locations of listenership.
We came up with SEN Sync, which really respects that you’re watching the game on television but allows you to choose our commentary to pair it to the TV. If you think we’ve got it a little bit wrong there’s a plus or minus button that you can adjust ever so subtly to line up the experience. If you want to go to the bathroom, you can pause the TV for 30 seconds. You can do the same on your phone when you go and get a cup of tea.
Radio calls the game, mostly if not always, in a different manner to television. The TV commentators understandably let the pictures tell the story. Radio is theatrically painting that picture. And that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s enough people whose cup of tea it is.
We want you to be able to have that pageantry and the loud, emotive call at home and pair it to the television, should you choose. We just want to be part of the choice set. We’re not seeking to disrupt anyone’s behaviours, merely enhance the experience and be an extra option.”
Now Nine is bringing that experience to their listeners too. It will be interesting to see if their version continues for all matches in season 2026.
Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radioinfo. Email: [email protected]