BC, NBC Extend Media Rights Deal 10 Years
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Breeders' Cup and the NBC Sports Group announced Oct. 30 an unprecedented 10-year media rights partnership extension that will keep the World Championships on NBC and NBCSN through 2025.
The agreement was announced by Craig Fravel, president and chief executive officer of Breeders' Cup, and Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC Sports and NBCSN. As part of the agreement, NBC and NBCSN will present at least eight hours of live coverage of the Breeders' Cup, including live primetime coverage of the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) on NBC in 2016 from Santa Anita Park and in 2017 from Del Mar.
The agreement is an extension of a current four-year pact that began in 2012. That year marked the first time the Classic was televised live in primetime. NBC broadcasted the first-ever Breeders' Cup in 1984. The new 10-year extension is the longest and most extensive media rights agreement for Breeders' Cup.
"We're proud to extend our partnership with the Breeders' Cup as we continue to showcase the most prestigious events in horse racing," Miller said. "We look forward each year to concluding the horse racing season with two days of terrific racing at the Breeders' Cup."
This past year, NBC Sports Group expanded its Breeders' Cup coverage; televising 11 programs of Breeders' Cup qualifying races from the nation's top tracks under the banner of "Breeders' Cup Challenge: Win and You're In."
"We are extremely excited to extend for the next decade our outstanding relationship with NBC and the NBC Sports Group in televising the Breeders' Cup World Championships as a cornerstone of its long-term expanded commitment to Thoroughbred racing," Fravel said. "The Breeders' Cup has enjoyed an expanded and revitalized presence on NBC with new fans viewing the Breeders' Cup Classic hour and NBC's ability to cross-promote the Championships on its wide variety of platforms."
NBC Sports Group's coverage of the 31st Breeders' Cup begins Oct. 31 with the live telecast on NBCSN from 5-8 p.m. EDT. Coverage continues Nov. 1 from 3:30-8 p.m. EDT on NBCSN; and from 8-9 p.m. in primetime on NBC.