Ascot, NBC Sports Group Partner on Six-Year Extension

NBC Sports Group and Ascot Racecourse—home to one of the most prestigious race meetings in the world—have reached a six-year agreement to extend NBC Sports Group's exclusive United States media rights to Royal Ascot until 2025. Royal Ascot made its U.S. television debut on NBCSN in 2017.

NBC Sports Group will continue to present live coverage of the event for four consecutive days (Tuesday-Friday) with at least 4.5 hours each day (8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET) on NBCSN, and four hours of coverage during the final day of the event (Saturday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET) on NBC. In addition, NBC Sports will feature on-site hosts during its coverage, and offer an increased on-site presence. All coverage will be streamed on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs.

Royal Ascot is one of the world's most valuable race meetings, attracting many of the world's finest racehorses to compete for over £7 million in prize money.  The event features 30 races, including eight at Group One level.

"For the past two years, we have introduced an American audience to the pageantry and incredible racing that Royal Ascot has to offer," said Jon Miller, President of Programming for NBC Sports and NBCSN. "We look forward to continuing our relationship with Royal Ascot and delighting horse racing fans nationwide for years to come."

"NBC Sports has added a welcome new element to Royal Ascot and this extension ensures that the American audience will continue to be able to enjoy the best racing, and the best of British culture, fashion and pageantry for the next six years," said Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer, Ascot. "The commitment NBC Sports has shown in terms of extensive on-course presentation, and talent on site, including within the TODAY show, is a great tribute to the event. Being on the NBC broadcast network on Saturday reaped huge reward this year with more than one million viewers."

"The American runners we have seen at the Royal Meeting have added a new dimension to our historic meet, and NBC Sports has played a significant part in telling the global racing story to the U.S. audience," added Nick Smith, Director of Racing at Ascot. "With star names from Royal Ascot— American horses like Tepin, Bucchero and Yoshida, plus numerous Europeans—running at the Breeders' Cup in the fall each year, NBC Sports is the place to see the world's best."

As the home of horse racing, NBC Sports Group's Royal Ascot coverage will complement its exclusive, long-term media agreements for all of the Triple Crown races—Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes—and the Breeders' Cup.

The Royal Meeting is also the centre of the British social season and a staple week in the calendar of the Royal Family, who arrive by the world famous "Royal Procession" every day.