NBC Sports Group and Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) have reached a 10-year
agreement extending NBCSG’s exclusive rights to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky
Oaks through 2025, it was announced Wednesday.
The 10-year renewal extends the partnership which began in 2001 and includes
multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and Derby and Oaks
day programming which will be televised on NBC and NBCSN and featured on NBC’s
digital platforms.
“We are excited to extend our partnership with Churchill Downs for both the
iconic Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby and are proud to have them as signature
elements of our championship season,” said NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark
Lazarus. “This decade-long deal is a testament to the strength of the
relationship between Churchill Downs Inc. and NBC Sports, and underscores NBC’s
commitment to the sport of horse racing. We will continue to utilize the
wide-ranging media platforms of NBCUniversal to surround the Kentucky Oaks and
Kentucky Derby with wall-to-wall coverage and extensive promotion.”
“This agreement extends our relationship with NBC to 25 years and includes
what will be a very special historical moment, the 150th Kentucky Derby in
2024,” said Churchill Downs Chairman and CEO Bob Evans. “We will not only
achieve our financial objectives with this deal, but we will also continue to
benefit from NBC’s unique media assets and innovative perspective to help us
continue to grow the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby brands.”
Utilizing NBC Sports Group’s “Big Event Strategy,” three of the last five
Kentucky Derby races have recorded at least 16 million viewers. NBC Sports
Group’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby over the last 13 races averaged over 2
million more viewers than the previous 12 Kentucky Derby broadcasts (14.3
million vs.12 million, up 19 percent).
The Kentucky Derby stands as America’s oldest continuously held major
sporting event; this year’s 140th Run for the Roses is May 3, 2014.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com