Kentucky Derby NBC's relationship with the races that comprise the
Triple Crown thoroughbred racing series began in
1949, when the
NBC Red Network carried the first radio broadcast of the
Kentucky Derby. One week after ESPN signed the Breeders' Cup deal, NBC struck a five-year broadcasting deals with
Churchill Downs and
Magna Entertainment Corporation, the backers of the Kentucky Derby and
Preakness Stakes; NBC renewed its agreement with Churchill Downs in
2010, in a five-year deal through 2015. In 2024, NBC extended their partnership with Churchill Downs through 2032.
Breeders' Cup NBC gained the broadcast rights to the
Breeders' Cup from its inception in 1984. The network ran the race until
2005, when
ESPN signed an eight-year television contract to broadcast the race starting in 2006. In 2012, NBC regained the broadcast rights for the Breeders' Cup. Most races are shown on the NBC Sports Network, while the Classic is broadcast on the main network. NBC subsequently announced plans to also broadcast select races from the
Breeders' Cup Challenge series throughout the year. In 2016, nine telecasts were made covering 16 "Win and You're In" races.
The Triple Crown In October
1999, NBC Sports won the rights to broadcast the three races in the Triple Crown series (the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and
Belmont Stakes) beginning with the
2001 races.
NBC loses the Belmont Stakes On October 4, 2004, citing a dispute about profits accrued from the deal, the
New York Racing Association agreed to move the broadcast rights to the Belmont Stakes to
ABC/ESPN starting with the
2006 race. NBC retained rights to the Kentucky Derby and
Preakness Stakes. Some believe the move was a result of the New York Racing Association's decision to break ranks with the other two tracks on a television contract. NBC Sports continued to broadcast the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes rights until 2010.
Triple Crown Productions was formed in
1986 with ABC; prior to that, the individual racing associations reached their own deals with television networks. Prior to the change, on May 21, 2005,
Visa, Inc. officially withdrew its sponsorship of the Triple Crown, effective with the 2006 races; this relieved the company from paying the
US$5,000,000 bonus to the owner of the horse that wins the Triple Crown. Sponsorship of the races was taken over by Triple Crown Productions in 2006.
NBC reassembles The Triple Crown On February 22,
2011, NBC announced deals to broadcast the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes through 2015. The deals reunited all three Triple Crown races on NBC for the first time since 2005, and also included cable deals with Versus (later
NBCSN) to provide coverage of the races' Saturday undercards as well as the Kentucky Oaks and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Friday races. The deals were extended again, this time through 2022.
NBC loses the Belmont Stakes again On January 5, 2022, it was announced that
Fox Sports would acquire the media rights to the Belmont Stakes starting in
2023, in a deal that lasts until 2030.
Other races In
1981, NBC's
SportsWorld broadcast the
Arlington Million, the first thoroughbred race to feature a million-dollar prize payout.
Dick Enberg hosted the broadcast alongside analyst
Michael O'Hehir In 2017, NBC began to carry coverage of
Royal Ascot, the most significant meet in
British thoroughbred racing. NBCSN carries coverage of the weekday sessions, while the Saturday session is carried by NBC. As of 2024, NBC, with some coverage exclusive to
CNBC or
Peacock, also carries coverage of the
California Crown Stakes,
Breeders' Cup World Championships and
Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series. ==Announcers==