NBC Inks Five-Year Deal To Keep Kentucky Derby, Preakness

NBC Sports Inks Five-Year Deal For Kentucky Derby And The Preakness

NBC Sports yesterday signed a five-year agreement with Churchill Downs and Magna Entertainment/Maryland Jockey Club for exclusive broadcast rights to the Kentucky Derby and The Preakness Stakes from 2006-2010. NBC has had rights to all three Triple Crown races since ’01. The Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, had previously announced a deal to move to ABC beginning next year. In a conference call announcing the deal, Churchill Downs Inc. President & CEO Tom Meeker said, “The fact that we are migrating as an industry away from an over the air broadcast network partner is hurtful to the industry. ... The over the air broadcast networks provide exposure well beyond the traditional sports fan or racing fan who turns on to a cable platform to get his or her view of the race.” Maryland Jockey Club President & CEO Joseph De Francis said, “ESPN did make us a very attractive proposal, we evaluated it very carefully, but after evaluating it, we decided that it would clearly be in the best interest of Magna Entertainment Corporation and The Preakness to continue our close association with Churchill Downs and NBC” (THE DAILY). De Francis added, “Our agreement with NBC Sports not only affords us the stature and exposure of a continued presence on network television but also allows us to benefit from NBC’s consistent promotion through the Kentucky Derby leading into the Preakness” (Baltimore SUN, 5/4).

BELMONT: NBC Universal Sports & Olympics Chair Dick Ebersol said, “For reasons unbeknownst to me, the group at Belmont chose to make a deal with ABC and ESPN without once coming to us. It’s one of the most baffling mysteries I’ve run across in my career.” In N.Y., Richard Sandomir notes during the four years the Triple Crown has been aired on NBC, the races have combined for a 6.4 rating, up 25% from a 5.1 during the previous four years, when they were on ABC (N.Y. TIMES, 5/4). NTRA Senior VP/Marketing Keith Chamblin said that there are “pros and cons to the three races being on two networks.” Chamblin: “It will be a bit awkward in terms of cross-promotion across the network platforms, but we’re seeing more and more of that in sports every year.” Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said that horse racing “could benefit” from the arrangement. Lukas: “They might try to outdo each other, and we might have a better go at it” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/4).