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Raising The Stakes: Triple Crown Races
Could Air On Three Different Networks |
NBC is “close to renewing a deal to broadcast” the Kentucky Derby, and ESPN “is closing in on the rights to” The Preakness Stakes, according to Liz Mullen of the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. If the deals are completed, next year’s Triple Crown races “will be broadcast on three different networks,” as ABC acquired the rights to The Belmont Stakes last year. NBC is in the last year of its five-year, $51.5M deal with Triple Crown Productions -– a company comprised of Churchill Downs, Magna’s Pimlico and Belmont Park, the tracks where the three races are held — to carry all three races. ABC has a five-year, $17-20M deal with the Belmont Stakes, but the agreement has a provision allowing the race to be moved from ABC to ESPN on a year-to-year basis if the New York Racing Association (NYRA) agrees. NYRA received 25%, or about $12.8M, under the old Triple Crown deal. NTRA spokesperson Chip Tuttle said of the possibility of the races being on different channels, “Being on multiple networks certainly hasn’t hurt the NFL in its sponsorship and promotional efforts” (
SBJ, 5/2 issue).
