NBCUniversal will maintain its transmission of the Kentucky Derby until 2032, following an agreement extension between the network and Churchill Downs to prolong their established collaboration. The Kentucky Oaks is also encompassed in this arrangement.
The races will be aired on NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and other NBCUniversal channels.
“Churchill Downs is delighted to renew our partnership with NBC Sports,” stated Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “Over the past 23 years, our media associate, NBC, has uniquely captured the essence of the first Saturday in May and the Kentucky Derby like no other.”
NBC Sports president, Rick Cordileone, added: “NBC Sports is privileged to narrate the tales behind the Kentucky Derby, and we are eager to uphold this custom with Churchill Downs. We anticipate our extensive coverage and advancement of both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby across all NBCUniversal platforms.”
The 150th Kentucky Derby in 2023 garnered the largest viewership since 1989, attracting 16.7 million spectators. This marked the initial Derby following the legalization of sports wagering in Kentucky in August 2022.
Churchill Downs announced $210 million in wagers for the 2023 Kentucky Derby, establishing a new benchmark for the celebrated race.
A significant wager, a cool seven million smackers on Mystik Dan, a true underdog boasting odds of 18 to 1. The legendary Churchill Downs, renowned for hosting the Kentucky Derby, pulled in a whopping $5.909 billion during the initial three months of 2024, as revealed in their most recent earnings statement.
