In 2011, NBC Sports once again became the broadcaster of all three Triple Crown races in separate broadcast deals; including an extension to its existing rights to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, plus establishing a new 5-year deal to broadcast the Belmont Stakes after
ABC and
ESPN declined to renew their previous contract. All three deals lasted through 2015, and included supplementary coverage on
NBC Sports Network for all three races. The additional coverage included 14-1/2 hours of Kentucky Derby pre-race coverage including an hour and a half live special for the
Kentucky Oaks and six and a half hours of
Preakness Stakes pre-race coverage including a one-hour live special on the
Black-Eyed Susan Stakes both carried on NBC Sports Network.[2][3]
Combined broadcast arrangements with ABC continued until
2001, when
NBC Sports took over. Under NBC, ratings continued to go up, by as much as 20 percent in some years. It did not hurt that many horses, like
Funny Cide and
Smarty Jones, were making Triple Crown runs during those years (although all of them failed). From
2002 to
2004, the Belmont had the highest ratings of any horse race on television.
After the 2004 race, the
New York Racing Association ended its deal with NBC, citing a conflict over profit-sharing arrangements. ABC won the rights to the Belmont, and
Triple Crown Productions was effectively dissolved related to bonuses and broadcast rights. The only function that Triple Crown Production still oversees is joint nomination fees and a small joint marketing effort.
In 2011, NBC Sports once again became the broadcaster of all three Triple Crown races in separate broadcast deals; including an extension to its existing rights to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, plus establishing a new 5-year deal to broadcast the Belmont Stakes after
ABC and
ESPN declined to renew their previous contract. All three deals lasted through 2015, and included supplementary coverage on
NBC Sports Network for all three races. The additional coverage included 14-1/2 hours of Kentucky Derby pre-race coverage including an hour and a half live special for the
Kentucky Oaks and six and a half hours of
Preakness Stakes pre-race coverage including a one-hour live special on the
Black-Eyed Susan Stakes both carried on NBC Sports Network.[2][3]
Combined broadcast arrangements with ABC continued until
2001, when
NBC Sports took over. Under NBC, ratings continued to go up, by as much as 20 percent in some years. It did not hurt that many horses, like
Funny Cide and
Smarty Jones, were making Triple Crown runs during those years (although all of them failed). From
2002 to
2004, the Belmont had the highest ratings of any horse race on television.
After the 2004 race, the
New York Racing Association ended its deal with NBC, citing a conflict over profit-sharing arrangements. ABC won the rights to the Belmont, and
Triple Crown Productions was effectively dissolved related to bonuses and broadcast rights. The only function that Triple Crown Production still oversees is joint nomination fees and a small joint marketing effort.