NBC beats Fox for Derby rights

[Alan07]

NBC Sports has reached a five-year deal with Churchill Downs Inc. to broadcast the Kentucky Derby through 2015, the two companies announced on Thursday.

The deal is worth approximately $25 million, or $5 million a year, according to officials with knowledge of the agreement, an amount that is less, per year, than NBC paid for the broadcast rights to the Derby in a previous five-year deal that expired this year. The agreement also includes rights to the Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks day undercard, including coverage of the Kentucky Derby Red Carpet.

The deal also includes the broadcast rights to the Kentucky Oaks, which will be shown on one of NBC’s cable channels. The Oaks is held the Friday before the Derby, and in the past two years, the race has been broadcast on NBC’s Bravo cable channel.

Bidding for the rights started this summer. According to the officials, Fox had sought the rights to the race for the first time, but NBC’s proposal won out.

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