FOX Sports and NYRA Reach Exclusive Belmont Stakes Deal

[Wandering Eyes]

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and FOX Sports have reached an agreement with the latter acquiring exclusive media rights for the GI Belmont Stakes, beginning in 2023. The eight-year agreement runs through 2030 and includes the entire Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which is the multi-day event of top races preceding the Belmont S., as well as a new title sponsorship deal which grants NYRA Bets the title sponsorship to the Belmont S.

“FOX Sports has quickly become the year-round home of the finest Thoroughbred racing in the country,” said Dave O'Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “Their commitment to presenting innovative and informative coverage has had an enormous impact on reaching new fans and enhancing overall interest in the sport. That's why NYRA is so pleased to expand our partnership to now include the Belmont Stakes on FOX for many years to come.”

NYRA and FOX Sports began their collaboration with Saratoga Live in 2016 at Saratoga Race Course with 80 hours of live coverage on FOX Sports 2. That coincided with the national launch of NYRA Bets, NYRA's mobile wagering platform now available in more than 30 states. The total coverage of horse racing on FOX Sports has grown every year since the partnership began, eclipsing 700 hours in 2020. FOX Sports became the national television home for Belmont Park in 2019, began televising the GI Runhappy Travers to a national audience on the FOX broadcast network, also in 2019, and expanded the partnership with NYRA in March 2021 with a landmark media rights agreement. The latter agreement provides a FOX Sports subsidiary with an option to increase its current 25% equity interest in NYRA Bets.

“From Secretariat to American Pharoah, the Belmont Stakes has been racing's greatest test of the champion, and we couldn't be prouder to bring it to FOX Sports,” said Michael Mulvihill, FOX Sports Executive Vice President, Head of Strategy and Analytics. “The Belmont enhances FOX's status as the industry leader in live events and is an important step in our evolution as a media and gaming brand.”

The Belmont S., the final jewel of the Triple Crown, was previously shown on NBC from 2001-05, ABC/ESPN from 2006-10, and on NBC from 2011, where it will be again shown in 2022 before moving to FOX Sports.

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