TMJC, NBC SPORTS REACH SIX-YEAR PREAKNESS MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT

The Maryland Jockey Club has reached a new six-year media rights agreement with NBC Sports that will provide significantly expanded national exposure for the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes beginning in 2027.

The agreement will keep the Preakness on NBC through 2032, aligning its expiration with NBC’s current media rights agreement for the Kentucky Derby. It also provides Maryland racing with substantial revenue growth, greater exposure for the Black-Eyed Susan and an opportunity to transform Preakness weekend into an expanded four-day racing and entertainment festival.

Beginning in 2027, the Preakness will move one weekend later on the calendar and will be contested twenty-two days after the Kentucky Derby. The Black-Eyed Susan will move from Friday to Saturday, followed by the Preakness on Sunday.

Four of the six Preaknesses covered by the agreement will be conducted over Memorial Day weekend, creating additional opportunities to attract visitors to Baltimore and establish Preakness weekend as a major destination event.

The revised schedule will allow The Maryland Jockey Club to expand Preakness weekend to four days of racing, beginning Thursday and continuing through Sunday. Moving the Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness to Saturday and Sunday opens Friday for world-class racing, entertainment, hospitality and community programming, creating new opportunities to build momentum throughout the entire weekend.

NBC Sports conducted extensive research and audience analysis before finalizing the agreement and believes the Preakness can generate strong television ratings in its new Sunday time slot. The additional week between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness is also expected to make participation more attractive to horsemen by providing horses with more recovery and preparation time between the first two races of the Triple Crown.

NBC remains the clear national leader in Thoroughbred racing coverage. Its portfolio includes the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Royal Ascot and Pegasus World Cup.

The continued partnership is particularly valuable because NBC also broadcasts the Kentucky Derby. 

“This agreement demonstrates the tremendous value of the Preakness and the confidence NBC has in the future of Maryland racing,” MTHA Executive Director David Richardson said. “Having the same network televise the Kentucky Derby and Preakness is enormously beneficial. In many respects, NBC’s entire Derby broadcast becomes a national commercial for the Preakness, allowing storylines and excitement to build continuously from Louisville to Baltimore. Combined with the additional week between the races, the return to a redeveloped Pimlico and an expanded four-day weekend, this creates an extraordinary opportunity to elevate the Preakness and Maryland racing.”

The agreement also reflects the continuing evolution of sports media consumption. Coverage will extend beyond traditional network television through Peacock and digital television platforms such as YouTube TV, allowing the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan to reach viewers across multiple platforms.

A major component of the agreement is NBC’s enhanced commitment to the Black-Eyed Susan. Saturday’s coverage will include at least four hours on Peacock, along with a dedicated one-hour broadcast on the national NBC network. The expanded exposure will strengthen the profile of the historic race for three-year-old fillies and support the Maryland Jockey Club’s long-term goal of elevating the Black-Eyed Susan to Grade 1 status.

The new NBC agreement follows a transformational July for Maryland racing, during which the State of Maryland closed on the purchase of Laurel Park and acquired the intellectual property rights associated with the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.

Laurel Park will remain a critical part of Maryland’s racing infrastructure by serving as the state’s principal Thoroughbred training facility. State ownership of the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan intellectual property also ensures that two of Maryland’s most historic and valuable sporting assets will remain under Maryland’s control.

These accomplishments, together with the redevelopment of Pimlico Race Course and the new NBC agreement, are central components of a long-term plan to create a more stable and sustainable future for Maryland racing.

Governor Wes Moore’s leadership has been instrumental in bringing the State, the Maryland Jockey Club, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and other industry stakeholders together behind that shared vision.

“Governor Moore has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protecting the Preakness and building a sustainable future for Maryland’s Thoroughbred industry,” remarked MTHA President Katharine M. Voss. “The State’s acquisition of Laurel Park and the Preakness intellectual property, the redevelopment of Pimlico and now this landmark agreement with NBC would not have been possible without his leadership. Together, these generational accomplishments give Maryland ownership of its racing future and provide our horsemen, breeders and racing fans with renewed confidence in the road ahead.”

The new media rights agreement arrives at a pivotal time for Maryland racing. The Preakness is scheduled to return to a completely redeveloped Pimlico Race Course in 2027, providing an opportunity to introduce the new facility to a national audience through an expanded weekend of racing and entertainment.

“Bringing the Derby winner to the Preakness is unlike anything else in racing,” said trainer Graham Motion. “I was lucky enough to experience it with Animal Kingdom. The energy is incredible, and it feels like the whole crowd is behind you. It’s a moment every trainer dreams of.”

In addition to expanded coverage of the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, the agreement also includes national streaming coverage of Maryland Million Day and Preakness Preview Day on Peacock, providing unprecedented exposure for Maryland’s broader racing program and the horses, owners, breeders and horsemen who support it throughout the year.

Taken together, the new media rights agreement, the State of Maryland’s acquisition of Laurel Park and the Preakness intellectual property, the redevelopment of historic Pimlico Race Course, and the expanded four-day Preakness festival represent the most significant investment in the future of Maryland Thoroughbred racing in generations. They create a unified vision that preserves one of the sport’s most iconic events while positioning Maryland as a premier destination for racing, entertainment and tourism.

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