FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016

WHO WILL SUCCEED AMERICAN PHAROAH? NBC SPORTS PRESENTS THE 142ND KENTUCKY DERBY THIS SATURDAY, MAY 7 AT 4 P.M. ET ON NBC

NBC & NBCSN Present 15.5 Hours of Live Coverage This Week, Including Saturday’s “Run for the Roses”

15 Commentators to Contribute to Telecasts, Beginning This Wednesday, May 4

NBC Sports Live Extra to Live Stream Kentucky Derby, Featuring Exclusive Camera Angles plus In-Booth “Collmus Cam”; NBC Sports Radio to Air 5.5 Hours of Derby Day Coverage

New Social Offerings Include a Tweet-Powered Brooch Worn by Johnny Weir, & Facebook Live Red Carpet Interviews

Following Kentucky Derby, “NBC Sports Championship Season” Continues At THE PLAYERS Championship May 12-15 on Golf Channel & NBC

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 3, 2016 – Last spring American Pharoah captivated fans with the first Triple Crown sweep in 37 years. Who will succeed this historic champion? The road to the Triple Crown starts this week as NBC Sports Group presents 15.5 live hours of Kentucky Derby coverage beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, May 4, at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and culminating with the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby on NBC, this Saturday, May 7 at 4 p.m. ET. Saturday’s Derby Day coverage begins at Noon ET on NBCSN.

Following are highlights of NBC Sports Group’s Kentucky Derby week coverage, which includes 7.5 hours on Derby Day:

  • Live coverage of 20 races on Thursday, Friday and Saturday – every race in NBC/NBCSN telecast windows:
    • Four live races on Thursday, May 5 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN
    • Seven live races on Friday, May 6 at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN
    • Nine live races during NBCSN (Noon ET) and NBC’s Derby Day (4 p.m. ET) coverage (including three live races in the NBC show)
  • Live coverage of the Kentucky Derby Draw to determine post positions on Wednesday, May 4, at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN;
  • The most comprehensive coverage plan in Kentucky Derby history, with more than 50 cameras, including a new 360-degree robotic camera on the infield; a new helmet camera on the outrider (escorts the winning horse and jockey to the winner’s circle); a camera suspended 80-feet high on the Churchill Downs video board structure, a robotic camera in the paddock saddling area, and a camera on race caller Larry Collmus;
  • A jockey, trainer and owner will be wired-for-sound for final jockey’s instructions and post-race reactions;

Among the features on NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage on Saturday, May 7:

  • A look at Kentucky Derby favorite Nyquist, who has won all seven of his races.
  • A profile of the Desormeaux brothers – trainer Keith and jockey Kent – who are key members of the team looking to guide Exaggerator into the Derby winner’s circle.
  • A discussion with Mike Repole, the outspoken owner of Derby contender and Wood Memorial winner Outwork.
  • Carolyn Manno visits with American Pharoah at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, his new home.
  • Rutledge Wood’s “first Kentucky Derby.”

COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby features hosts Bob Costas, a 26-time Emmy Award-winner, and Tom Hammond, the authoritative voice of every Kentucky Derby telecast since NBC began airing the event 15 years ago (2001); analysts Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey, the Hall of Fame jockey and two-time Kentucky Derby winner; analysts/handicappers Bob Neumeier and Eddie Olczyk; NBCSN host/NBC reporter Laffit Pincay, III; reporters Kenny Rice, Donna Brothers and Jay Privman; and race caller Larry Collmus. In addition, Carolyn Manno will provide a mix of features and interviews at Churchill Downs; former U.S. Olympic figure skaters and NBC figure skating analysts Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski reprise their roles as fashion and lifestyle experts; and NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR features reporter Rutledge Wood makes his Kentucky Derby debut as an event and social media reporter.

The coordinating producer of NBC’s horse racing coverage is Rob Hyland, who has been a part of the network’s horse racing coverage since 2001. The Kentucky Derby is directed by Sunday Night Football and NBC Sports’ horse racing director, Drew Esocoff. The coverage on NBCSN is produced by Billy Matthews and directed by Charlie Dammeyer. The executive producer of NBC Sports and NBCSN is Sam Flood, who has produced 13 Triple Crown races for the network.

29 HOURS OF TRIPLE CROWN COVERAGE: NBC Sports Group will present 29 hours of Triple Crown coverage this season from Churchill Downs, Pimlico and Belmont, including live racing from all three tracks prior to the Triple Crown races. This marks the sixth consecutive year that all three Triple Crown races will air on NBC.

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NBC SPORTS GROUP TRIPLE CROWN COVERAGE (All Times ET):

KENTUCKY DERBY
Date Time Event Network
Wed., May 4 5:30 p.m. Kentucky Derby Draw NBCSN
Thurs., May 5 4 p.m. Kentucky Derby Access NBCSN
Fri., May 6 12:30 p.m. Kentucky Oaks NBCSN
Sat., May 7 Noon Kentucky Derby Prep NBCSN
Sat., May 7 4 p.m. Kentucky Derby NBC
PREAKNESS STAKES
Date Time Event Network
Fri., May 20 3 p.m. Black Eyed Susan Stakes NBCSN
Sat., May 21 2:30 p.m. Preakness Prep NBCSN
Sat., May 21 5 p.m. Preakness Stakes NBC
BELMONT STAKES
Date Time Event Network
Fri., June 10 4 p.m. Belmont Stakes Access NBCSN
Sat., June 11 2:30 p.m. Belmont Stakes Prep NBCSN
Sat., June 11 5 p.m. Belmont Stakes NBC

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NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA KENTUCKY DERBY COVERAGE

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will offer a mosaic of four different camera angles for the first time ever, including the NBC broadcast, a grandstand camera, an overhead camera, and an infield camera. During the race, the infield camera will be replaced by “Collmus Cam” – Larry Collmus’ Kentucky Derby race call live as streamed by a camera in his booth at Churchill Downs.

NBC Sports Live Extra will stream Kentucky Derby week coverage on NBC and NBCSN via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.

NBC Sports Live Extra’s Derby Day coverage also includes:

  • Bonus analysis by NBC Sports commentators
  • Replays and footage from the key “Road to the Kentucky Derby” prep races

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NBC SPORTS RADIO KENTUCKY DERBY COVERAGE

NBC Sports Radio will present two hours of live Kentucky Derby coverage beginning Saturday, May 7 at 5 p.m. ET. Produced in partnership with Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN), and distributed by Westwood One, NBC Sports Radio will present live radio coverage of all three Triple Crown races. In addition, NBC Sports Radio will offer a three-hour pre-race show on Derby Day beginning at 2 p.m. ET.

For more information on programming, please contact Westwood One at NBCSportsRadio@westwoodone.com.  For a complete schedule of shows, bios, exclusive audio content, and a list of radio stations airing NBC Sports Radio, log on to NBCSportsRadio.com.

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NBC SPORTS GROUP PRESENTS MOST COMPREHENSIVE KENTUCKY DERBY SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN EVER

NBC Sports Group will surround the 142nd Kentucky Derby with its most comprehensive social media plan ever. NBC Sports Group will roll out coverage across all social platforms beginning this Wednesday, May 4, and debut new approaches including a tweet-powered brooch worn by fashion and lifestyle reporter Johnny Weir, live streams of the scene at Churchill Downs via Periscope’s GoPro integration, Facebook Live chats on the red carpet with event reporter Rutledge Wood, and more. Click here for more information.

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“NBC SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON” CONTINUES WITH THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP MAY 12-15 ON GOLF CHANNEL & NBC

Following this weekend’s Kentucky Derby, “NBC Sports Championship Season” continues with live coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship next Thursday, May 12, through Sunday, May 15, on NBC and Golf Channel. First- and second-round coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on Golf Channel on May 12-13. NBC airs third- and final-round coverage beginning at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15.

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NBC SPORTS GROUP AND HORSE RACING: NBC Sports Group is the exclusive home to the most important and prestigious events in horse racing, including the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup. NBC has been the exclusive home of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes since 2001, and the Belmont Stakes since 2011, when NBC Sports Group reassembled the Triple Crown. The 2015 Kentucky Derby on NBC averaged 16 million viewers, which for the first time ever was the most-watched program in May, topping everything on TV including primetime season finales. Women comprised 49% of that audience – the highest percentage among major 2015 sporting events.

AWARDS FOR NBC’S HORSE RACING COVERAGE: NBC Sports Group’s coverage of American Pharoah’s historic Triple Crown run garnered five 2015 Sports Emmy nominations, highlighted by the nomination of NBC’s 147th Belmont Stakes presentation in the Outstanding Live Sports Special category. Since its involvement in the Triple Crown, NBC Sports has been honored with 16 Eclipse Awards for its thoroughbred racing coverage including the award for Television – Live Program for the 2015 Belmont Stakes, 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic and the 2013 Kentucky Derby. NBC’s previous wins in that category include: Preakness (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008), Kentucky Derby (2007, 2012), Belmont (2004) and Breeder’s Cup (2001).  Additionally, NBC Sports has won four Eclipse Awards in the features category: “California Chrome: The Unlikely Champion,” which aired on NBCSN in June 2014, a 2002 feature on War Emblem (Preakness broadcast), a 2005 feature on Afleet Alex (Kentucky Derby broadcast) and a 2009 feature on Mine That Bird (Preakness broadcast).

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–