FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 5th, 2016
ADAM LEVINE, CHRISTINA AGUILERA, JIMMY FALLON, SETH MEYERS & CHARLES BARKLEY TO PICK KENTUCKY DERBY WINNERS ON NBC’S DERBY COVERAGE THIS SAT.
TODAY Show Segments Live from Churchill Downs Tomorrow and Saturday as NBCUniversal Surrounds the Kentucky Derby
Features and Segments from NBCUniversal Properties Including CNBC, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, E! News, The Voice, 1st Look, The Weather Channel and More
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 5, 2016 – NBC Sports Group presents 15.5 live hours of Kentucky Derby coverage continuing today, Thursday, May 5, with the Kentucky Derby Access show at 4 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.
In preparation for the Derby, NBC Sports Group asked a number of celebrities and NBCUniversal personalities for their horse picks, including Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, Pharrell Williams, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Charles Barkley, Andy Cohen, Steve Harvey, and more. Their picks will be revealed during NBC’s Kentucky Derby broadcast on Saturday.
A host of NBCUniversal properties will participate in NBC Sports’ ‘Big Event Strategy,’ focusing on the food, fashion, celebrity and entertainment spectacle that is the Kentucky Derby.
Below is a summary of the NBCU properties that are supporting the Kentucky Derby:
TODAY & WEEKEND TODAY: TODAY and Weekend TODAY’s Dylan Dreyer reports live from Churchill Downs Friday and Saturday morning on the latest storylines around the Derby. Dreyer also visited with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, his new home, and will have an update on him one year after his Kentucky Derby win.
TODAY WITH KATHIE LEE AND HODA: Tomorrow, Kathie Lee and Hoda will wear Derby hats while they share Derby trivia. In addition, their “drink of choice” during “The Talk” segment will be the mint julep in a nod to the Derby’s traditional beverage.
THE WEATHER CHANNEL: The Weather Channel has been reporting on the Louisville forecast and track conditions throughout the week. Tomorrow morning, AMHQ will welcome Dreyer from Churchill Downs to discuss the atmosphere leading into the Kentucky Oaks.
CNBC: CNBC will go inside the big business behind the Derby, previewing the undefeated frontrunner Nyquist and talking with the owners of American Pharoah about how he’s earning more money now than when he raced.
E! NEWS: E!’s Maria Menounos and Jason Kennedy contributed to the Derby Celebrity horse pick segment.
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON: Kentucky Derby content from Jimmy Fallon includes a Kentucky Derby-Winner Puppy Predictor skit in tonight’s show and Fallon’s pick for the winning horse.
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS: Seth Meyers provided his Derby pick to be revealed during NBC’s Kentucky Derby broadcast on Saturday.
THE VOICE: Judges from The Voice Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams offered their horse picks to be included in NBC’s Kentucky Derby broadcast on Saturday.
ACCESS HOLLYWOOD: Access Hollywood Live will have Derby-related content in their show tomorrow.
BRAVO: During Monday night’s Watch What Happens Live, the “Guest Bartender” served the Derby’s signature drink, the Mint Julep, and Andy Cohen, host of Watch What Happens Live, provided his Derby horse pick to be revealed during NBC’s Kentucky Derby broadcast.
DAN PATRICK SHOW: NBC Sports’ handicapper Eddie Olczyk joins Dan Patrick and the ‘Danettes’ on the Dan Patrick Show on Friday to preview the Kentucky Derby.
NBC AFFILIATES, OWNED STATIONS & NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS: Kentucky Derby promotions will air throughout the week on NBC Affiliates, Owned Stations, and NBC Sports Regional Networks across the country.
NBC SPORTS RADIO: 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.
NBC OWNED TELEVISION STATIONS’ LX.TV: 1st Look follows host Ashley Roberts as she visits a Horse Farrier, embarks on a Bourbon tour in Kentucky, and goes to jockey school at the North American Racing Academy. 1st Look airs after Saturday Night Live at 1 a.m. ET.
STEVE HARVEY SHOW & LITTLE BIG SHOTS: Steve Harvey picked his Kentucky Derby horse for a feature that airs during NBC’s Kentucky Derby broadcast.
UNIVERSAL PARKS: Universal Studios in Hollywood and Orlando have been running NBC Sports Kentucky Derby promotional spots on their Astrovision screens in the weeks leading up to the Derby, reminding park goers of NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage. Universal Studios Orlando will host a Kentucky Derby viewing party at the NBC Sports Grill & Brew.
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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–
