NBC to Retain Media Rights to Preakness Stakes
NBC has held the race’s rights since 2001.
After a fierce bidding war, NBC Sports has secured the media rights to the Preakness Stakes, according to recent reports. NBC had previously held the rights to the second leg of the horse racing's Triple Crown. Sources suggest Fox Sports, Netflix and Amazon were among the competitors vying for the rights. The duration of NBC's new deal remains unspecified.
Dan Illman, a representative for the Maryland Jockey Club, refrained from providing comment. However, insiders reveal that Maryland Governor Wes Moore and other prominent figures are scheduled to hold a press conference in Annapolis at 12 p.m. ET on Wednesday to officially announce NBC's continued sponsorship of the race. The Preakness witnessed its largest viewership since 2021 in May, with an average of 5.5 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, marking a 22% increase from the 4.9 million viewers in 2025.
NBC has been the exclusive holder of the Preakness rights since 2001. The network also possesses the broadcasting rights for the Kentucky Derby until 2032. Fox Sports is the custodian of the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown. NBC did not respond to inquiries for this report.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
