ESPN/ABC has ended its relationship with horse racing’s Belmont Stakes, after deciding that it “did not make good business sense” to renew its expiring television deal with the event.
ESPN confirmed to multiple outlets that it has “elected not to renew” its five-year deal to carry The Belmont Stakes. The race had aired on ABC since 2006, the network’s second stint televising the event.
According to Sports Business Daily, NBC will “almost certainly” obtain rights to the Belmont. The network aired the event from 2001-05, and currently owns the rights to the Kentucky Derby.
Preakness television rights are also up for grabs, although the Throughbred Times recently reported “speculation” that a deal for NBC to continue televising the event was “imminent” (Throughbred Times, 2/8/11).
Should NBC acquire the rights to both the Belmont and Preakness, it would mark the first time since 2005 that all Triple Crown races aired on the same network.
(Sports Business Daily, Thoroughbred Times 1, 2)
