Breeders' Cup, NBC Expand Challenge Coverage

The Breeders' Cup announced April 21 a "new marketing platform" that will feature 18 Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" races from U.S. tracks in 2014.

All of the races will be broadcast by NBC Sports Group and will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign that will run across NBCUniversal properties as well as Time Inc. properties Sports Illustrated and People.com.

The "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In" consists of 11 telecasts on NBC and NBCSN and features 18 "Win And You're In" races in which the winners automatically qualify for a spot in the World Championships at Santa Anita Park  Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

According to the release, the expanded NBC Sports partnership includes multiplatform rights to the Breeders' Cup Challenge races, which will also be featured on NBC's digital and mobile applications.

"The Challenge Series is an excellent vehicle to provide fans with a clear path to the World Championships in the fall," Craig Fravel, Breeders' Cup president and CEO, said in a release. "We are very pleased to expand our partnership with NBC Sports Group to televise the best races from the top tracks in the country and utilize the unique assets of a broad and diverse media leader such as Time Inc. to provide a variety of custom advertising content under the banner of the Breeders' Cup brand."

In addition, several NBC Sports regional networks will present replays of select races after their initial airings on NBC and NBCSN.

"We are excited to present the new series of Breeders' Cup Challenge telecasts, which will help to build interest as we move from the Triple Crown races through the summer and on to the eagerly-anticipated Breeders' Cup World Championships in the fall," Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC and NBCSN, said in the release.

"To support the new Challenge Series, the Breeders' Cup will be launching a multi-channel marketing effort that will aim to attract new fans to the telecasts and sport," the Breeders' Cup release said. "Leveraging the Breeders' Cup celebrity ambassadors (such as Kate Upton, Joe Torre, Bobby Flay, Elizabeth Banks and more) along with interesting and diverse horse owners who are trying to win their way into the Breeders' Cup, a series of custom content pieces--to run on SI.com and People.com--will provide readers a window into the thrill of horse racing at its highest level during the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. Additional television, print and online media will run across the two Time Inc. properties as well as NBCUniversal properties, including E!, CNBC, Golf Channel, Esquire Network and more, to support the campaign and help raise awareness of and interest in the Challenge Series."

The Breeders' Cup said it will release the entire "Win and You're In" schedule for 2014 later this week.

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“Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win And You’re In” schedule on NBC and NBCSN.
Breeders’ Cup Challenge races are listed in bold.