The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Breeders' Cup Limited, and Guinness announced Monday that an agreement in principle has been reached for Guinness to become a sponsor of NTRA/Breeders' Cup and the $13 million Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.Under the multi-year agreement, which begins with next month's Breeders' Cup on Oct. 26 at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill., to be televised live on NBC, Guinness becomes the official imported beer of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. The agreement also provides Guinness with prominence at official Breeders' Cup hospitality venues, official hotels and special events, as well as Guinness-branded signage on the starting gates for the Breeders' Cup races and opportunities for national consumer promotions. Guinness advertising will air during NTRA/Breeders' Cup programming on NBC, CBS and CNBC."We're very pleased that Guinness has joined our growing list of NTRA sponsors," said NTRA commissioner Tim Smith. "Uniting Thoroughbred racing with a global brand like Guinness will help us in our efforts to extend the international presence of the World Thoroughbred Championships."
"Guinness believes that sponsorship of the 2002 World Thoroughbred Championships, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, is a unique opportunity to fuse with an esteemed sport that shares many of the distinct attributes that define the famous Irish stout," says Kevin Kells, Guinness brand director. "Like Guinness, horseracing is a time-honored part of Irish history, with a rich background rooted in tradition."
