NBC Sports is reportedly highly interested in retaining the media rights to the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown — though the outcome of the bidding process remains unresolved.
Fox Sports, Netflix and Amazon also submitted bids for the Preakness broadcast package, making it a contested field.
NBC's current contract expires after the 2026 edition.
The bidding follows a significant shift in the race's intellectual property. Churchill Downs had struck an $85 million deal for the Preakness IP rights, but Maryland exercised its right of first refusal and matched that price. The state finalized the deal last week, securing control over the Preakness IP. Broadcast rights remain a separate, unresolved matter.
Elsewhere on the racing calendar, a new racing series has launched that excludes the Preakness Stakes. The series will conclude with a championship race in September at Churchill Downs. NBC holds broadcast rights for Churchill Downs races, including that championship, while Fox holds rights for races at NYRA properties.
