FOX Sports to broadcast 80 hours of LIVE racing from Saratoga including the 2016 Whitney
ELMONT, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association (NYRA) and FOX Sports announced today a multiyear agreement to telecast NYRA racing live from Saratoga Race Course beginning this season on FS2, America’s fastest growing national sports channel. All NYRA races broadcast by FOX Sports will stream live on the FOX Sports GO app and FOXSports.com. The announcement was made today by Michael Mulvihill, Senior Vice President, Programming and Research at FOX Sports and Tony Allevato, NYRA Executive Producer and President of NYRA Bets.
With more than 80 hours of live racing coverage, this agreement represents the most extensive horse racing television deal in history. This summer, NYRA broadcasts on FS2 will amount to more programming hours of horse racing than all other television networks in the United States combined. Over the course of the seven-week meet, the programs will cover 40 stakes races.
“NYRA and its legendary Saratoga Race Course represent the very best in thoroughbred racing.” Mulvihill said. “We are thrilled to bring daily coverage of NYRA to a national audience on one of television’s fastest growing networks, FS2.”
“The opportunity for horse racing to be featured on national television in such a consistent manner is unprecedented,” said Allevato. “NYRA proudly looks forward to partnering with Fox Sports to present live coverage of the sport’s best racing live from Saratoga Race Course.”
Coinciding with Fox Sports’ coverage of Saratoga will the launch of NYRA’s new national advance deposit wagering platform, NYRA Bets, which will enable viewers across the country to wager on New York’s world-class racing. NYRA Bets will soon take the place of NYRA Rewards, which was restricted to New York State residents.
NYRA Bets will continue to offer lucrative rewards, instant signup, free funding options, no wagering transactions fees and three convenient ways to wager: on-track, online or via a mobile device. Please visit NYRA.com and NYRABets.com for additional information.
Featuring in-depth analysis of the races from NYRA TV analysts Jason Blewitt, retired Eclipse Award winning jockey Richard Migliore, and renowned handicapper Andy Serling, as well as paddock analysis from Maggie Wolfendale, ‘Saratoga Live’ will debut on FS2 on Friday, July 22 at 4 p.m. ET with coverage of Saratoga’s Opening Day and the Grade III Schuylerville Stakes. The 2016 Saratoga meet will be contested over 40 days concluding on Monday, September 5 with racing conducted six days a week, Wednesday through Monday.
About the New York Racing Association (NYRA)
Founded in 1955 and franchised to run thoroughbred racing at New York’s three major tracks (Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course) through 2033, the New York Racing Association’s mission is “Meeting the highest standards in thoroughbred racing and equine safety.” With a lineage of nearly 150 years, NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of New York State’s thoroughbred industry, which contributes more than $2 billion annually to its urban, suburban and rural economy. NYRA tracks are proud to be accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Safety & Integrity Alliance. Leading the industry in safety and welfare initiatives, NYRA tracks have earned “best practice” ratings in virtually every primary area examined by the Alliance since 2009.
In 2015, more than 1.75 million people attended live races at NYRA tracks. Factoring in nationwide off-track wagering, the average daily betting handle on NYRA races totaled nearly $11 million. For more information, visit www.NYRA.com. Stay connected with New York Racing by following NYRA on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
FS2
As an extension of America’s fasting growing television network – FS1, FS2 capitalizes on the strength of the big and bold FOX Sports brand. With over 50 million subscribers, FS2 continues to deliver thrill-seeking sports like UFC and motocross, and expands its breadth of programming to cover other top sports properties such as soccer as well as NASCAR practices and qualifying, college basketball games and New York Race Association horse racing. FS2 offers viewers motocross action from the world’s best riders in stunning locations across the globe with Red Bull X-Fighters, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and more. LIVE UFC fights, weigh-ins, prelims, and PPV post fight shows are proven ratings drivers and are accessible to all fans on FS2. With an abundance of knockout programming, FOX Sports keeps the action and excitement flowing on FS2. For more information, visit www.foxsports2.com.