ABC, ESPN to Broadcast the 2008 Breeders’ Cup

- Marks The First Time Breeders’ Cup Will Be Televised on ABC

- Nine Hours of Live Event Coverage to Air Over Two Days on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2

June 2, 2008 -- The Breeders’ Cup and ESPN announced today that the 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships on October 24-25 from Santa Anita Park will receive an unprecedented nine hours of live coverage including, for the first time, 2.5 hours of live coverage on ABC. The 25th running of the Breeders’ Cup will feature 14 races over two days with record purses of $25.5 million and air on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 beginning on Friday, October 24 on ESPN2. The ABC and ESPN combination marks the first ever network and cable telecast of the Championships.

Coverage of the Breeders’ Cup will begin with the Breeders’ Cup Selection Show on Wednesday, Oct. 22 on ESPN2. ESPN2 will begin coverage of the racing action with Championship Friday on Oct. 24 from 3:30 – 6:30 PM (ET) and will feature five Breeders’ Cup Championship races for female horses with purses totaling $8 million. It marks the first time a major Thoroughbred event in North America will run an entire day of female Thoroughbred racing, culminating with the Ladies’ Classic (formerly the Distaff).

On Saturday, Oct. 25, the racing action will continue with ABC airing the Championships from 1:00 – 3:30 PM (ET).

"In ESPN's third year with the Breeders' Cup, our relationship continues to grow across all our outlets.” Said Len DeLuca, Senior Vice President, ESPN Programming and Acquisitions. “Now we're at two days, nine hours and 14 world championship races. We're happy to work with our partners to serve horse racing fans globally."

“Our partnership with ESPN and its family of networks, distribution channels and promotional platforms continues to build our audience at home and abroad. We are excited to have the first-ever combined coverage of ESPN and ABC for the 25th running,” said Breeders’ Cup CEO Greg Avioli.

In addition to the live television coverage, both days of coverage of the Breeders’ Cup on ESPN and ESPN2 coverage will be simulcast live on ESPN360.com and breederscup.com. Also, ESPN.com will provide full editorial coverage of the races, including the days leading up to the big event. The races will be broadcast on ESPN International in over 120 countries in the Atlantic, Pacific Rim and Latin America Networks.

Breeders’ Cup World Championships TV Schedule

Date                    Time (ET)                             Event                                                              Station  

Wed., Oct. 22      TBD                          Breeders’ Cup Selection Show                       ESPN2
Fri., Oct. 24          3:30-6:30 p.m.       Breeders’ Cup Championship Friday          ESPN2
Sat., Oct. 25        1:00-3:30 p.m.        Breeders’ Cup World Championships         ABC
Sat., Oct. 25         3:30-7:00 p.m.       Breeders’ Cup World Championships        ESPN

Source: ESPN