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NBC retains rights to America’s Cup

Oracle Team USA in action in 2013

The America’s Cup has selected NBC Sports Group as its partner for the 2017 sailing spectacle.

As well as the America’s Cup finals in Bermuda, the Group has also secured the rights for the America’s Cup World Series events in 2015-16, the America’s Cup Qualifiers and Play-offs.

“We are delighted to announce this agreement with NBC Sports Group,” said Harvey Schiller, the commercial commissioner of the America’s Cup. “This is a great deal for the America’s Cup, our teams and our partners. NBC Sports Group’s continued interest reflects the growing popularity, as well as potential additional growth, of the America’s Cup as a major television sport.”

NBC and NBCSN were the US television home for the last America’s Cup, in which Oracle Team USA staged one of the greatest comebacks in sport to retain the trophy for the United States.

The television coverage was widely acclaimed, as was the presentation of the Emmy Award-winning on-screen graphics package, AC LiveLine, which “enhanced the viewing experience by making the sport more engaging and more easily understood, especially for new fans.”

“We are excited to once again showcase the best sailing in the world to a national audience,” said Jon Miller, president of programming at NBC and NBCSN. “The 2013 America’s Cup served as the setting for one of the greatest comebacks in recent sports history, and we will again leverage the full collection of broadcast, cable and online platforms of the NBC Sports Group to present the race for the oldest trophy in international sports.”

Highlights of the agreement between NBC Sports Group and the America’s Cup include:

• Live coverage on NBC on both weekends of the America’s Cup Finals 2017

• Extensive live coverage of the America’s Cup Playoffs (and additional America’s Cup Finals racing) on NBC and NBCSN

• Coverage of all America’s Cup World Series events in 2015 and 2016 on NBCSN

• Live-streaming of all NBC and NBCSN telecasts on NBC Sports Live Extra

“It’s encouraging to have a partner like NBC who is highly motivated to return and help build and promote the event and increase the profile of our athletes and our teams,” Schiller added. “I have no doubt that over the next three years we will touch more viewers, in more ways, through the reach of NBC Sports Group’s platforms.”

Competition in the next America’s Cup begins in June, with the first event of the America’s Cup World Series, in Cagliari, Italy, with racing on June 6 and 7.