Marathon Airtime Doubled for 2009
Multimedia platforms to give global fans comprehensive coverage of world's most widely distributed race
New York Road Runners announced a three-year extension of exclusive broadcast rights and expanded coverage of the ING New York City Marathon at both the local and national level, starting with the 2009 race.
Same-day taped coverage of the ING New York City Marathon 2009 will air on NBC Sports for two hours, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. EST. This is an increase from the one-hour show that aired in 2008, and it is the only national TV network coverage of any major marathon outside of the Olympics.
NYRR's new three-year revenue-sharing partnership with WNBC and NBC Sports also includes more than five hours of race coverage on WNBC, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
"The ING New York City Marathon is one of the iconic sporting events in our country," said Jon Miller, executive vice president of NBC Sports. We are looking forward to continuing this great partnership with New York Road Runners and our flagship station WNBC."
The unprecedented live multi-platform coverage of the race also features coverage on NBC Local Media New York's new digital channel New York Nonstop and on nbcnewyork.com.
"We are thrilled to continue serving the New York community with the finest in sports entertainment," said Tom O'Brien, president and general manager of NBC Local Media New York. "The renewal is the logical extension of the growing coverage that WNBC can now offer."
WNBC will begin its pre-marathon coverage at 6:00 a.m. on the Sunday edition of the "Today in New York" show and will feature a full day of special coverage surrounding the broadcast of the world's most celebrated road race. New York Nonstop will also include marathon play-by-play and in-depth analysis of runners and strategies.
"We are so pleased to continue to expand our partnership with WNBC and NBC Sports and to bring more of the ING New York City Marathon to more people," said Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners and race director of the ING New York City Marathon.
The ING New York City Marathon coverage is produced by IMG World. IMG is the world's premier and most diversified sports, entertainment, and media company.
