The NBC Sports Group division of US media company NBCUniversal has acquired rights to the 2017 edition of sailing’s America’s Cup.
The agreement includes the America’s Cup World Series events in 2015-16, as well as the America’s Cup Qualifiers, Playoffs and America’s Cup Finals in 2017.
The NBC network will provide live coverage on both weekends of the America’s Cup Finals and will share live coverage of the playoffs and additional America’s Cup finals racing with pay-television channel NBCSN.
Coverage of all America’s Cup World Series events in 2015 and 2016 will be provided by NBCSN, while all television broadcasts will be accompanied with live streaming through the NBC Sports Live Extra platform.
NBC and NBCSN were the US broadcast partners 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 in 2013.
However, unlike in 2013, when race organisers the America's Cup Event Authority bought air time and then sold advertising, the new contract is a joint venture in which NBC Sports Group and the ACEA will collaborate on sponsorship and advertising sales.
Competition in the next America’s Cup begins on June 6-7, with the first event of the America’s Cup World Series in Cagliari, Italy.
In December, Bermuda was confirmed as the host of the 2017 America’s Cup finals after defeating a rival bid from US city San Diego.