The $1.5 million
Hambletonian, the richest race for 3-year-old trotters in the world, will air
live from The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, on CBS Sports Network on
Saturday, Aug. 4, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. [EDT]. The Hambletonian has enjoyed a
37-year run on national television, and remains the only harness race to be
broadcast across North America on an annual basis. CBS Sports Network will
feature expanded race coverage of 90 minutes.
An NBC production
for the past five years, the traditional date for the Hambletonian of the first
Saturday in August conflicted with NBC’s production schedule for the Summer
Olympics.
“Live television is
key in positioning and branding any event in a crowded sports universe."
said Tom Charters, president of the Hambletonian Society, which owns and
administers the race. “We are proud of the Hambletonian broadcast record and
appreciate the commitment of The New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC and the many important
industry sponsors in making continuing and expanded coverage possible.”
The Meadowlands has hosted the Hambletonian since 1981,
longer than any other track. Formerly run by the New Jersey Sports &
Exposition Authority, the premier harness track in the country was leased in
December of 2011 by New York real estate magnate and racetrack owner Jeff
Gural.
“I am very pleased
that we were able to get support from the industry,” said Gural. “Hopefully
people will enjoy our signature race.”
Participating television
sponsors include: breeding operations Allerage Farms, Bluestone Farms, Brittany
Farms, Fashion Farms, Perretti Farms and Winning Key Farms; New Jersey Tourism Board, Atlantic City
Alliance and the U.S. Trotting Association; Standardbred Breeders & Owners
of NJ and the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame; and racetracks Tioga
Downs and Vernon Downs.
The Hambletonian was broadcast
live on CBS from 1993-2006. CBS Sports Network (formerly known as CBS College
Sports Network) is the 24-hour sports cable network of CBS Sports and home of
Jim Rome’s nightly show “Rome". The
network televises 340 live games and over 2,400 hours of original programming
every year as well as Professional Bull Riding (PBR), live football, basketball
and more from the Mountain West, Conference USA, Atlantic 10, as well as Army,
Navy and the Patriot League. CBS Sports Network also delivers exclusive
coverage of SEC football, live NCAA® Tournament studio analysis, and is the
home of the National Lacrosse League
(NLL) and Major League Lacrosse (MLL).
CBS Sport Network is available
to 99 million homes nationwide and currently has 45 million subscribers. The
network is available on cable, satellite, and video provider systems including
Comcast, Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, Dish Network, Cablevision, Verizon FIOS,
and more. Check sports tiers, as well as the digital basic package, for
information on how to watch CBS SPORTS NETWORK.
