The Melbourne Cup Carnival, Australia's renowned horse racing event, is set to receive global sports network coverage, marking a historic development for the festival.
The centrepiece of the carnival, the Lexus Melbourne Cup, often referred to as 'The Race that Stops a Nation', will take place on Tuesday, 7 November 2023 at Flemington Racecourse, offering an AU$8.4m (US$5.4m) prize pool.
The event will be presented by 25 broadcasters across 209 countries and territories, with the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) producing a specialised world feed for its diverse audience.
HBA Media (HBA), the global distribution agency dedicated to VRC, has expanded distribution for the entire Melbourne Cup Carnival in 2023. Eight major networks will feature comprehensive coverage of the VRC's international programs across the four days of the carnival.
Notably, FOX Sports will headline the distribution for the carnival days, reaching over 70 million homes in the USA.
Additionally, TransVision in Indonesia, Premier Sports in South East Asia and FanCode in India, will be broadcasting the carnival for the first time, ensuring coverage in Asia.
In the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports Racing will provide coverage In the UK and Ireland, while ESPN and SuperSport will provide coverage in Africa and South and Central America. DMI will continue showcasing the event in the Middle East and North Africa.
The news arrives after Ten Network's decision to drop its bid to secure the Melbourne Cup broadcasting rights.
Ten Network had been the official broadcaster of the Melbourne Cup Carnival since 2019, signing a five-year deal worth approximately $100m. However, they decided to withdraw from the bidding process.
