As Royal Ascot marks 200 years of tradition, its 2025 broadcast strategy reveals how a heritage event can become a global media platform
In 1854, a bay colt named West Australian strode to victory in the Ascot Gold Cup, sealing his place in history as the first Triple Crown winner in Britain.
News of the win travelled not by broadcast or digital alert, but via telegraph wires and newspaper columns, reaching readers the following morning in printed reports and copperplate headlines. The spectacle of the race, and of Royal Ascot itself, lived largely in imagination, carried by the descriptions of journalists and the engravings that accompanied them.
Today, the story is different.
When the first race of the 2025 Royal Meeting begins on June 17, it will be watched live in more than 180 territories, carried by 30 broadcast partners. Coverage will be delivered to smartphones, tablets, televisions and cruise ship lounges. It will be streamed on digital platforms across the United States, broadcast live into homes across India, and packaged for in-flight screens on ten airlines.
The transformation of Royal Ascot from a domestic sporting occasion into a global media property is not just a story of scale. It reflects a broader shift in how heritage events engage with the modern audience, balancing tradition with innovation.
The new broadcast era
According to a release issued on June 16, the distribution effort will be led by HBA Media on behalf of Ascot Racecourse. Among the most significant developments is the new role of NBC and its streaming platform Peacock. For the first time, the US network will take the enhanced World Feed in full. It will also maintain an on-course presence later in the week, with presenters Nick Luck and Britney Eurton providing live coverage.
“Each year, we take immense pride in amplifying the global presence of Royal Ascot on behalf of Ascot Racecourse. The sustained strength of our international distribution reflects not only the prestige of the Royal Meeting but also the depth of our partnerships across the broadcast landscape.” – Frank Sale, Chief Executive at HBA Media.
This approach is consistent with a broader strategy of combining traditional linear broadcast with digital delivery. It also reflects growing interest in British racing among North American audiences.
The World Feed itself will be anchored by a presenting team that includes Tom Stanley, Michelle Yu, Aly Vance, and former jockey Meg Nicholls, supported by Irish analyst Jane Mangan. It will deliver five hours of uninterrupted coverage each day, covering all 35 races across the five-day meeting.
This model mirrors those seen in international sports such as Formula One and tennis, where centrally produced feeds form the core of global broadcast delivery.
Diversification of product
In recent years, sports rights holders have shifted focus from simply delivering live events to creating content ecosystems. Royal Ascot’s 2025 broadcast strategy demonstrates a clear move towards programming that caters not only to racegoers and punters but also to audiences interested in lifestyle, culture and storytelling.
Central to this approach is CJR90, a new 90-minute programme built for a global audience. Scheduled to air on Gold Cup Day, it will feature exclusive interviews, expert analysis and selected highlights, designed to complement the full live feed rather than replicate it. The show’s format is lighter in structure and broader in tone, aiming to reach casual viewers and those less familiar with the sport.
Notably, the presenting line-up will include former Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines, whose debut appearance at Royal Ascot signals an attempt to engage beyond traditional racing circles.
Additional content includes a 24-minute documentary titled The Royal Procession: Celebrating 200 Years, produced by Equine Productions. Commissioned to mark the bicentenary of the ceremonial procession from Windsor Castle to Ascot Racecourse, the feature will be made available to all broadcasters as part of the international package.
Featuring commentary from historian Alice Loxton, it blends archival material, first-hand accounts and contemporary visuals to tell the story of one of Britain’s most enduring public traditions.
This layering of content — from full race coverage to edited highlights and documentary storytelling — reflects a strategic understanding of modern consumption patterns. Audiences now expect content that is not only live and immediate, but also curated, contextualised and accessible on demand.
Strategic market penetration
Five new broadcast partners have been added this year, extending the event’s reach across key markets in the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe.
Among the new entrants is FanCode, a prominent Indian streaming platform that reaches over 160 million households. Its inclusion provides a significant opportunity to connect with a large and increasingly engaged sports audience. In the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Media (Yas TV) returns to horse racing after a four-year absence, having signed a new one-year agreement that includes multiple international race events. Coverage will span 20 regional territories, bolstered by DMI and Al Kass.
Elsewhere, distribution has been strengthened in Southeast Asia through WeDo Asia, while Charlton brings the event to viewers in Israel. In Turkey, D-Smart joins the roster for the first time. Each of these partnerships aligns with Ascot Racecourse’s broader objective of tailoring delivery to local consumption habits, whether through linear television, digital streaming or hybrid models.
North America continues to be a priority. In addition to the expanded presence of NBC and Peacock, Rogers SportsNet will offer free-to-air access to Canadian audiences, while ESPN remains the broadcast partner for Latin and South America. In Australia, coverage is provided by Racing.com and Sky Racing, both of which have an established footprint among racing fans.
European distribution is secured through a combination of national and regional partners. RAI (Italy), Setanta (Baltics and Eurasia), Polsat (Poland), CYTA (Cyprus), Silknet (Georgia) and Viaplay (Netherlands and Scandinavia) are among those confirmed. Equidia will also be present on site, offering French-language coverage with a focus on participating horses from across the Channel.
For audiences on the move, coverage will extend to ten international airlines via Sport24, and to cruise passengers through BBC HD Maritime on the Anuvu network.
A future playbook?
At a time when many heritage events face questions of relevance and reach, this year’s Royal Ascot has managed to broaden its footprint while remaining rooted in its identity.
From full-length race coverage and modular highlight programmes to cultural features and documentary storytelling, the broadcast offering is both comprehensive and targeted.
The results are visible not just in the number of territories served, but in the intent behind the delivery — from India’s streaming market to cruise ships in the Atlantic, from fashion-conscious viewers to core racing fans. Each audience receives a version of Royal Ascot that speaks to their preferences while remaining part of a coherent whole.
What emerges is a playbook for how historic sports properties can evolve.
