New York City Marathon to be Shown Nationally after ABC & ESPN Deal

January 10, 2012

For the first time in 20 years the New York City Marathon will be shown on national television after they signed a five-year deal with ABC and ESPN.

Marathon officials and WABC-TV/ESPN announced the deal Monday.

Beginning this year, the marathon will be shown live on ESPN2 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern and in New York on ABC from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. ABC will also broadcast nationally a two-hour highlight show. The deal reunites the marathon with ABC, which carried live national broadcasts of the race from 1981-93.

The 26.2-mile race annually draws the world’s top professional runners in a field of more than 45,000 participants from all 50 states and more than 125 countries.

The New York City Marathon is scheduled for Nov. 4.