Emirates Expands Breeders’ Cup Sponsorship

Emirates Airline has renewed its premier partnership deal with the Breeders’ Cup to continue as the official commercial airline of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

The airline will title sponsor the US$2m Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf and the $3m Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf and the deal is understood to match these figures at between $2m and $3m per year.

Emirates has sponsored the Breeders’ Cup since 2005 and under the terms of the new agreement, will also act as a presenting sponsor of Breeders’ Cup Challenge races, essentially a qualifying system, on ESPN across the summer and autumn.

The airline is currently undergoing an expansion of its North American racing activities having expanded its deal with the Belmont Stakes last week. It will also engage in partnerships six race track across North America this year, employing print advertising, on-track signage and hospitality to support its services from Dubai to New York, Toronto, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Tom Ludt, chairman of Breeders’ Cup Ltd., stated: “Emirates continues to be an outstanding partner of the Breeders’ Cup and a great supporter of thoroughbred racing worldwide. The Emirates expansion of its North American racing sponsorships is a testament to its commitment to our sport.”

Nigel Page, Emirates’ senior vice president for commercial operations, the Americas, added: “Emirates believes that through sponsoring thoroughbred events such as the Breeders’ Cup, which has strong recognition and universal appeal, it will be able to connect to its customers, sharing in their passion and in turn creating a stronger bond with them.”