As Lindsay Schanzer Makes Kentucky Derby History at Front Bench, NBC Sports Welcomes Back Full-Capacity Crowds at Churchill Downs Schanzer is the first woman ever to produce the Derby By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Friday, May 6, 2022 - 1:33 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
After serving nearly a decade on NBC Sports' Kentucky Derby production crew, Lindsay Schanzer takes the Kentucky Derby reins for the first time this weekend. Although the new senior producer of NBC's Triple Crown coverage has served as lead producer of the broadcaster's Preakness Stakes, Breeders' Cup, and Royal Ascot productions since 2020 and produced last year's Belmont Stakes, tomorrow's race at Churchill Downs marks her first time leading production of horse racing's most iconic event.
What's it going to feel like? I think, hopefully, given the experience that I've had, it won't feel too different, she says. I think part of the beauty of this job and the way it has been set up for me is that I will be surrounded by people I've been working with in some capacity for 10 years.
Indeed, although this is Schanzer's first year overseeing the Derby - the first woman ever to do so - the bulk of NBC's established production team under previous producer Rob Hyland remains in place. To her left in the truck will be longtime NBC Associate Producer, Horse Racing, Amy Zimmerman, and to her right will be Director Drew Esocoff, who has called the shots for every Derby since 2011. Producer Billy Matthews and Director Kaare Numme also return to handle USA Network's coverage leading up to the main event on NBC.
NBC's new Triple Crown Senior Producer Lindsay Schanzer will produce this weekend's Kentucky Derby.
I think it will feel like a comfortable position with a lot of responsibility, says the five-time Sports Emmy winner. I'm sure there will be nerves - as I think my predecessors would say they had as well - but I think I'll feel excited and grateful and that sense of comfort and peace that comes with the people around you being the people that you call family and are really lucky to work with.
NBC Onsite at Churchill Downs: 50+ Cameras, 16 Announcers, Capacity Crowds NBC Sports kicks off more than 12 hours of Kentucky Derby Week action today with live coverage of the Kentucky Oaks on USA Network; Saturday's live coverage begins at noon ET on USA Network. Over the two days, NBC Sports will televise 15 races as part of its 12 hours of live coverage from Churchill Downs, including a live five-hour Kentucky Derby Day on Saturday on NBC and Peacock.
We're thrilled to bring this event to viewers across the country and the globe, says Schanzer. With over 50 cameras, including drone coverage to cover the full scope of the event and cameras on the helmets of jockeys in the race, we think we're in a position to give all of our viewers the best seat in the house.
In addition to the cameras, NBC has trotted out 16 announcers at Churchill Downs led by host Mike Tirico, anchoring Derby coverage for the sixth time. Longtime analysts Jerry Bailey, Randy Moss, and Eddie Olczyk are also back and will be joined by reporters Ahmed Fareed, Britney Eurton, Donna Brothers, Kenny Rice, and Nick Luck, along with race caller Larry Collmus. For the second consecutive year, NBC News' Steve Kornacki is back to provide deeper odds analysis, NBC Sports' Tim Layden will deliver an essay, and NBC News' Dylan Dreyer and E!'s Zanna Roberts Rassi will serve as fashion correspondents. Special lifestyle correspondents Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rutledge Wood will also bring some fun to the proceedings with a Derby Day scavenger hunt, taking viewers behind the scenes to rarely seen locations at Churchill Downs.
We've got 16 announcers who will cover every nook and cranny of this unique and special venue, says Schanzer.
In addition to an army of on-air talent covering the Derby, NBC Sports' Premier League studio show will be live from Churchill Downs on Saturday morning. Rebecca Lowe will host the Premier League Mornings and Premier League Live shows alongside analysts Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe, and Tim Howard from the paddock. Lowe, who was part of NBC Sports' 2019 Kentucky Derby team, will then join NBC's Derby coverage as a feature host during Saturday's Run for the Roses.
Rebecca Lowe will do the Football/Derby double, says Schanzer. When she's done with her coverage on Premier League, she'll flip over and join our show. We're really excited about having her back.
Although the cavalcade of cameras and on-air talent is sure to bring plenty of excitement to NBC's broadcast, nothing can match the energy provided by full-capacity crowds at a Kentucky Derby. After holding the Derby in September in 2020 and with only a limited audience last May, Churchill Downs will welcome back a capacity crowd for the first time since 2019.
To me, there is no day like the Kentucky Derby, says Schanzer. It is a singular event in all of American sports and beyond. After a crazy stretch of dramatic and controversial finishes, plus a September Derby in the middle of a pandemic and an empty Churchill Downs, we are looking forward to a full-capacity venue and, hopefully, a great race with a true celebration in the winner's circle.
USA Network kicks off coverage from the Derby with the Kentucky Oaks today at 1 p.m. ET. NBC and Peacock's coverage of the 148th Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow.
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
As Lindsay Schanzer Makes Kentucky Derby History at Front Bench, NBC Sports Welcomes Back Full-Capacity Crowds at Churchill Downs Schanzer is the first woman ever to produce the Derby By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
