The National Thoroughbred League (NTL) announced on Tuesday a new, first-of-its-kind racing league, reimagining America's oldest spectator sport by creating a team-based professional sports league.
In creating city-based teams, the NTL encourages the same kind of civic pride and natural rivalries that occur in most major sports. Each NTL race weekend will take place in one team's city, creating an opportunity for fans to root for their home squad – and their favorite horses. In returning its best horses to compete month after month, year after year, the NTL creates long-term stars, like every other sport, rather than immediately retiring top performers to breed.
With a weekend-long festival-like atmosphere, akin to Formula I, featuring food and fashion, concerts, and parties, the NTL makes race weekends a lifestyle. The race days themselves will be reimagined, with pageantry and action between races, creating an experience unlike anything in the 300-year history of this great sport. The league debuts over Labor Day weekend 2023 in Nashville and will include a major concert and a whiskey and bourbon lawn party, featuring Pappy Van Winkle. Other highlights include a trackside celebrity chef competition at the New York Cup, in partnership with the New York City Wine and Food Festival, and a blowout New Year's Eve championship weekend at Tampa Bay Downs.
The NTL will debut as one of the first truly co-ed sports leagues, featuring both fillies and colts (as well as male and female jockeys), competing on the same teams at these multirace competitions. The NTL places the health and safety of its equine athletes as its top priority – a league structure allows for centralized oversight over all safety protocols, led by an independent chief safety officer, who can mandate which horses can run, adding an extra safety layer on top of adherence to the new standards set by the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). The competitions, or Cups, will generally consist of a three-race series, run consecutively, with horses from each of the six teams entered in every race, accruing points to determine the overall winner, and offering simpler ways to bet. The championship at the end of the season takes home a $1 million grand prize.
The six original teams will represent New York, Los Angeles, New Jersey, Seattle, Nashville, and Philadelphia, with names, logos, and uniforms to be unveiled next month. The inaugural 2023 NTL Season One Schedule will be:
September 2-3: Nashville (Kentucky Downs)
September 15-16: Seattle (Emerald Downs)
October 13-14: New York and New Jersey (Meadowlands Racetrack)
November 10-11: Los Angeles (Los Alamitos Race Course)
December 30-31: Tampa – Championship Weekend (Tampa Bay Downs)
Tickets will go on sale starting Tuesday, May 23, and can be found at the NTL official site here.
Co-Founded by Randall Lane, the chief content officer for Forbes and a long-time events creator, and Robert Daugherty, a leading American investor, and educator, the NTL is reimagining the sport for a new audience. Sitting beside Lane and Daugherty are other high-profile owners who will bring the NTL to life, among them Nelly, Rick Ross, and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
“My grandfather spent his entire life at the track and taught me so much respect for this sport and the horses within it,” said Lane, who lives in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “It's so exciting to reimagine it all for new fans and a new generation.”
“Thoroughbred racing is a great American tradition and one that taught me more about math than any class,” said Daugherty, who lives in Del Mar, Calif. “I can't wait to share that, in a way that prioritizes the safety of our athletes.”
Lane and Daugherty are also owner-operators for the New York and California teams, respectively. Managing partners in the other markets feature top financiers and entrepreneurs, including Joe Besecker and Michael M. Carter (Philadelphia), Bruno and Victor Costa (New Jersey), Terry McCrary (Seattle), and Gene Rice (Nashville). The NTL already has a partnership in place with Wazuzu Racing, a leader in thoroughbred tokenization and blockchain applications, cofounded by Besecker, who has won more than 1,000 races as a horse owner.
The NTL has recruited some of the top talent in thoroughbred horse racing, led by the President of Horse Operations, Tom Ludt, the former chairman of the Breeders' Cup. Team trainers include legends Chad Brown and Steve Asmussen, while the equally legendary jockeys include Mike Smith and Chantal Sutherland. “The idea of introducing a team-based competition structure, akin to other sports, with a focus on engaging a new wave of fans, resonated with me instantly,” said Sutherland, who will be the jockey for Los Angeles. “I am all in!” Added Brown, the trainer for New York: “This is a groundbreaking initiative and I am thrilled to be part of it.”
Besides Ludt, the NTL has secured the service of COO Leonard Armato and General Manager Lexie King, through their company, Management Plus Enterprises (MPE), which has a rich history of creating iconic sports franchises, including the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, and the Shaq and Golden Boy brands. The NTL's chief revenue officer is media veteran Rob Gregory, and the advisory board is chaired by Lisa Baird, the former Commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League and the CMO of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
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