Average of 16 Million Viewed KY Derby on NBC
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NBC Sports reported that its live coverage of the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on NBC averaged 16 million viewers, up 4% from 15.3 million last year, according to information from The Nielsen Company.
Viewership peaked at 17.9 million viewers from 6:30-6:45 p.m. EDT when Zayat Stables' American Pharoah crossed the finish line first at Churchill Downs. NBC in a May 5 release said the Derby telecast is the most-watched Saturday afternoon sporting event in 2015 since its Jan. 10 telecast of the AFC divisional playoff game that attracted 34 million viewers.
The race portion of the Derby telecast (6:16-7:02 p.m.) posted a 9.6/23 national rating, up 2% from a 9.4/22 last year, according to Nielsen ratings. Pre-race coverage that began at 5 p.m. averaged 8.8 million viewers, third-highest for a pre-race show since 1992.
NBC Sports said its live stream of the Kentucky Derby attracted 221,000 unique visitors, up 12% from 198,000 in 2014.
NBC also released its run-up and live coverage for the May 16 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland.
The Preakness, second leg of the Triple Crown, will be broadcast from 4:40-6:30 p.m. on NBC. There will be a "Preakness Saturday" broadcast from 2:30-4:30 p.m. and a post-race show at 6:30 p.m. on the NBC Sports Network.
On May 15 NBCSN will broadcast "Preakness Classics" at 3 p.m. and the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) from Pimlico at 4 p.m.