Overnight ratings increased slightly for the second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, but remained among the lowest since NBC acquired rights.
The race portion of the 2013 Preakness Stakes earned a 6.0 overnight rating on NBC Saturday afternoon, up 9% from last year (5.5), and even with 2011 (6.0).
The 6.0 is tied with 2011 as the second-lowest Preakness overnight since at least 2000.
Despite the relatively low numbers, this year’s Preakness was the first since 2009 — and only the second of the past decade — to have an increase in overnight ratings.
Baltimore (15.7) was the top market for the race, followed by Louisville (15.0), Oklahoma City (11.2), Knoxville, TN (11.1), and Ft. Myers, FL (10.6).
(Saturday’s numbers from the Baltimore Sun)
