Fueled by a postrace controversy, Kentucky Derby ratings hit a multi-year high — albeit well short of the 29-year mark indicated by the overnights.
Saturday’s race segment of the Kentucky Derby earned a 9.4 rating and 16.34 million viewers on NBC, up 11% in ratings and 10% in viewership from last year (8.5, 14.88M). Compared to two years ago, ratings increased a tick (from 9.3) but viewership fell 1% (from 16.45M).
Country House‘s controversial win ranks as the highest rated Kentucky Derby since 2015 (9.6) and the third-most watched since 1989.
In a likely unprecedented occurrence, viewership peaked after the race ended. The telecast had 18.0 million viewers from 6:45-7 PM ET — the quarter-hour encompassing the race itself — up only 3% from last year (17.5M).
It had 18.5 million from 7-7:15, during postrace coverage that included a tense 20-minute replay review and the eventual disqualification of the initial winner, Maximum Security. That quarter-hour was up 43% from the comparable period last year (12.9M).
The peak audience — which again, took place during a replay review — exceeded that of Tiger Woods‘ win at the Masters last month (18.3M). Keep in mind the Masters ended in the early afternoon due to weather.
Including the streaming audience of 130,000 on NBC’s digital platforms, the telecast had an audience of 16.5 million (+10%).
In adults 18-49, NBC’s telecast had a 2.7 rating (+8%). It was the day’s top program both overall and in the demo, topping ABC’s Warriors-Rockets NBA game later in the night (4.4, 7.23M, 2.3 A18-49).
[Numbers from NBC Sports, Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 5.7]
