After a 23-year high for the Kentucky Derby, overnights for the Preakness were among the lowest ever on NBC.
The race portion of The Preakness Stakes earned a 5.8 overnight rating on NBC Saturday evening, down 8% from last year (6.3), down 3% from 2013 (6.0), and the second-lowest overnight for the event since NBC began airing the Triple Crown in 2001 (15 telecasts). Only the 2012 race earned a lower overnight (5.5).
The lower turnout was a marked contrast from the Kentucky Derby, which was the highest rated since 1992 in the metered markets (10.8).
As was the case last year and in 2012, the Kentucky Derby winner — American Pharoah — won the Preakness to set up the possibility of a Triple Crown at The Belmont Stakes. This is the seventh time since NBC acquired rights that the Derby winner has won the Preakness (2002-04, 2008, 2012, 2014-15). Of note, four of the six lowest Preakness overnights on NBC have been in years with a Derby-Preakness double.
Baltimore was the top market for Saturday’s race with a 16.8 overnight, down 2% from last year (17.2) but up 7% from 2013 (15.7). Louisville ranked second with an 11.9, down 28% from last year (16.6) and down 21% from 2013 (15.0). Ft. Myers, FL (10.9), Tampa-St. Petersburg (9.6) and Indianapolis (9.2) rounded out the top five.
