At least in the overnights, there was no carryover from American Pharoah‘s Triple Crown triumph to this year’s Kentucky Derby.
The race portion of the 2016 Kentucky Derby earned a 9.3 overnight rating on NBC Saturday evening, down 14% from last year (10.8), down 8% from 2014 (10.1), and the event’s lowest overnight since 2012 (9.0). Overall, the 9.3 is the fifth-lowest for the Derby since NBC began airing the event in 2001 (16 telecasts).
Nyquist‘s win also had the biggest year-over-year decline for the Kentucky Derby since at least 1992, with its 13.9% drop edging 1993’s 13.8%. Keep in mind last year’s overnight was the highest since ’92.
American Pharoah’s Triple Crown win last year ended a 37-year drought that had become the sport’s primary storyline. It is not far-fetched to assume that sapped some of the interest from this year’s race. On the other hand, it may be the case that Saturday’s relatively low overnight is an aberration, as in 2012 — or even that the race will fare better when the final ratings are released.
Each of the top five markets for the race declined from last year. Louisville held the top spot with a 33.7 rating (-4%), followed by Cincinnati (16.6, -7%), Ft. Myers, FL (16.5, -16%), West Palm Beach, FL (14.6, -13%) and Tampa-St. Petersburg (14.2, -9%).
(Sat. numbers from NBC Sports)
