NBC’s Preakness ratings scored a slight increase, but the numbers were still historically low.
Saturday’s Preakness Stakes race segment earned a 4.8 rating and 7.9 million viewers on NBC, up 4% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (4.6, 7.5M) but down 17% and 16% respectively from 2016 (5.8, 9.4M).
Justify‘s win exceeds only last year as the lowest rated and least-watched Preakness ever on NBC (dates back to 2001). No other Preakness in the NBC era has had less than a 5.0 rating.
As recently as four years ago, the Preakness had a comparably strong 6.0 and 9.6 million.
The historically low Preakness ratings come on the heels of the lowest rated Kentucky Derby since 2006. Next month’s Belmont Stakes should offer a reprieve as Justify seeks the Triple Crown.
Even with the low numbers, the Preakness still ranked as the weekend’s highest rated and most-watched sporting event — topping Sunday’s Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on TNT (4.6, 7.8M).
It ranked a distant third for the weekend in adults 18-49, It was a distant third in adults 18-49, its 1.1 in the demo more-than-doubled by Sunday’s NBA game on TNT (2.9) and Saturday’s NBA game on ESPN (2.5).
Preakness Ratings, Viewership, in NBC Era
