Though the overnights were the lowest since 2000, final numbers for the Preakness Stakes were actually up from last year.
NBC earned a 5.6 final rating and 8.8 million viewers for the race portion of The Preakness Stakes Saturday evening, up 6% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (5.3, 8.421M), but down 22% and 20%, respectively, from 2009 (6.8, 10.937M).
This marks the second-most viewed edition of The Preakness Stakes of the past five years, but only the sixth-most viewed of the eleven Preakness telecasts on NBC since the network acquired the rights in 2001.
The increase for the Preakness Stakes comes after preliminary overnight ratings showed a decline from last year.
Ratings/Viewership For Race Portion of The Preakness Stakes
Since NBC Acquired Rights in 2001
|
Year
|
Date
|
Winner
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2011
|
Sat., 5/21/10 | Shackleford | NBC |
5.6
|
8,800
|
|
2010
|
Sat., 5/15/10 | Lookin at Lucky | NBC |
5.3
|
8,421
|
|
2009
|
Sat., 5/16/09 | Rachel Alexandra | NBC |
6.8
|
10,937
|
|
2008
|
Sat., 5/17/08 | Big Brown | NBC |
5.5
|
7,939
|
|
2007
|
Sat., 5/19/07 | Curlin | NBC |
5.7
|
8,390
|
|
2006
|
Sat., 5/20/06 | Bernardini | NBC |
6.6
|
10,091
|
|
2005
|
Sat., 5/21/05 | Afleet Alex | NBC |
6.3
|
9,321
|
|
2004
|
Sat., 5/15/04 | Smarty Jones | NBC |
7.7
|
11,646
|
|
2003
|
Sat., 5/17/03 | Funny Cide | NBC |
5.7
|
8,559
|
|
2002
|
Sat., 5/18/02 | War Emblem | NBC |
6.5
|
9,208
|
|
2001
|
Sat., 5/19/01 | Point Given | NBC |
6.4
|
8,744
|
(This year’s numbers from NBC Sports Group, via TV By the Numbers; additional information from Media Life Magazine, Sports Business Daily)
