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Viewership up from Last Year; 3rd Most-Watched Kentucky Derby in 23 Years
9.0 National Rating up 6% from Last Year
Fourth Straight Year NBC’s Coverage Surpasses 14.5 Million
NEW YORK – May 8, 2012 – NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby drew 14.8 million viewers, the third most-watched Kentucky Derby in 23 years, and up two percent from last year’s Derby according to official national data provided today by The Nielsen Company. The household rating of 9.0/20 is up six percent from last year’s race. Since implementing NBC Sports’ ‘Big Event Strategy,’ the last four Kentucky Derby races have all recorded at least 14.5 million viewers.
NBC Sports’ coverage of the Kentucky Derby over the last 12 years averages more than 2 million more viewers than the previous 12 Kentucky Derby broadcasts on ABC (14.1 million vs.12.0 million, up 17 percent).
Saturday’s race (6:06-6:54 p.m. ET), won by I’ll Have Another, is up two percent from last year’s 14.5 million, making it the third most-watched Kentucky Derby since 1989 when Sunday Silence won the Derby (18.5 million). The household rating of 9.0/20 is up six percent from last year’s race (8.5/19).
KENTUCKY DERBY CONTINUES TO BE A HIT WITH FEMALE VIEWERS: The Kentucky Derby once again proved to be very popular with female viewers. In fact, 51 percent of Derby viewers 18+ were women, making it the only annual sporting event that draws more female than male viewers.