Kentucky Derby Ties for Highest Overnight Ratings in 21 Years

NBC Sports is crowing about the overnight ratings for the race portion of its coverage of the Kentucky Derby. In the hour of 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET, NBC received a 10.4 number with a 23 share. That’s the highest overnights for the Run for the Roses since 2010 and the best since a 10.9/29 in 1992 when the race was on ABC.

NBC breaks down the numbers for you below.

The Kentucky DerbyKENTUCKY DERBY OVERNIGHT RATING ON NBC TIES FOR BEST IN 21 YEARS

Race Portion up 16% and Pre-Race up 15% from 2012
Louisville Leads All Local Markets with a 43.7/69; up 38% from 2012

NEW YORK – May 5, 2013 – NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, won by Orb, drew a 10.4 overnight rating and a 23 share for the race portion (6-7 p.m. ET), up 16% from the 2012 Kentucky Derby, according to overnight data provided today by The Nielsen Company. The 10.4 overnight rating ties the 2010 race as the best for a Kentucky Derby in 21 years (10.9/29 in 1992).

Overnight Ratings Notes:

  • The pre-race coverage on NBC (5-6 p.m. ET) drew a 6.2/15 overnight rating, up 15% from last year, tying 2010 as the best for the pre-race since 2007.
  • Coverage from 4-4:30 p.m. ET received a 3.1/8, the best since NBC began 4 p.m. coverage in 2008;
  • Coverage from 4:30-5 p.m. ET received a 4.1/10, also the best since NBC began coverage at 4:30 p.m. (in 2007).

NOTE: National ratings and viewership for the race portion will be available on Tuesday, May 7. National ratings for the early coverage will be available on Thursday, May 9.

KENTUCKY DERBY OVERNIGHTS (Race Portion)

YEAR

OVERNIGHT

NETWORK

WINNING HORSE

2013

10.4/23

NBC

Orb

2012

9.0/20

NBC

I’ll Have Another

2011

9.7/22

NBC

Animal Kingdom

2010

10.4/23

NBC

Super Saver

2009

10.2/22

NBC

Mine That Bird

2008

9.5/21

NBC

Big Brown

2007

9.8/21

NBC

Street Sense

2006

8.9/20

NBC

Barbaro

2005

10.0/23

NBC

Giacomo

2004

10.1/22

NBC

Smarty Jones

2003

8.9/20

NBC

Funny Cide

2002

9.3/21

NBC

War Emblem

2001

9.4/22

NBC

Monarchos

2000

7.4/18

ABC

Fusaichi Pegasus

1999

7.5/19

ABC

Charismatic

1998

7.7/19

ABC

Real Quiet

1997

8.8/20

ABC

Silver Charm

1996

9.4/23

ABC

Grindstone

1995

7.2/18

ABC

Thunder Gulch

1994

8.2/21

ABC

Go For Gin

1993

9.4/21

ABC

Sea Hero

1992

10.9/29

ABC

Lil E Tee

Louisville topped all metered markets with a 43.7/69. For the race portion, 47 of the 56 Nielsen metered markets showed ratings gains from last year.

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR 2013 KENTUCKY DERBY (Race Portion)

1.

Louisville

43.7/69

2.

Ft. Myers

19.7/37

3.

Cincinnati

18.8/37

T4.

Knoxville

18.4/31

T4.

West Palm Beach

18.4/35

6.

Buffalo

15.9/33

7.

Oklahoma City

15.1/25

8.

Columbus

14.8/31

9.

Indianapolis

13.9/28

10.

Nashville

13.2/22

That is it for this post.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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