A long term decline in Kentucky Derby ratings was reversed sharply when NBC took over the broadcast in 2001. While the decline in TV ratings for "championship" sports events is pretty typical, the reversal of such is quite rare. An astute commenter last year noted that NBC split the race and pre-race shows (effectively boosting the race only ratings), and moved the post-time to 6:10 Eastern time from 5:30. The 2008 ratings showed another small uptick in viewership. And they're off!
Complete Kentucky Derby TV Ratings, 1975-2008:
|
Year |
Viewers |
HH rating |
Share |
Network |
Winner |
|
1975 |
26.74 |
18.9 |
54 |
ABC |
Foolish Pleasure |
|
1976 |
25.84 |
17.5 |
49 |
ABC |
Bold Forbes |
|
1977 |
20.70 |
14.9 |
48 |
ABC |
Seattle Slew** |
|
1978 |
22.40 |
17.0 |
48 |
ABC |
Affirmed** |
|
1979 |
20.82 |
16.0 |
49 |
ABC |
Spectacular Bid |
|
1980 |
19.27 |
15.4 |
48 |
ABC |
Genuine Risk |
|
1981 |
23.47 |
16.0 |
46 |
ABC |
Pleasant Colony |
|
1982 |
20.26 |
14.1 |
40 |
ABC |
Gato Del Sol |
|
1983 |
19.90 |
14.5 |
37 |
ABC |
Sunny's Halo |
|
1984 |
16.82 |
12.9 |
36 |
ABC |
Swale |
|
1985 |
12.06 |
10.9 |
32 |
ABC |
Spend a Buck |
|
1986 |
16.95 |
13.6 |
37 |
ABC |
Ferdinand |
|
1987 |
14.39 |
11.6 |
31 |
ABC |
Alysheba |
|
1988 |
|
9.0 |
28 |
ABC |
Winning Colors |
|
1989 |
|
11.6 |
31 |
ABC |
Sunday Silence |
|
1990 |
|
10.1 |
27 |
ABC |
Unbridled |
|
1991 |
11.68 |
8.3 |
24 |
ABC |
Strike The Gold |
|
1992 |
11.61 |
8.9 |
26 |
ABC |
Lil E. Tee |
|
1993 |
9.64 |
7.3 |
22 |
ABC |
Sea Hero |
|
1994 |
10.58 |
7.5 |
21 |
ABC |
Go For Gin |
|
1995 |
8.13 |
6.0 |
17 |
ABC |
Thunder Gulch |
|
1996 |
9.77 |
7.4 |
21 |
ABC |
Grindstone |
|
1997 |
10.07 |
7.1 |
19 |
ABC |
Silver Charm |
|
1998 |
8.26 |
6.1 |
18 |
ABC |
Real Quiet |
|
1999 |
8.70 |
6.3 |
19 |
ABC |
Charismatic |
|
2000 |
7.93 |
5.8 |
17 |
ABC |
Fusiachi Pegasus |
|
2001 |
13.48 |
9.3 |
24 |
NBC |
Monarchos |
|
2002 |
12.82 |
8.3 |
21 |
NBC |
War Emblem |
|
2003 |
11.76 |
7.6 |
20 |
NBC |
Funny Cide |
|
2004 |
14.57 |
9.3 |
22 |
NBC |
Smarty Jones |
|
2005 |
13.58 |
9.0 |
22 |
NBC |
Giacomo |
|
2006 |
12.89 |
8.4 |
20 |
NBC |
Barbaro |
|
2007 |
13.75 |
8.8 |
21 |
NBC |
Street Sense |
|
2008 |
14.20 |
8.8 |
21 |
NBC |
Big Brown |
**Triple Crown winner
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2009 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
