The Kentucky Derby has a new viewership record.
The 2026 Kentucky Derby drew 19.6 million viewers Saturday on NBC and Peacock, the most-watched edition of the race on record, according to Nielsen preliminary data and Adobe Analytics. The previous viewership high for the race was 18.5 million in 1989.
Final, official numbers for the event are expected Tuesday, according to NBC.
This year’s number was 11% higher than the 17.7 million NBC and Peacock drew in 2025, surpassing the 2024 race that drew 16.7 million. The two editions were the most-watched races since 1989.
Viewership highs over the last few years have been helped by Nielsen’s new measurements, particularly the inclusion of out-of-home viewership in 2020 and its new Big Data + Panel measurement late last year.
Giving It Some Context
While the Kentucky Derby viewership pales in comparison to the 124.9 million that watched the Super Bowl in February, the numbers continue to show the Kentucky Derby is one of the country’s most-watched U.S. sports events.
The 2026 Kentucky Derby averaged more viewers than the 17.5 million average viewership of the seven-game 2025 World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays. The race also drew more viewers than all but one World Series game—the do-or-die, 11-inning Game 7 that drew 27.3 million viewers.
The Kentucky Derby also outdrew the much-maligned 2025 NBA Finals, which averaged 10.3 million viewers. Game 7 of the series between the Thunder and Pacers drew 16.35 million.
