NBC’s Kentucky Derby Ratings Dip Below Last Year’s Mark

Ratings for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby were down compared to last year, but NBC’s broadcast of the race still ranked as the most-watched sporting event on TV since Super Bowl LVII in February.

This year’s horse race averaged 14.8 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, whose streaming viewership was up 50% over last year to rank as the most-streamed horse racing event ever.

Peak viewership for the Derby reached 16.6 million viewers as Mage passed the finish line at Churchill Downs. This year’s Kentucky Derby included the deaths of seven horses in an under two-week span since they arrived at Churchill Downs. 

Cable remained the dominant form of viewing for this year’s Kentucky Derby, as NBC says it had 14.4 million TV-only viewers compared to a 371,000 average minute audience on Peacock.

The 2022 Kentucky Derby drew 16 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, an 8% increase over this year’s ratings. NBC’s next broadcast of Mage’s Triple Crown quest will come on May 20 for the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.