Overnight ratings soar for Belmont

Overnight ratings for the Belmont Stakes on NBC soared, despite the scratch

of Triple Crown-hopeful I'll Have Another, topping last year's overnight by 13

percent, and the 2010 overnight by 74 percent.

Saturday's overnight rating is the highest for a non-Triple Crown Belmont

since 2005 on NBC.

NBC's broadcast of the Belmont Stakes, which was won by Union Rags,

registered a 5.4 overnight rating and an 13 share for the race portion, up 13

percent from last year's race (4.8/11 on NBC), and up 74 percent from the 2010

race (3.1/7 on ABC). Saturday's Belmont had the highest overnight for the race

in a non-Triple Crown year since 2005 on NBC (6.0/13), according to overnight

ratings data provided Sunday by The Nielsen Company.

The NBC Sports Group presented 11 total hours of Belmont Week coverage (8.5

hours on NBC Sports Network and 2.5 hours on NBC). This is the second

consecutive year that NBC televised all three Triple Crown races. NBC previously

aired all three races from 2001-2005.

The race portion of the Belmont (6:15-7 p.m. EDT) registered a 5.4/13

overnight rating, 13 percent higher than last year's 4.8/11 on NBC and 74

percent higher than the 2010 Belmont (3.1/7 on ABC).

The 5.4/13 overnight rating is the highest for a non-Triple Crown year in

seven years (6.0/13 in 2005 on NBC).

The rating is 8 percent higher than the 2009 Belmont when jockey Calvin Borel

attempted to make history by becoming the first jockey to win the Triple Crown

on two different horses in the same year (Mine That Bird in the Kentucky Derby

and Belmont and Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness).

The local market rating in New York (9.6/22) was up 30 percent from last

year's Belmont (7.4/16) and the best rating for the New York market for a

non-Triple Crown race since 2006 (9.9).

The pre-race programming (5-6:15 p.m.), bolstered by a 90-minute Belmont

Access show on NBC Sports Network that preceded the NBC broadcast, showed a 19

percent increase over last year (2.6/6 on NBC) and was up 121 percent from the

2010 pre-race on ABC (1.4/3).

The 3.1 overnight rating for the pre-show was the best for that segment in a

non-Triple Crown year since 2005 (3.9/9).

*Viewership for Belmont Stakes will be available on Tuesday

when The Nielsen Company releases national ratings.

BELMONT STAKES OVERNIGHT RATINGS SINCE 2006 (Race Portion):

Year		Rating		Network
2012		5.4/13		NBC (Triple Crown contender I'll Have Another scratched)
2011		4.8/11		NBC
2010		3.1/7		ABC
2009		5.0/12		ABC (Borel going for unprecedented jockey Triple Crown)
2008		9.5/21		ABC (Triple Crown at stake -- Big Brown)
2007		3.5/8		ABC
2006		3.8/9		ABC

TOP 10 OVERNIGHT RATINGS FOR BELMONT STAKES:

Rank		City		Rating
1.		Ft. Myers		11.2/23
2.		West Palm Beach		10.8/21
3.		New York		9.6/22
4.		Baltimore		8.3/18
5.		Orlando		7.8/15
6.		Tampa		7.7/14
7.		Greensboro		7.5/15
T8.		Pittsburgh		7.4/19
T8.		Louisville		7.4/15
T8.		Richmond		7.4/14

The Belmont ratings success follows strong ratings for the Kentucky Derby and

Preakness. NBC's coverage of the May 5 Kentucky Derby drew 14.8 million viewers,

the third most-watched Kentucky Derby in 23 years and up 2 percent from last

year's Derby. Since implementing NBC Sports Group's 'Big Event Strategy,' the

last four Kentucky Derby races have all recorded at least 14.5 million viewers.

NBC's coverage of the Kentucky Derby over the last 12 years averages more

than two million more viewers than the previous 12 Kentucky Derby broadcasts on

ABC (14.1 million vs.12.0 million, up 17 percent).

NBC Sports coverage of the May 19 Preakness Stakes drew 8.1 million viewers,

the fourth consecutive year that the Preakness drew more than eight million

viewers. Since NBC began broadcasting the Preakness in 2001, every Preakness

telecast on NBC over that period attracted more viewers than any Preakness

telecast on ABC in the previous seven years. Viewership for the Preakness is up

an average of 60 percent in the 12 years on NBC compared to the previous eight

years on ABC.

The NBC Sports Group is the home to the most important and prestigious events

in U.S. horse racing, including the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup, which

was broadcast on NBC from 1984-2005. Last year marked the first time that all

three Triple Crown races appeared on one network since NBC last aired the Triple

Crown in 2005. NBC has been the home of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness

Stakes since 2001.

NBC Sports Group is also the home to Summer at Saratoga, Autumn at Keeneland,

and, in collaboration with The Jockey Club, the Road to the Kentucky Derby

series that provided live coverage of six major prep races for the 2012 Kentucky

Derby.