FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 20th, 2014
CALIFORNIA CHROME’S VICTORY IN PREAKNESS STAKES ON NBC DRAWS BEST RATING SINCE 2009
6.0 National HH Rating Up 15% from Last Time Horse Won First Two Jewels of Triple Crown in ‘12
Record 2 Million Minutes Streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra
California Chrome’s Run for History & First Triple Crown Since ’78 Culminates at Belmont Stakes, June 7 at 4:30 PM ET on NBC
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 20, 2014 – NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s 139th Preakness Stakes registered a 6.0 household rating – ranking as the highest-rated Preakness Stakes since 2009 (6.8 for Rachel Alexandra’s victory), according to official national data provided today by The Nielsen Company.
The 6.0 HH rating for California Chrome’s exciting victory over a hard-charging Ride on Curlin in Saturday’s race (5:49-6:39 p.m. ET) is up 2% from last year (5.9) and marks a 15% increase from 2012 when I’ll Have Another won the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
- Average viewership for the Preakness topped 9.5 million viewers for the second consecutive year (9.6 million in ’14; 9.7 million in ’13) after three years in a row below nine million viewers (2010-12). California Chrome’s victory topped by 19% the viewership for I’ll Have Another’s 2012 Preakness win (8.1 million viewers).
- Baltimore, the home of the Preakness Stakes, topped the metered markets with a 17.2 rating/39 share – up 10% from last year. Louisville, the home of the Kentucky Derby, ranked second with a 16.6/33 – an increase of 11% from the 2013 Preakness. The top 20 markets are listed below.
NEARLY 2 MILLION MINUTES STREAMED ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA: Fans live streamed a record 1.95 million minutes of the Preakness Stakes on NBC Sports Live Extra — the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – a 127% increase over last year for coverage which included exclusive camera angles (California Chrome, overhead, fans), bonus analysis from NBC Sports commentators, and replays and highlights from the Kentucky Derby and earlier prep races.
TOP METERED MARKETS FOR 2014 PREAKNESS STAKES (Race Portion)
| 1 | Baltimore | 17.2/39 |
| 2 | Louisville | 16.6/33 |
| 3 | Ft. Myers | 11.3/23 |
| 4 | Cincinnati | 11.2/24 |
| 5 | Buffalo | 10.5/21 |
| T6. | Knoxville | 9.8/18 |
| T6. | Sacramento | 9.8/23 |
| 8 | Orlando | 9.1/20 |
| 9 | Richmond | 8.9/19 |
| 10 | Boston | 8.4/21 |
| T11. | Oklahoma City | 8.2/15 |
| T11. | Washington, DC | 8.2/20 |
| T13. | Cleveland | 8.1/17 |
| T13. | West Palm Beach | 8.1/17 |
| 15 | Columbus | 8.0/17 |
| T16. | Indianapolis | 7.7/16 |
| T16. | Tampa | 7.7/16 |
| T16. | Nashville | 7.7/14 |
| T19. | Kansas City | 7.6/18 |
| T19. | Philadelphia | 7.6/18 |
| T19. | Las Vegas | 7.6/16 |
BELMONT STAKES ON NBC SPORTS, JUNE 7: In three weeks, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome runs for history, aiming to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 36 years, since Affirmed in 1978. NBC Sports Group coverage of The Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park in Elmont, NY, begins Friday, June 6 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN. NBC presents The Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 7 at 4:30 p.m. ET, with coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
BELMONT STAKES
| Date | Time | Event | Network |
| Fri., June 6 | 4 p.m. | Belmont Stakes Classics | NBCSN |
| Fri., June 6 | 5 p.m. | Belmont Stakes Access | NBCSN |
| Sat., June 7 | 2:30 p.m. | Belmont Prep | NBCSN |
| Sat., June 7 | 4:30 p.m. | Belmont Stakes | NBC |
| Sat., June 7 | 7 p.m. | Belmont Post-Race Show | NBCSN |
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