Belmont Stakes broadcast on FOX most watched sporting event of the day

Viewership of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday night at Saratoga Race Course on FOX’s flagship network station peaked at 5 million viewers while the race was being run, according to the network.

The broadcast on FOX and a separate broadcast on FS1 averaged 3.83 million viewers, according to FOX, up 5 percent over the average viewership for the two programs last year.

FOX said that the 5 million number made the race the most watched sporting event on Saturday. The Saturday broadcast schedule included a rivalry game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

FOX holds the broadcast rights to the Belmont Stakes through 2030. The rights to the Derby are held by NBC, in a contract that runs through 2032. NBC also has the rights to the Preakness, but that contract expires after next year’s race.

FOX is expected to make a run at the Preakness rights next year, at a time when many broadcasters have coalesced behind the idea of extending the Triple Crown by putting five weeks between the races.

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