Belmont Stakes draws lower television rating than last year

The television rating for the Belmont Stakes broadcast on NBC on Saturday was a 3.6, with a share of 9, according to the network, well down from last year’s rating for a successful Triple Crown bid by Justify but an improvement over the figure for the broadcast in 2017.

The 3.6 rating was less than half of the 8.1 rating generated by the broadcast last year but up 6 percent over the 3.4 rating posted in 2017, when, like Saturday, a Triple Crown was not on the line. A Triple Crown attempt in the Belmont typically generates ratings figures on par with the Kentucky Derby, whereas a Belmont without a Triple Crown on the line struggles to attract a mass audience.

NBC said the 3.6 rating was the best for any sports telecast on Saturday, but the sports schedule for the day did not include a game from either the NBA finals or the Stanley Cup finals in the NHL. The 9 share for the broadcast means that roughly one in 11 televisions in use at the time were tuned to the Belmont broadcast.

The rating peaked at a 4.2 during the race, with an 11 share, NBC said.

The Derby rating this year posted its highest rating since 1992, while the Preakness rating was down sharply, declining 22 percent to a 4.3 with a 10 share. Good weather across the U.S. on the day of the Preakness was considered to be a major factor in the decline.