Highest Ratings for Derby in 18 Years
 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/horse...050210.article

Hard to figure...obviously the need for a supposed "Super Horse", let alone a dynamic field is overstated.

Top Chef.

you had no choice but to watch. they pulled the track feeds down from the internet.

You have to think the other sports competition (which was awful, i was looking for a reason to not watch the prerace crap but couldnt find anything) which was a 8-0 baseball game, a golf tourney with no top players, girls softball and drag racing or something like that had to help the rating.

Primetime. It must be done.

I'm impressed that there was a 7% increase from 2008 to 2009.

What channel carries the Preakness undercard? Who usually carries Pimlico, HRTV or TVG?

Hrtv. For anyone in the Baltimore area Channel 2 has for years shown the complete card.

That has to be the explanation. It otherwise seemed like the least likely year for the Derby to attract viewers. Several non-fan friends mentioned not hearing about any horses leading up to the Derby.

--Dunbar

You guys don't think that 2009 and Mine That Bird being a huge longshot helped? Calvin Borel got a lot of coverage last year too, with the recent passing of his parents at that time.

The lack of other pro-sports options certainly helped, but part of the bump I'm sure is associated to NBC's focus with the broadcast. It's amazing to think the Kentucky Derby is watched by more women than men. So the peacock network acted accordingly. Whether or not racing fans liked Top Chef, unfortunately, racing fans are the minority.

NBC is a smart, successful company... they wouldn't do those things if the data didn't support it.

Its all about the "Pageantry" Derby day and once its over its back to business. Screwing the bettor, to much racing, and slot driven purses in ridiculous locations for racing. OH and California!!!

The NBC Derby Pageant coverage is exactly what it should be without the swimsuits!

The options are simple for racing fans that are uninterested in the human intrest stuff. Watch TVG or HRTV and play other tracks until post time then switch over to ESPN to watch the Derby undercard and then to NBC to watch the Derby. Worked fine for me.

How about the fact that it was pouring rain outside throughout the south-southeast, including in Louisville, probably kept people in front of the television for a lot longer? I know that 155k showed up at the track, but I know of at least a few usual attendees who bailed because of the rain.

NBC did a great job with the Leno/O'Brien thing. Arent they a distant 4th in the ratings? I think I'll stick with the "nothing else on" theory.

Attendance was announced at 155k

In what ratings? Overnight? That doesn't dictate sports... it does from the pre-event promotional standpoint, however.

Does anyone know how the Oaks came out in ratings?

This really is the bottom line when it comes to griping about horse racing coverage... NBC etc. are not showing the race to appease gamblers. It's more than that. Hence the cool camera shots and angles... a massive percentage of the people watching the race don't even have a bet down... they could care less about the pan shot.

Nascar became popular - got aired during primetime
now every race ends in a Green White Checker

would prime time ruin horse racing like it did Nascar?

One of the million reasons why I won't watch NASCAR is because you can spend hours watching, then have it end without a real finish. Boring.