Preakness Overnight TV Ratings Down Slightly

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The overnight ratings for NBC's coverage of the Preakness Stakes May 20 indicated a small drop-off in viewers from 2005's numbers. The overnights, which measure viewership in 54 major markets, gave the overall telecast a 5.7 rating and a 14 share, down 4% from last year's 5.9/14.

With one rating point equal to 770,000 viewers, the Preakness, from Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Md., was seen in approximately 4.4-million homes. The share indicates the percent of TV sets that were tuned to the race.

The pre-race portion of the one-hour, 45-minute telecast, from 5 p.m.-5:45 p.m. EDT, registered a 4.0/10, down fractionally from 2005's 4.2/10. The race portion of the show, 5:45-6:45, yielded a 7.0/16, down 3% from a 7.2/17 last year.

Nevertheless, the Preakness telecast was the highest-rated sporting event televised May 20. ABC will telecast the Belmont Stakes June 10 from New York.

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