Without a possible Triple Crown winner on the line, ratings for NBC's June 11 broadcast of the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) dropped to an average overnight rating of 5.0 with an 11 share, down from 13.4 with a 27 share from last year when Smarty Jones made his bid for the 2004 Triple Crown.NBC ends its five-year run broadcasting the Belmont Stakes with an average overnight rating of 8.8, a 66 % increase over the previous five years (5.3) on ABC. Both five-year stretches included three Triple Crown contenders in the Belmont Stakes.The race returns to ABC in 2006.This year's rating is 2% higher than the last non-Triple Crown Belmont broadcast on NBC in 2001 (4.9/13, NBC).The pre-race segment (5:30-6:15 p.m.) averaged a 3.9/9, down 2% from 2001. The race segment (6:15-7 p.m.) averaged a 6.0/13, up 13 % from 2001.The top 10 metered markets were West Palm Beach (9.4), Philadelphia (8.8), Louisville (8.8), Knoxville (8.4), Jacksonville (8.1), St. Louis (8.0), New York (7.4), Hartford (7.4), Tampa (7.2), and Cleveland (6.8).
