NBC Sports' presentation of the 148th GI Kentucky Derby averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 16.0 million viewers–marking the eighth consecutive year that the event topped the 15-million mark, excluding pandemic-impacted events. It was the most watched Derby since 2019, with viewership peaking at 19 million from 7-7:15 p.m. ET, shortly after Rich Strike (Keen Ice) crossed the wire first at 80-1, marking the largest Kentucky Derby peak audience since 2017, ahead of the 18.5 million for the controversial 2019 disqualification of Maximum Security. The TV-only average audience of 15.8 million viewers is NBC's most-watched program since Super Bowl Sunday.
Led by Peacock, which live streamed the Derby for the first time, the event posted a record Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 247,300 viewers across NBCUniversal streaming platforms. The overhead replay of the race with Larry Collmus's call has been viewed more than 36 million times across NBC Sports' flagship Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok handles and the NBC Sports YouTube channel–the most-viewed Derby video ever on NBC Sports' social media platforms and six times the consumption of Justify's Triple Crown-winning run in the 2018 Belmont Stakes (6 million views). In addition, the video is the most-viewed moment ever for NBC Sports' TikTok account (11.6 million views).
NBC will broadcast GI Preakness S. weekend on its family of networks May 20-21, with coverage of the Triple Crown's middle jewel beginning at 4 p.m. ET May 21 on NBC and Peacock.
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