Belmont Stakes Overnight TV Ratings-Solid

The Belmont Stakes Overnight TV Ratings drew a 5.0, a very solid # for a Belmont Stakes without a Triple Crown at Stake. The only way to probably consider the rating is too compare it to prior non-Triple Crown year TV ratings. It was a given going in, that the race would not hit last years overnight # of 10.5 that ABC drew when Big Brown went for the Triple.

In a prior post, I explained that Since 1997, with a Triple Crown on the line, the average rating is 8.3. When it is not the rating average is 4.0. In that same post I speculated the rating would be between the 3.5-5.0 range. The actual rating hit the high water mark of 5.0. Here is how the 5.0 rating compares to all Non Triple Crown Belmont's run this decade:

5.0, -2009-Summer Bird-ABC
3.2, - 2007-Rags to Riches -ABC
3.5, -2006-Jazil - ABC
5.4, -2005-Afleet Alex - NBC
4.9, -2001 - Point Given - NBC
2.8 ,-2000 – Commendale-, ABC

In my next post I will give an analysis of the Belmont Stakes ratings compared to all weekend sporting events.

Notes: The 5.0 rating is for the "race segment" of the broadcast considered to be 5:30-7:00 pm. The entire 2 hour broadcast # (5-7 pm) was 4.3.
Source: Nielsen Media Research