NBC Sports’ presentation of the rescheduled 146th Kentucky Derby averaged a preliminary Total Audience Delivery of 8.4 million viewers across NBC and NBC Sports Digital.
The Derby was ranked as the most-watched sporting event since Super Bowl LIV in February and the most-watched sporting event on Labor Day Weekend since 2017, based on fast national data from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics (does not include Out of Home viewership, which is included in official national viewership).
In addition, 9.8 million viewers watched on NBC as Authentic crossed the finish line 1¼ lengths ahead of favorite Tiz the Law.
Immediately following the Kentucky Derby on NBC, Game 7 of the New York Islanders-Philadelphia Flyers Second Round series (a 4-0 Islanders’ victory), averaged a preliminary TAD of 2.57 million viewers – marking the most-watched game of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Kentucky Derby Ratings Roundup
• The 2020 Kentucky Derby, with 8.3 million viewers on NBC (TV-only), topped by 20% the most-watched sporting event on last year’s Labor Day Weekend (6.9 million, Oregon-Auburn college football on ABC, Sat. 8/31/19).
• The 2020 Kentucky Derby (6:37-7:23 p.m. ET) delivered a 4.8/14 fast national rating. Local market ratings for all 56 metered markets will be available Monday afternoon.
• NBC Sports Digital delivered an Average Minute Audience of 132,800 viewers for the 2020 Kentucky Derby to rank as NBC Sports’ most-streamed horse racing event ever.
• Last night’s Islanders-Flyers is the most-watched Game 7 in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five years (2015, Capitals-Rangers, 2.75 million), and the third-most watched early round Game 7 on record.
• In Philadelphia, the Flyers delivered an 8.9 rating – the team’s best in the market on NBC since 2012 (Game 1 of Devils-Flyers second round series, 14.7). The Islanders’ 2.5 rating in New York is the second-best NBC rating for the team on record (Game 2 of Hurricanes-Islanders second round series last year, 2.6). Islanders-Flyers (7:23-10:02 p.m. ET) delivered a 1.39 national rating.
Top Markets for Island-Flyers Match
| Rank | Market | HH Rtg |
| 1 | Philadelphia | 8.9 |
| 2 | Las Vegas | 4.1 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh | 3.6 |
| 4 | Tampa | 2.7 |
| 5 | New York | 2.5 |
| 6 | Baltimore | 2.2 |
| 7 | West Palm Beach | 2.1 |
| 8 | Jacksonville | 2.0 |
| 9 | Raleigh | 1.9 |
| 10 | Cincinnati | 1.7 |