NBC's Kentucky Derby Coverage Averages 15.3 Million Viewers

NBC Sports' coverage of Saturday's 140th Kentucky Derby averaged 15.3 million viewers, according to fast national data provided today by The Nielsen Company.

California Chrome's exciting victory in Saturday's race (6:06-6:52 p.m. ET) marks the fourth time in six years (2009, 2010, 2013, 2014) that NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage averaged more than 15 million viewers. From 1991-2008, Kentucky Derby average viewership did not reach 15 million.

· Viewership increased 3% from 2012 (14.8 million for I'll Have Another's victory) - the last time the Kentucky Derby faced head-to-head competition from the NBA Playoffs.

· NBC's 9.4/22 household rating for the Kentucky Derby ranks as the best Saturday rating on any network since the 2014 Sochi Olympics on NBC (9.6/17 on Feb. 15).

· Louisville, the home of the Kentucky Derby, topped the metered markets with a 37.8 rating/66 share (top 20 markets listed below).

4.4 MILLION MINUTES STREAMED ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA: Fans live streamed a record 4.38 million minutes of the Kentucky Derby on NBC Sports Live Extra - the NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets - a 59% increase over last year for coverage which included four exclusive camera angles (grandstand, paddock, overhead, jockey), bonus analysis from NBC Sports commentators, and replays and footage from key "Road to the Kentucky Derby" prep races.