Kentucky Derby sees ratings spike; NBC extends contract through 2032

(Photo credit: Matt Stone/The Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)
The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday had the attention of millions of viewers, and that was even before the first three-horse photo finish since 1947 determined 18-1 long shot Mystik Dan as the upset winner.

The average audience was 16.7 million on NBC Sports platforms -- a 13 percent increase from 2023 (14.8 million) and the event's best f