The Belmont Stakes is upon us. After a four-year drought of not having a triple crown contender for the Belmont, NBC gets one for the second straight year. Ratings and viewership-wise that makes all the difference in the world.
Belmont Stakes viewership 2000-2014:
if you’re on a mobile phone, we recommend tilting it into landscape mode
| Year | Net | Viewers (Millions) | Triple Crown Bid |
| 2015 | NBC | American Pharoah | |
| 2014 | NBC | 20.6 | California Chrome |
| 2013 | NBC | 7.0 | |
| 2012 | NBC | 7.7 | |
| 2011 | NBC | 6.8 | |
| 2010 | ABC | 4.7 | |
| 2009 | ABC | 6.6 | |
| 2008 | ABC | 13.1 | Big Brown |
| 2007 | ABC | 4.9 | |
| 2006 | ABC | 5.0 | |
| 2005 | NBC | 7.7 | |
| 2004 | NBC | 21.9 | Smarty Jones |
| 2003 | NBC | 15.7 | Funny Cide |
| 2002 | NBC | 12.4 | War Emblem |
| 2001 | NBC | 6.8 | |
| 2000 | ABC | 4.3 |
For the ratings junkies, here’s an excellent deep dive into Triple Crown viewership via Dan Needham (@thorotrends).