New Start Time Boosts Grand National Figures

A peak live UK television audience of more than 10 million people watched‎ Rule The World win the 2016 Crabbie’s Grand National, with the Channel 4 audience boosted by the race’s new start time of 5.15pm.

The later start time saw an increase of 12% from a 2015 peak of 8.9 million and represented a 59% share of all TV viewers at that time. The peak was one of the highest of any programme in the history of Channel 4.

The race will move to ITV from the start of 2017, who will show nearly 100 days of racing for each season for the next four years. 

A total 152,665 people attended the three days of the Crabbie’s Grand National Festival, which included a record opening day crowd, while Ladies Day attendance was up by 2,006 people on last year, with a 70,000 sell-out on Grand National Day.

John Baker‎, who runs Aintree as North West regional director for Jockey Club Racecourses, said:‎ “We’re thrilled more than 10 million people just in the UK watched the world’s greatest steeplechase at its new time of 5.15pm. That is one of the largest viewing audiences in British sport and will normally be Channel 4’s biggest of the year across all its programming. The Crabbie’s Grand National truly is the ‘People’s Race’.

“Around the world, hundreds of millions of people will have tuned in to watch, while a sell-out crowd of 70,000 people at Aintree enjoyed top-class racing and enhanced customer facilities. Many congratulations to Rule The World, Mouse Morris, Gigginstown House Stud and ‎David Mullins on their victory.‎”

‎Commenting on this being the last year of British Racing’s terrestrial broadcast deal with Channel 4 before the rights move across to ITV, Baker said: “We’ve enjoyed a fantastic relationship with the team at Channel 4 these past four Crabbie’s Grand Nationals and I would like to pay tribute to their professionalism, hard work and world-class production each year. The team and the channel itself have done a huge amount to bring the story of the People’s Race to life.

This was also the last Grand National with Halewood International’s Crabbie’s brand as the title partner. The sponsorship of the Grand National Festival, including the Grand National itself, now passes to global healthcare firm Randox Health.

Crabbie’s will remain associated with the Grand National Festival as the new sponsor of the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle.

Baker added: “I should like to thank Crabbie’s brand owner, Halewood International, and in particular Judy Halewood and Peter Eaton, for their very generous and beneficial support of the Crabbie’s Grand National these past three years. I am very pleased they will remain involved and associated with Aintree through sponsorship of the high value Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle and‎ the emotional 169th running of the world’s greatest steeplechase was a great way to finish under their banner.”