For the people of the Line Islands, Samoa, and Tonga, this fascination we have with Times Square is kind of silly. It has been 2025 on those islands in the Pacific for hours now.
But December is a month of traditions—and for many people, the New Year doesn't begin until a Waterford crystal-encrusted ball drops in Times Square.
It’s an incredible thing to see—one that can give you hope that the coming year will be better, no matter how good or bad the previous one was. There are some downsides to attending in person, though. It’s kind of stinky. It’s expensive to stay nearby. There’s a good chance the person closest to you is hammered. And bathrooms are hard to find.
Maybe your living room is, in fact, a better option. The Champagne is always chilled. The food's better. There are bathrooms aplenty. And there are myriad of ways to watch the ball and its 32,256 LEDs drop—even if you're far away from a television screen.
Looking for a way to watch remotely? Here’s how to livestream the 2024 New Year’s Eve countdown and ball drop for free.
What TV channels will air the ball drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve?
Pretty much every channel will have some sort of New Year’s Eve programing, which typically involves watching the Times Square ball. And you can watch even if you don’t have a cable subscription, since it’s aired over so many networks. Just get a good HD antenna (but be sure to test your HD antenna in multiple locations in your home to find the most reliable signal well before midnight).
Here are some of the shows that will be ringing in 2025.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest (ABC)
The most well-known of the New Year's Eve broadcasts starts at 8 p.m. ET and will run until well after midnight. Seacrest will be joined this year by featured performer Carrie Underwood. Other performers include Lenny Kravitz, Teddy Swims, Tinashe, Cody Johnson, and Thomas Rhett. This is the 20th consecutive year Seacrest has been the master of ceremonies for the highest-rated of all New Year’s Eve programming. It will be broadcast over the air, but if you're not near a TV, you can watch the coverage on the network’s website, ABC.go.com, as long as you have a cable subscription.
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash (CBS)
Keith Urban takes the hosting duties in the fourth year of this annual country music countdown into the New Year, with performances by Jelly Roll and Kane Brown. The boot scootin’ starts at 8:00 p.m. ET. Free options to view it include the CBS website and it will also air on Paramount+.
New Year’s Eve with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen (CNN)
Good news, America! The news network’s most visible anchor and the Bravo host are once again allowed to drink on air, which means things are going to be silly. Guests include Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Sting, Meghan Trainor, Shania Twain, Diplo, and Lil Jon. The show will begin airing at 8:00 p.m. ET. A livestream will be available on CNN.com’s home page, or it can be viewed on CNNgo and the CNNgo apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, and Android TV. The show will broadcast from Times Square.
Where can I stream the ball drop online for free—even without a cable subscription?
Paramount+
CBS’s streaming service will give you a one-week free trial, followed by a $8 or $13 monthly charge. (An annual plan is as low as $30 right now.)
Peacock
NBC’s streaming service carries a $8 or $14 monthly charge—and the service has done away with its free trial. (The free version of Peacock does not include live programming.)
Disney+
Disney's bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $17 per month for all three combined (or $30 per month for no ads on Hulu).
Including live TV in the bundle bumps the price to $77 per month ($90 with no ads).
Hulu with Live TV
The free trial on this service lasts three days. Afterward, it will cost you $77 per month.
YouTubeTV
After a free trial, you can expect monthly charges of $73.
Sling TV
Dish Network's Sling lower-tiered "Orange" plan will run you $40 per month. Adding the more comprehensive "Blue" plan bumps the cost to $55 per month. The seven-day free trial has disappeared, unfortunately.
DirecTV Stream
Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow, and AT&T TV, this oft-renamed streaming service will run you $80 per month and up after the free trial option.
Fubo TV
This sports-focused cord-cutting service carries broadcast networks in most markets. There's a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly charges of $80 and up, depending on the channels you choose.
Are there any webcams where I can watch the ball drop online for free?
Several, actually! The best one to watch, though, is hosted by the official Times Square website. You can access that in one of several ways.
You can also watch via social media on the Times Square Facebook and Twitter pages.
