Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Reaches 31 Million for NBC, Peacock
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is on the rise in the post-pandemic streaming era, and this year was no exception. The holiday staple for NBC and its streaming sibling Peacock hit a record 31.3 million viewers Thursday as Americans celebrated the annual Thanksgiving holiday with a touch of TV tradition.
The 98th edition of the annual parade of marching bands, Broadway troupes, celebrities, floats and giant inflatable balloons through Manhattan drew an impressive 23.6 million viewers during its live broadcast on NBC from 8:30 a.m. to noon ET alone. That was strong enough to make the parade the most-watched entertainment special on linear TV since ABC’s broadcast of the Academy Awards in February 2020.
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an event we are extremely proud of, and it’s an absolute joy to know that record crowds watched on both NBC and Peacock,” said Jen Neal, executive VP of live events and specials for NBCU entertainment. “The parade is a tradition like no other. Year after year, this is the best way to start the holiday season, and we’re excited to be a part of that with our partners at Macy’s.”
RELATED CONTENT: Vintage Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Floats and Inflatables (GALLERY)
Total viewership of the parade increased 10% from 2023. Streaming hours logged by the parade broadcast via Peacock increased 26% from last year, according to NBC.
The live broadcast averaged a 5.4 rating among the adults 18-49 demographic — the highest rating for an entertainment broadcast since ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” in 2021.
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a beloved tradition that annually marks the start of the holiday season. Macy’s is honored to bring this iconic experience to life and create moments of inspiration and joy through the world-class entertainment that only we can deliver for our customers and the nation,” said Will Coss, executive producer of the parade.
The high turnout for the Macy’s parade provided momentum for the National Dog Show presented by Purina, another Turkey Day tradition for NBC. The dog popularity contest attracted 12.2 million viewers across all platforms – a 5% gain from last year.
Overall, NBC had a Thursday to celebrate. In the evening, the special Thanksgiving edition of “Sunday Night Football,” which featured the Miami Dolphins’ 17-30 loss to Green Bay, drew 26.6 million viewers. The nightcap of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” delivered that show’s highest total viewership (2.8 million) since last year’s Thanksgiving night episode. The same went for ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’ (1.5 million).
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast is produced for NBC by Silent House Productions. Baz Halpin, Mark Bracco and Linda Gierahn are executive producers. Sacha Mueller is co-executive producer.
