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how do i watch the ball drop on peacock

You can watch the Times Square ball drop on Peacock by streaming NBC’s New Year’s Eve coverage, since Peacock is NBC’s streaming platform and carries NBC’s live channel in most plans.

Quick Scoop

  • Peacock does not have its own separate “ball drop” show; it streams NBC’s New Year’s Eve programming, which includes the Times Square countdown and ball drop segment.
  • You’ll need a Peacock plan that includes live NBC in your area (most U.S. subscribers with Premium or Premium Plus in supported markets qualify).
  • As a backup, the Times Square ball drop is also streamed free on TimesSquareNYC.org, TimesSquareBall.net, and YouTube if Peacock or NBC are not available for you.

Step‑by‑step on Peacock

  1. Check your plan and location
    • Make sure you’re on a paid Peacock tier that offers your local NBC station; availability can vary by region.
 * If NBC live isn’t listed in your channel lineup on Peacock, you may not be able to use Peacock for the ball drop and should use a free livestream instead.
  1. Find the NBC New Year’s Eve special
    • On December 31, open Peacock in the evening and go to the Channels or Live section and look for your local NBC channel or the NBC New Year’s Eve special tile.
 * NBC’s New Year’s Eve coverage typically starts in prime time (around 8 p.m. ET) and cuts live to Times Square for the countdown and ball drop just before midnight Eastern.
  1. Time zones and timing tips
    • The actual Times Square ball drop happens at midnight Eastern (12:00 a.m. ET), so on Peacock you’ll see it in real time if you’re watching the live NBC feed.
 * If you’re in another U.S. time zone, the NBC feed may be delayed in line with your local affiliate schedule, so you might see a “time-shifted” version unless your local NBC runs the East Coast feed live.

If Peacock doesn’t show it

If you open Peacock and don’t see an NBC live option, or the stream is having issues, you still have reliable ways to watch:

  • Official free streams
    • TimesSquareNYC.org and TimesSquareBall.net host a commercial‑free, 6.5‑hour livestream of the Times Square celebration, starting at 6 p.m. ET and running past midnight.
* The same official feed is also simulcast on YouTube with captions and an ASL stream.
  • Other TV specials that show the ball drop
    • ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” both show the Times Square ball drop and can be streamed through services like Sling TV or Fubo if you prefer those instead of Peacock.

Mini forum‑style note

A lot of cord‑cutters ask whether there’s a way to see the ball drop without a traditional cable package. The practical answer for most people is:

  • Use Peacock if your account includes live NBC in your area.
  • Otherwise, use the free official Times Square livestream or a live YouTube partner stream.

TL;DR: Open Peacock on New Year’s Eve, go to the live NBC channel or New Year’s Eve special, and stay on it through midnight Eastern to see the Times Square ball drop; if NBC live isn’t available in your Peacock plan, use the free official Times Square livestream instead.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.