You can watch the New York Times Square ball drop either in person in Manhattan or on several major TV networks and free livestreams online.

In person in New York

  • The ball drops from the top of One Times Square at midnight in the heart of Times Square, Manhattan.
  • Public viewing areas typically stretch along Broadway from about 43rd–50th Streets and up Seventh Avenue toward 59th Street, and they are free and first‑come, first‑served.
  • Entry to the viewing pens usually opens around mid‑afternoon (about 3 p.m.), and people line up much earlier, with no re‑entry if you leave your spot.

On TV in the US

  • ABC airs “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” which shows the Times Square ball drop live in prime time and at midnight Eastern.
  • CBS stations carry New Year’s Eve specials and coverage from Times Square, and some local CBS outlets run dedicated guides and highlight shows for the ball drop.
  • Other major networks (like NBC and CNN) typically run their own New Year’s Eve specials that cut to the Times Square countdown near midnight.

Streaming and online options

  • The Times Square Alliance runs a free official livestream of the full Times Square New Year’s Eve program and the ball drop from about 6 p.m. to shortly after midnight Eastern.
  • That webcast is usually available on major platforms like YouTube and embedded on news sites, often with captions and sometimes sign‑language interpretation.
  • Next‑day highlight reels of the 60‑second descent and performances are commonly posted on major news sites and video platforms if you miss it live.

Watching without the crowd in NYC

  • Some Times Square–area hotels and restaurants sell tickets to private parties with views of the ball, often at very high prices per person.
  • A few bars or hotel lounges several blocks away may give you a more distant but less hectic street‑level view, which locals sometimes recommend over standing in the main pens for hours.

Quick tips

  • Arrive extremely early if you want a central in‑person view; plan to stand outside for many hours with no guaranteed access to restrooms.
  • If comfort matters more than being there physically, the official Times Square webcast or a network New Year’s Eve show is the easiest way to watch the New York ball drop.

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