Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Tops Audience Record For NBC & Peacock

This year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade set a record for the largest number of spectators in the United States. NBK And Peacockdelivering 34.3 million viewers to its largest cumulative audience ever, according to preliminary Nielsen data. Holidays surpassed last year's parade by 8%, or 2.5 million people.

The original broadcast at 8:30 a.m. ET on NBC attracted 25.4 million viewers, becoming the most-watched entertainment telecast in nearly seven years (second only to ABC's broadcast of the 2019 Academy Awards).

In the 18-49 demo, the parade's first broadcast is the highest-rated entertainment telecast in five years, behind NBC's 2020 Thanksgiving Day Parade. Overall, this key demo was up 13% from last year's holiday.

Additionally, every age demographic increased compared to last year, but younger viewership grew more significantly (+20% for viewers under 25).

“These record-breaking numbers show how much this parade is loved by our audiences, and we are thrilled to start the holiday season on such a great note,” Jen Neal, executive vice president of live events and special events at NBCUniversal Entertainment, said in a statement. “A deep thank you to Macy’s for partnering with us to create such an iconic event.”

Sharon Otterman, Macy's chief marketing officer, added: “This year's record-breaking ratings are a powerful testament to the creative excellence, technical rigor and ambition that Macy's offers. We take great pride in creating entertainment that showcases today's best talent and captures the cultural zeitgeist.” to connect with our audiences and consistently redefine the standards of television and streaming programming. As we prepare for the 100th Macy's Parade, we remain committed to leveraging our unique capabilities to wow and delight millions of people across the country, ensuring our programs exceed expectations year after year.”

As for other programs, National Dog Show Presented by Purina attracted 12.8 million viewers, up 4% from last year, across all formats. Evening programs after football, both The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon And Late Night with Seth Meyersreached its first viewership since airing after the NFL kickoff on September 4th.