The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade just gobbled up its biggest audience ever, proving once again that giant inflatable turkeys, enormous Pokémon and Broadway lip-syncing are still a recipe for holiday success. After all, given the history of the holiday, isn’t that what we all saw it becoming? History right in front of our eyes. According to NBC, a staggering 31.3 million viewers tuned in across NBC and Peacock, setting a new cross-platform record and beating last year’s previous high of 28.5 million. Apparently, more people would rather watch Snoopy fly through Manhattan than suffer through their cousin’s questionable casserole, this writer included.
The parade’s live morning broadcast from 8:30 a.m. to noon raked in 23.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched entertainment event (non-sports, non-news) since the 2020 Oscars. In case you’re wondering, yes, that means more people cared about seeing Pikachu wave at the crowd than whatever happened at this year’s Emmys. Vibes, to be quite honest with you fine folks. Even Peacock saw a 26% boost in streaming hours, but as usual, NBC didn’t drop any specifics. “Trust us, bro” energy for that one. The parade also crushed it in the coveted 18-49 demographic with a 5.4 rating (roughly 7.24 million people), the highest entertainment broadcast score since New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in 2021.
NBC is Counting Their Thanksgiving Winnings
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a tradition like no other,” said Jen Neal, NBCU’s executive VP of live events and specials, while probably patting herself on the back and counting her bonus. “Year after year, it’s the best way to kick off the holiday season, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.” Executive producer Will Cross chimed in, calling it “a beloved tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season.” Translation: “We own Thanksgiving morning. See you next year.”
The holiday ratings feast didn’t stop with balloons. Following the parade, NBC’s National Dog Show sniffed out 12.2 million viewers, which also marked a four-year-high. Meanwhile, football remained the MVP of the day, with Fox’s Dallas Cowboys vs. The New York Giants game drew 38.5 million viewers, despite both teams under-performing this season, and neither team having Taylor Swift date one of their players. Over on NBC, the primetime Packers vs. Dolphins matchup pulled in 26.6 million viewers.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on your favorite movies, television shows and enormous, novelty, pop culture-infused inflatable characters.
