The 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade TV ratings are huge

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade drew its largest audience on record across platforms on Thursday.

According to NBC, 31.3 million viewers watched the parade on NBC and Peacock, based on preliminary Nielsen ratings and streaming numbers from Adobe Analytics. That is 10 percent more than last year with 28.5 million – the previous all-time high. The figure includes the live broadcast in the morning and an afternoon repeat on the broadcast network as well as streaming on Peacock.

The first show, which aired in all time zones from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., attracted 23.6 million viewers, more than any other entertainment program (not sports or news) this year – and in the past four years . The last time an entertainment show drew a larger audience was the 2024 Academy Awards. According to NBC, streaming hours on Peacock have increased 26 percent year over year, although the exact number is not disclosed.

Among adults ages 18 to 49, the live broadcast of the parade earned a 5.4 rating (equivalent to approximately 7.24 million people), the highest rating of any broadcast or cable entertainment program since ABC Rocking New Year’s Eve in 2021.

“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an event we are very proud of, and it is an absolute joy to know that there were record numbers of viewers on both NBC and Peacock,” said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President Live Events and specials on NBCU Entertainment. “The parade is a tradition like no other. Year after year, it’s the best way to start the holiday season, and we’re excited to be a part of it with our partners at Macy’s.”

Executive producer Will Cross added: “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a beloved tradition that marks the start of the holiday season each year. Macy’s is honored to bring this iconic experience to life and create moments of inspiration and joy through world-class entertainment that only we can provide our customers and the nation.”

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest television days of the year, and several other shows also drew large audiences. Following the parade, NBC’s broadcast of the National Dog Show averaged 12.2 million viewers across platforms, a four-year high.

Fox’s late afternoon NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants drew an estimated 38.5 million viewers across platforms – even though both teams were below .500 viewers. If that number holds true, it will be the fourth-most watched Thanksgiving game on all networks. In prime time, NBC’s NFL game (Green Bay Packers vs. Miami Dolphins) averaged 26.6 million viewers across platforms, surpassing the 26 million mark for the third consecutive year. Numbers for the CBS NFL matchup between the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears earlier this afternoon were not available at time of publication.

After the NFL game from NBC and local news, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2.8 million viewers) and Late Night with Seth Meyers (1.5 million), both achieved their largest viewership since last year’s Thanksgiving shows.