Two years ago, Times Square was largely a ghost town. Last year, the crowd returned, albeit somewhat tentatively. By the time we get to 2022, there may be a record number of people in Manhattan celebrating the year out.
This year will end at midnight, when the Waterford crystal-encrusted ball drops and 32,256 LEDs flood the crowd with light.
If you choose to skip the crowds and celebrate at home with friends or family, there are many ways to watch the football – even if you are away from the television screen.
Here’s how to watch or live stream the New Year Countdown 2022 and drop the ball for free.
Which TV channel will air the ball in Times Square on New Year’s Eve?
Watching the Times Square Ball is a breeze, even if you don’t have a cable subscription, as it airs on multiple networks. Just get a good HD antenna (but make sure you test the HD antenna in multiple locations around your home to find the most reliable signal before midnight).
Here are some events that will start in 2022.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest (ABC)
The most famous New Year’s Eve broadcast starts at 8pm ET. This is 18Th Seacrest has been the master of ceremonies for consecutive years and this year’s event will start from Times Square, Disneyland, Los Angeles and New Orleans. It will be broadcast over the air, but if you’re not near a TV, you can watch the coverage on the network’s website, ABC.go.com. However, you will need a cable subscription to watch on these platforms.
Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party (NBC)
Miley Cyrus and godmother (yes, really) Dolly Parton will lead the way for NBC. This is the second year in a row that Cyrus has overseen the hosting duties. It starts airing at 10:30 pm ET with a variety of music and other guests. You can watch over the air or, if you have a cable/satellite subscription, on the NBC website, NBC.com/live or the Peacock app.
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash (CBS)
CBS chose to boot scoop into the new year for the second year in a row with a country music-themed show. Airing from 8:00-10:00 pm ET and 10:30 pm- 1:30 am ET, the celebration will include performances by artists including Brooks & Dunn, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town and the Zac Brown Band. Free viewing options include the CBS website and Paramount+.
New Year’s Eve with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen (CNN)
The cable network is pairing its most famous anchor with a Bravo host for the sixth year in a row starting at 8:00 PM ET. The livestream will be available on the CNN.com homepage and on mobile devices through CNN’s iOS and Android apps. It can also be viewed on CNNgo and the CNNgo app for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast and Android TV. The event will be broadcast from Times Square.
Where can I stream soccer online for free—even without a cable subscription?
Peacock
NBC’s streaming service will provide access to several games, including all of Sunday night’s games. You can get a seven-day free trial, then charge $5 or $10 a month. (Peacock’s free version does not include live sports.)
Paramount+
The CBS streaming service will provide access to games that air on the network. You can get a one-week free trial, then charge $5 or $10 a month.
Disney+
The Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ bundles no longer have free trials, so you’ll have to pay $13.99 per month for all three combined (or $19.99 per month without ads on Hulu). Including Live TV in the bundle bumps the price to $70 per month ($76 without ads).
Stream with Live TV
Free trials of this service are no longer offered. It will cost you $70 per month.
YouTubeTV
After a two-week trial, you can expect a monthly fee of $65.
Sling TV
Dish Network’s Sling recently increased its prices. The cheaper “Orange” plan will now run for $40 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan increases the cost to $55 per month. (Additional $5 per month for each.) The seven-day free trial is gone along with the price hike, but the cord-cutting service offers 50% off the first month’s bill.
DirectTV Stream
Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow and AT&T TV, this oft-named streaming service will start at $70 per month and go up after a free trial option.
Is there a Webcam where I can watch football online for free?
In the era of streaming, there are likely to be many revelers Times Square streaming ball drop, but the best to watch is hosted by the official website Times Square. You can access it in one of several ways.
TimesSquareNYC.org
NewYearseve.nyc
TimesSquareBall.net
You can also watch via social media on Facebook Times Square and Twitter glass.
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