After everything that has happened this year, everyone is eager for 2021 to begin. Counting down and watching the ball drop together is the perfect way to ring in the new year. According to timessquarenyc.org, every year hundreds of thousands of people go to Times Square to watch the ball drop live, and over one billion people worldwide watch on television. Like most events in 2020, New Year’s Eve celebrations will look different than in years past. 

There are many broadcasts of the NYE celebration, like “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” which will be returning for its 49th year. Ryan Seacrest will be hosting for his 16th year, and he will be joined by co-hosts Lucy Hale and Billy Porter in Times Square. In Los Angeles, Ciara will be hosting. The program will air on New Year’s Eve beginning at 8:00 p.m. on ABC. 

Matt Brosky is a project manager at ABC and on New Year’s Eve, one of his many roles is monitoring the broadcast and making sure everything is executed as planned. This includes making sure the broadcast is airing properly for the Pacific-delayed playback and overseeing that any necessary fixes are being performed. 

New York City attracts enormous crowds every NYE, packed with people from all around the world. However, Brosky said, “The obvious, huge difference will be the lack of the crowd at Times Square, which will undoubtedly alter the whole look and feel of the broadcast.” 

According to timessquarenyc.org, Times Square will not be open to the public for NYE like it was in past years, due to safety precautions. However, viewers will still be able to enjoy performances by multiple artists from the comfort of their own home. This year’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” will feature performances from Jennifer Lopez, Cyndi Lauper and Billy Porter and Jimmie Allen.

Of course, the ball will still be dropping in Times Square, and viewers can watch the broadcast and shout “Happy New Year” to celebrate. In a press release, Tim Tompkins, President of the Times Square Alliance said, “One thing that will never change is the ticking of time and the arrival of a New Year at midnight on December 31st.”