Case Study
Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop Case Study
Four years of onsite and livestream ASL interpreting for the Times Square Ball Drop, growing from two interpreters to a four-person onsite and virtual team.
At a glance
- Event Name
- Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop
- Location
- Times Square, New York City & YouTube Live
- Dates
- December 31 / January 1, 2023 - 2026
Objective
The New York City Ball Drop is a global, iconic tradition held in Times Square on New Year's Eve, attracting large crowds from across the U.S. and around the world. Our shared mission is to make this bucket-list event accessible to the Deaf and hard of hearing community worldwide, welcoming everyone to ring in the new year together in person and online.
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Services Provided
ASL interpreting services provided meaningful access to spoken and musical performances.
- 2023: 2 ASL interpreters onsite, for 6 hours of live interpreting.
- 2024 – 2026: 4 ASL interpreters (2 onsite, 2 virtual), for 6 hours of live interpreting across onsite and livestream platforms.
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Impact
50,000
peak viewers of the interpreted livestream in 2026
- Onsite attendance: Onsite attendance has varied over the years. In 2023, the first year of services, we welcomed approximately 10–15 attendees. In 2024, when ICS provided pro bono coordination, attendance increased to 40–45 attendees. In 2025 and 2026, when the Times Square Alliance coordinated services internally, turnout stabilized at approximately 20–30 attendees each year.
- Virtual attendance: Virtual attendance has grown steadily. In 2024, peak viewership reached nearly 35,000 viewers. In 2025, peak attendance increased to approximately 40,000 viewers. In 2026, viewership rose again to nearly 50,000 viewers. Attendance is consistently highest during the final hour before the ball drop, from 11:00 PM to 12:00 AM.
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Benefits
- Strengthened Inclusive Brand Presence: This partnership reinforces the event's commitment to accessibility and inclusion, positioning Times Square and the NYC Ball Drop as leaders in creating welcoming, accessible large-scale public events.
- Celebrating NYC as a Global Center of Diversity: By providing sign language interpreting services for a worldwide audience, the event reflects and celebrates New York City's role as a cultural crossroads and a symbol of diversity, equity, and belonging.
- Collaborative Marketing and Community Reach: ICS marketing efforts helped promote the accessible experience directly to Deaf and hard of hearing communities, increasing awareness, attendance, and trust while ensuring the right audiences knew access was available.
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Evolving Together
Co-creating inclusive and welcoming spaces and improving access throughout this partnership is something we're proud to do at ICS. Step by step, here's how ringing in the inclusive New Year has evolved over the years.
- 2023: First year of providing onsite accessibility services with an ASL interpreter team. Welcomed and proactively encouraged Deaf attendance. Established a partnership with regular planning and debrief meetings, creating space for open discussion.
- 2024: Designated accessible viewing area was created for persons with disabilities onsite. Virtual services added to support an accessible livestream on YouTube. Deaf attendance increased and accessibility services were featured on the Times Square Alliance's website.
- 2025: A dedicated point of contact was added from the Times Square Alliance team to answer accessibility questions from the public.
- 2026: Improved setup with interpreter placement on an elevated platform, significantly improving visibility. Production team provided excellent preparation materials including song lyrics.
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Thank You
Times Square Alliance's continued commitment to accessibility elevates the New Year's Eve Ball Drop experience and reinforces its reputation as an inclusive and forward-thinking leader in live event production. We are especially grateful for the collaborative partnership, through thoughtful planning meetings, post-event debriefs, open discussions, and the meaningful involvement of Deaf community members in decision-making. This level of care and proactiveness is deeply appreciated in making inclusion possible.
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In Their Words
“ICS has been an amazing partner for the past several years. Most recently, they provided onsite ASL services for the New Year's Eve Ball Drop in Times Square as well as on our livestream. They also provide ASL services for our June yoga event in Times Square. They are professional and dependable!” — Regina F.
“Going from 0 to 30+ Deaf and Hard of Hearing attendees is a testament to the difference between simply checking the box for accessibility (by providing a single interpreter and telling no one) and creating truly inclusive accommodations in a genuinely welcoming space. The Times Square Alliance cares about improving access every year, and that level of commitment is rare and deserves to be highlighted.” — Shelby Edwards
“Seeing American Sign Language interpreters on screen fills me with joy; it creates a sense of connection to the event as they are using my language!” — Princess Prince
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