NBCUniversal and Macy’s Extend Partnership of Live Holiday Specials

NBCUniversal and Macy’s have agreed to renew their partnership with a 10-year programming rights deal through 2034, continuing the success of Macy’s iconic live holiday specials on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo. The new agreement includes “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” “Countdown to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” and “Macy’s 4thof July Fireworks.” In addition, NBCUniversal and Macy’s will work together on a new program, which will be announced at a later date.

NBC has long been the television leader for live specials programming, especially during the holiday season, with the parade and “Christmas at Rockefeller Center,” where the tree lighting is another of the season’s most watched events. Peacock has extended that leadership to live streaming, delivering a seamless and reliable viewing experience to its users. Other specials aired live on NBC and Peacock include the annual People’s Choice Country Awards and the Feb. 16 “SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” which drew 21 million viewers and was the most-watched NBC primetime telecast over the past five years.

“This extension of our partnership with Macy’s means we can continue to deliver the memorable live holiday entertainment millions of viewers have loved for decades,” said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President of Live Events & Specials, NBCUniversal Media Group. “Watching the Macy’s specials on NBC and Peacock has become such a cherished tradition for so many families, and we take that responsibility very seriously in making sure they have the absolute best experience every year.”  

“Macy’s is excited to grow our partnership with NBCUniversal as the appetite for our content continues to grow,” said Sharon Otterman, Macy’s chief marketing officer. “This is a significant expansion of our long-standing relationship that will increase the visibility of Macy’s and all our content offerings.”

Conceived, designed, and led by the talented team at Macy’s Studios, “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” and “Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks” are the nation’s premier holiday celebrations – consistently breaking ratings records with significant year-over-year growth.

In 2026, both NBC and Macy’s will celebrate milestones. The year will mark NBC’s 100th anniversary, the 100th march of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the 50th anniversary of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks.

Photo Credit: Peter Kramer/Roy Rochlin/NBC