Current Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Retires

(NEW YORK, NY - January 3, 2025)-  As thousands of spectators welcomed 2025 in Times Square during the annual New Year's Eve Countdown on Tuesday evening, the current New Year's Eve Ball dropped once more atop One Times Square before its official retirement at the stroke of midnight on January 1st. 

"We're very excited to see it move into an immersive arts and culture exhibit located on the lower level of the building," said Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown, the owner of One Times Square. A new Ball will replace the current Ball with a new, dynamic design set to arrive for the 2026 New Year's Eve Countdown, which will be more digitally interactive. Along with the current New Year's Eve Ball, the "2025" Numerals has also retired after January 1st, and will be displayed in an interactive arts and culture exhibit on the lower level of One Times Square .

Since 2008, the current New Year's Eve Ball dropped for 17 consecutive years, and it's the fifth ball to drop since the Ball Drop tradition debuted in 1907 to ring in 1908. Containing 2,688 crystal triangles (sizes vary from 4 3/4 inches to 5 3/4 inches per side ), weighs nearly 6 tons, and measures 12 feet in diameter. It was illuminated with 32,256 energy efficient LEDs, and displayed over 16 million vibrant color and billions of patterns that created a kaleidoscope effect.

For over 100 years, the Ball Drop has been a New York City tradition, and symbolizes new beginnings as a new year arrives. The ball has changed over the years since its original debut in 1907. The very first ball was made of iron and wood, featured 100 light bulbs, weighed 700 pounds, and measured 5 feet in diameter. Compared to the 1907 New Year's Eve Ball, today's current Ball is made of Waterford crystals with two new designs: One Times Square and Ever.

The One Times Square crystal design features long linear cuts with a circle near the top representing the 139 foot pole and the iconic building where the Ball Drop celebration is held, and welcomes the beginning of each new year. The Ever crystal design consists of three pairs of interlocking rings surrounded by diamond-shaped facets that provide the setting for the letter "E", symbolizing unity and enduring love.

Later in 2025, One Times Square will open its doors to the public as a year-round attraction. One Times Square will debut new experiences and exhibits such as the Crystal VIP Experience and Times Travel Museum. The Times Travel Museum will be home of the current New Year's Eve Ball and "2025" Numerals upon the museum's official debut later this year.

Officials said details about the new ball will be announced in early 2025.