How much did the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball weigh in its 2008 redesign?
Answer
11,875 pounds
The Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball weighed 11,875 pounds after its 2008 redesign.
The redesigned ball was installed for the 2008–09 celebration. It measured 12 feet in diameter and was covered with Waterford Crystal triangles and thousands of LED lights. The larger ball replaced an earlier version that had been used since 2000.
The Times Square ball tradition began in 1907, when a lighted ball was lowered from a flagpole at One Times Square. The event became an annual New Year’s Eve feature, apart from wartime light restrictions during 1942 and 1943.
People sometimes confuse the ball’s weight with its diameter or the number of lights used on it. The ball has since received further updates, including changes to its crystal panels and lighting technology, but 11,875 pounds identifies the major 2008 redesign.