Organisers worried for future of NYC parade

The St Patrick’s Day parade in New York drew fewer television viewers in the US than the parade in Dublin had on RTÉ.

The paltry viewing numbers on NBC are now a cause of major concern for organisers, who are already under pressure following the controversy over the refusal to allow gay rights groups to march.

NBC coverage of the parade down Fifth Avenue is expected to come under scrutiny by network bosses following the boycott by city mayor Bill de Blasio and the withdrawal of major sponsors such as Guinness and Heineken.