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ESPN is giving the former Philadelphia Eagles star and current Monday Night Countdown analyst his own late night show, which will debut in January and film in Philly. Kelce announced the pickup on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! Thursday.
They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce will air on ESPN at 1 a.m. during the Friday/Saturday overnight hours, starting Jan. 3/4. It will also stream on ESPN+ and on the ESPN and Jason Kelce YouTube channels, significantly expanding its reach. ESPN has picked up five episodes of the show, with the last episode slated for Feb. 1.
They Call It Late Night will be filmed at Union Transfer in Philly, with a live audience. The format is described as being "personality-driven," with clear inspirations from late night shows. The show will emphasize that weekend's NFL games, and will include celebrity guests from the world of football and beyond.
NFL Films will produce the show alongside Kelce's Wooderboy Productions and Skydance Sports.
The show won't actually be live (it will tape a few hours before it airs), but it will retain many of the hallmarks of classic late night shows, including a live band in Philly's own SNACKTIME, as well as segments that engage with the live audience of football fans.
The name, They Call it Late Night, is actually a callback to They Call it Pro Football, which is the first feature-length film produced by NFL Films in 1967. NFL Films can trace its origins to Philadelphia, and is still based in the area, just across the border in New Jersey.
The late night show is a fascinating move, both for ESPN and the format in general. Late night shows across TV are downsizing as the genre becomes less essential in the new media environment and with fewer people watching linear TV (the format does travel well on social, but revenue is still catching up).
And while Kelce's show sounds somewhat traditional, with a house band and special guests, it will film outside of the traditional late night corridors of New York and Los Angeles, meaning many guests will need to take a trip specifically to appear on the show.
But for ESPN, which is trying to transform itself into the preeminent sports streaming player, it is also an experiment worth trying, especially given Kelce's personality and growing fanbase. A sports-centric late night format could be a unique draw to its upcoming "flagship" streaming service, even if the show is, for now, an experiment, with only a few episodes on tap.
By also streaming it on YouTube, the show may well find an audience outside of the night owls that are up at 1 a.m. It will also run as a replay on ESPN2. No word on how they landed on the timeslot, though it is worth noting that the timeslot means that the show will not compete with Kimmel on ABC.
Netflix is also trying to experiment in the late night space, picking up a weekly variety talk show from John Mulaney to debut next year.
Kelce is known for his big personality, and it made him the top media free agent after he retired from playing in the NFL earlier this year. He ultimately signed with ESPN, which has him behind the desk for its Monday Night Football studio show.