Jason Kelce’s late-night debut didn’t exactly leave a lasting impression.
That’s the verdict from Awful Announcing’s Drew Lerner, and the numbers don’t do much to contradict him. The debut episode of They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce aired late Friday, Jan. 3 (or early Saturday morning, Jan. 4) and drew a modest 290,000 viewers on ESPN, according to Puck’s John Ourand.
Hardly a glowing start.
Ourand suggested ESPN was likely “happy” with the show despite its underwhelming ratings.
From ESPN’s standpoint, the viewership figures of a late-night show with a five-episode run aren’t nearly as crucial as the broader value of the programming deal. In other words, ESPN’s just glad to have Kelce on board, ratings be damned.
And more or less, that’s the sentiment shared by Burke Magnus.
“This is not something I think would work with just anyone, but he’s one of those guys that I believe can pull it off,” the president of content at ESPN told The New York Times.
In his brief conversation with the Times, Magnus acknowledged that ESPN isn’t exactly married to the ratings. That said, he admitted that the numbers and social media buzz—or lack thereof—will shape discussions about the show’s future and whether potential improvements need to be made.
As the trial period wraps up next week, ESPN and Kelce will evaluate the show’s future and viability.
“For me, it’s going to be a little bit more art than science,” Magnus said. “Do people think it’s good and funny? Does it have the potential to grow?”
And while it remains to be seen, reading between the lines, the network — and Magnus — are seemingly optimistic about the show’s continuation in some shape or form.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.