Former NFL star Jason Kelce‘s transition to late-night television is off to a rocky start. His new ESPN show, They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce, debuted last week to a modest 290,000 viewers, according to John Ourand of Puck.
“I’ve seen the numbers for ESPN’s first episode of They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce, and they’re not particularly good: 290,000 viewers,” Ourand shared.
While the show’s lackluster ratings might be a bump in the road for Kelce, NFL fans have their theories about why the premiere didn’t draw more eyes. One popular idea? The so-called “Kelce family fatigue.”
Is Kelce Overexposed?
The Kelce family has been a constant presence on TV, social media, and sports coverage, particularly with Jason’s brother, Travis Kelce, frequently in the spotlight due to his NFL success and high-profile relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift. Fans are speculating that the sheer volume of Kelce-related content may have contributed to the tepid reception of Jason‘s new venture.
“Everyone is done with attention-seeking Kelce family,” one fan remarked bluntly. Another added, “We all have the Jason Kelce fatigue.”
Some viewers also believe that ESPN might not be the right platform for a late-night talk show. “I love Jason, but I just don’t think of ESPN as a late-night show channel,” one user commented.
Others felt that Kelce‘s move to late-night TV feels too orchestrated, with one fan noting, “It’s like as soon as he retired, they put him in every commercial and ad and then threw him on primetime NFL TV. And I’m trying to figure out when anybody cared about Jason Kelce LIKE THAT?”
Room for Growth or Wrong Platform?
While the initial ratings were disappointing, it’s important to remember that the show is still in its infancy. ESPN and Kelce might see growth through alternative platforms like YouTube or social media, where short clips and highlights could help draw in a larger audience.
“Jason is a super nice person, but he’s being forced on the audience everywhere. People might prefer his unfiltered podcast with Travis,” another fan suggested.
The second episode of They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce airs this Saturday at 1 a.m. on ESPN. Whether the show can turn things around remains to be seen.
Will Kelce‘s charisma and wit eventually win over audiences, or is he facing an uphill battle in an already crowded late-night landscape? Only time will tell.
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