ESPN had a two-word response: “No way.” While it was natural for YouTube to choose Jason Kelce as a part of their inaugural YouTube NFL stream from Brazil, ESPN was simply not okay with it. Having Kelce on the Chiefs versus the Chargers would have been huge for a number of reasons:
1. His brother, Travis Kelce, plays for the Chiefs.
2. Jason and Travis Kelce run their popular ‘New Heights’, and it has received a lot of love on YouTube.
3. The older Kelce brother has also served as a spokesperson for YouTube’s Sunday Ticket.

But ESPN, like a couple of other broadcasters, is careful when it comes to sharing its talented broadcasters with other networks. And this tendency complicates work for platforms like YouTube and Netflix for their one-off NFL telecasts. However, this tug-of-war goes deeper than talent sharing. The NFL is preparing to acquire 10% of ESPN, leaving it wedged between two interests: promote the YouTube viewing experience while protecting ESPN’s decades-old broadcast dominance. Mike Florio wrote in his latest NBC Sports article: “It would be interesting to know what the outcome of the YouTube Kelce request would have been if the ESPN-NFL deal had already been finalized.

“Which means it will be interesting to see how such issues will be handled after the deal is finalized – and the NFL has a more effective way to call ESPN with a two-word message, ‘Relax, guy!’”

As per ‘Front Office Sports’, ESPN’s policy was enforced before YouTube reached out about Jason Kelce, who was not “singled out.”

Once, networks like ESPN controlled access. They had a monopoly over the voices, faces, and stories that shaped the sport. But as streaming platforms land coveted NFL slots, the calculus shifts. FOX, which previously lent Greg Olsen to Netflix and ESPN, too, previously let the streaming platform utilize Mina Kimes and Laura Rutledge, but now also restricts its talent. The fear? The streamers are carving out the next big audience for themselves.

For Kelce, ESPN’s exclusivity means side projects are off-limits unless specifically written in contracts. Yet, the lure of digital stardom and cross-platform access is reshaping the game. Younger crowds, global audiences, and culturally influential moments now pulse through podcasts, viral clips, and alternative broadcasts. These are territories ESPN and FOX can’t fully guard, and Jason Kelce also happens to be deeply rooted in one such territory.

Travis and Jason Kelce’s unstoppable force

Even as ESPN clipped Jason Kelce’s wings for the YouTube broadcast, it couldn’t control the brothers’ bigger play: The New Heights podcast. The show isn’t bound by the same corporate walls. This freedom has allowed the Kelce brothers to create an unstoppable force in digital sports media, especially after recent headline-grabbing moments.

The New Heights podcast recently inked a staggering three-year, $100 million deal with Amazon’s Wondery. With this deal, Wondery covers all multimedia rights and a lucrative merch empire under the Kelce brothers’ podcast. And the show’s reach exploded after Taylor Swift’s guest appearance. She unveiled her new, upcoming album: Life of a Showgirl, and also shared cherishable moments with Travis Kelce on the show. Her episode broke YouTube’s podcast record with 1.3 million live viewers. It has also crossed 21 million total views on YouTube. According to metrics, the Swift episode boosted the show’s female audience by over 600% and grew its YouTube channel by leaps and bounds.

The Kelces now command more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube. The Amazon deal gives Wondery exclusive rights to develop and distribute podcast merchandise, further fueling the brothers’ $100 million brand. Their appeal isn’t just the football banter; it’s authenticity and the magnetic chemistry from family and pop royalty.

ESPN’s snub may have blocked Jason Kelce’s Friday night YouTube debut, but the network cannot stop the Kelce brothers’ rise on YouTube. If he cannot be a part of YouTube’s NFL debut, he’ll be sure to discuss the game on the podcast. What do you think?