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TV viewers who tune in to NBC Sunday night will no doubt see some interesting plays from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears on “Sunday Night Football.” And if they stay a little longer, they’ll see some intriguing
maneuvers from Jimmy Fallon.
A special Sunday-night telecast of NBC’s “Tonight Show” will feature a takeover by three prominent members of the cast of the new movie “Focker-in-Law” — Ariana Grande, Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller — along with a musical performance from Lil Baby. After a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals the following week, the late-night host will welcome Jennifer Lopez and Anthony Mackie, as well as a performance by Quavo.
“I think there is a little more energy to it,” says Fallon of the Sunday “Tonight” telecasts. “We know we have that many more eyeballs” coming in from the NFL game.
The Sunday shows are just one item on a larger list of special events that “Tonight” producers are planning, says Chris Miller, the “Tonight” showrunner. The show’s personnel are in discussions about a Thanksgiving-night program; events tied to the 100th anniversary NBC is celebrating this year; the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles; and the 75th anniversary of “Tonight” in 2029. “We’re absolutely talking about it,” he says of the anniversary, which is set to take place in September of 2029. “We are sort of next in line for a big tentpole type of anniversary. Yes, we are actively thinking about it and talking about it and hope we will have fun news for that soon.”
A late-night host’s work is rarely done — Miller says “Tonight” is already discussing guest bookings for March of 2027 — but this bevy of short-and-long term plans would appear to signal NBC’s confidence in the TV mainstay at a time when CBS has exited the traditional late-night businessand Disney has signaled ambivalence about keeping “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on the air beyond the host’s 2027 contract without some reduction in the costs of producing the program. NBC’s interest in a 2029 anniversary would appear to be of particular significance, given that its current contracts with both Fallon and “Late Night” host Seth Meyers are believed to lapse in 2028.
Spending on late night television shows hit $209 million in 2025, according to data from Guideline, a tracker of ad expenditures, down from $519.7 million in 2017. Ad spending on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” totaled $83.8 million in 2024, accounting for 34% of all late night spend, according to the firm — a percentage that was significantly ahead of share accorded to “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and the now defunct “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Viewing of the late-night shows on the linear schedule has ebbed noticeably in recent years, and Fallon says he’s certainly aware of the dynamic. Thanks to streaming and social media, however, “we are being seen by more people than, I think, in the history of ‘The Tonight Show,’” he says. “People are watching in different ways.” NBC says it tracks more than 127 million followers and subscribers to “Tonight” digital and social platforms.
Tying the program to special events can boost interest. NBC has seen how a sports lead-in can help “Tonight.” An October 20th telecast that took place following a showing of NBA play on opening night saw the show win an 80% increase among viewers between 18 and 49 — the demographic coveted most by advertisers in entertainment programming, -compared to the season to date average for “Tonight.” Overall viewership of the telecast was up 30% compared to the episode that aired following NBC’s NBA opening-night a year ago.
“It’s a big number,” says Fallon of sports audiences. “The days of ‘Seinfeld’ are gone, You don’t have that lead-in anymore. Anything where you get a big number, I’ll take it. We are always ready to work.”
Fallon and others are also getting some lift from CBS’ decision to cancel “The Late Show.” The overall “Tonight” audience is up 5% season to date and its viewership among people between 18 and 49 has risen 16%. Kimmel’s program has seen similar upticks.
The host says the show is also helped by guests who have grown more accustomed to the ways in which it wants to feature them. Late-night shows were long known as venues celebrities visited to promote a new project, like a movie, album or TV show. During Fallon’s tenure, the show often asks them to pay with play — doing impressions, taking part in skits and games, or even doing a musical number. “After doing this for so many years, our guests are kind to trust us,” says Fallon.
Fallon last week asked one guest, Jamie Lee Curtis, to join him in a spoof of the interactions between Nathan Fielderl and Elizabeth Holmes in the hit documentary “You Can See Everything.” The bit went viral. Behind the scenes, however, the host didn’t make the request until 1 in the afternoon, and the vignette wasn’t taped until 4 — closing in on the show’s taping time. “You can’t do it too late, but if you do it right,” says Fallon, you just might have a digital sensation on tap.
Airing “Tonight” in non-traditional windows gives the program a chance to reach new crowds, says Miller. “Weeknights are very hectic” for some potential viewers, he says. They’re working and they come home and they’re feeding the kids. They’re getting ready for bed, and a lot of people are well in bed before 1135 when we come on. So I think Sunday feels different. People are home. It’s a different vibe and I think there’s an opportunity to get eyeballs on the show.” The telecasts are taped on Sundays, Miller says, with an audience that feels more relaxed than on weekdays.
Can Fallon do more? To add Sunday “Tonight” telecasts, NBC would have to seek that time from its affiliates. “It’s a big night for those guys,” Fallon says. “They have been very generous to us.” The host is also at work on game shows like “Password” and “Wordle” for NBC as part of a deal with his production company, Electric Hot Dog. The host says he believes that network executives “have faith in me and let me take swings.” Several more appear to be in store.
