Team Player: Scott Van Pelt and Jason McCallum
SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt host Van Pelt on content producer McCallum: "JMac is arguably the most important member of our show. Me included."
In the latest installment of Front Row’s “Team Player” series — where an ESPN commentator selects a behind-the-scenes colleague to spotlight – Washington, D.C.-based SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt anchor Scott Van Pelt salutes Bristol, Conn.-based content producer Jason McCallum.
Van Pelt has anchored his late-night edition of SportsCenter since September 2015, first from ESPN’s main studios in Connecticut and since September 2020 from the nation’s capital. The majority of the behind-the-scenes show staff are still in Bristol.
One of only a handful of people who have worked on the program since it began, McCallum has been with ESPN since he started in the Research department in August 2005, working on various programs and sports. He joined the new SVP SportsCenter as a researcher and was promoted to content producer in 2019.
With another edition of his program airing following tonight’s Super NFL Wild Card NFC Playoff game on ESPN, the Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:15 ET), Van Pelt took time to shine the spotlight on McCallum.
What attributes does McCallum have that make him successful in his role?
JMac is arguably the most important member of our show. Me included. He’s a never-ending idea generator. Always churning out things that turn into content of some sort on the show. It’s harder to be consistent in this than it might seem. Not everything makes the show. Some days, maybe none of the ideas will. If they do or don’t, his attitude is always positive. He’s just absolutely vital.
In what ways has McCallum proven to be an important part of your show’s success?
Every day, whether he’s in the producer’s chair – or any other role – he’s constantly keeping tabs on games, the rundown, what I think about things, making sure I’m aware of everything that’s going on … It’s always in a positive, upbeat manner. Again, that’s a hard attitude to maintain. He has mastered it.
Could you share a memory of McCallum going above and beyond?
The ways he’s gone above and beyond are mostly just personal touches of paying attention to life and family that not everyone has the time or interest for. It’s just one of many ways that show that he’s a great human being and we are so, so grateful he’s part of our show group.
“He challenges me to be at my best every day because he is so engaged in the topics. He is acutely aware that the show bears his name, and his level of commitment mirrors that. That means everybody in this show needs to be equally engaged to make sure that we are challenging him on his opinions and content because he accepts that and wants that. And I like that. It’s good healthy debate during the show meeting, and then we develop our plan there for how we’re going to put the show together that night.
Aside from him being a great guy that I get along with really well, I appreciate his level of commitment to his show and how hard he makes us work for him and to make our product as good as it can be.”
SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt airs at midnight ET on ESPN and the ESPN App or following live games. Below, straight from the TV segment “SVP Winners,” Van Pelt breaks down his picks for the NFL wild-card playoff round.