As millions of people rang in 2026 from their couches, bars, and crowded living rooms, ESPN viewers unexpectedly found themselves watching a moment that instantly lit up social media.
The longtime SportsCenter anchor was hosting ESPN’s late-night coverage when ABC, ESPN’s parent company, cut in with live footage from Times Square. What started as a routine New Year’s Eve transition quickly turned into a viral moment that had viewers talking, laughing, and replaying clips within minutes.
Scott Van Pelt Navigates Live TV as the New Year Begins
Scott Van Pelt is not new to live television pressure. He has hosted the late edition of SportsCenter since 2015 and has built a reputation for being smooth, quick-thinking, and steady when things go off script. Still, live TV has a way of testing even the most experienced broadcasters.
As the clock struck midnight and 2025 officially became 2026, ESPN allowed ABC to jump in with its traditional Times Square coverage. Every year, thousands of people pack into the iconic New York City location to watch the ball drop, celebrate with friends, and share that midnight kiss.
At first, everything felt normal. The cameras panned across the crowd. Confetti fell. People hugged and kissed. Van Pelt even joked about how unusual this type of footage is for SportsCenter viewers, saying, “Yeah, live makeouts on ‘SportsCenter.’ Get into it.”
Up to that point, it was light, funny, and harmless. Then the camera landed on a moment Van Pelt clearly didn’t expect.
ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt Has Awkward Moment After ABC Shows Two Men Kissing
The moment shifted when ABC’s live feed showed two men kissing in the crowd. For a brief second, viewers could almost feel the pause through the screen. Live television does not come with a rewind button, and reactions happen in real time.
Van Pelt initially appeared caught off guard. It was a natural human reaction, one that played out in front of millions of viewers. However, instead of freezing or saying the wrong thing, the veteran broadcaster quickly recalibrated.
Within seconds, he pivoted and kept the broadcast moving forward, saying, “Oh… what are we, what do we got? We’ve got love in the air. We’ve got makeouts. Who’s having a good time? Happy New Year everybody!”
The save was clean. It was fast. And it was exactly why experience matters on live television. What could have spiraled into controversy instead became a moment people laughed about and replayed online.