NBC’s Saturday Night Live Season 52 premiere with host Jalen Brunson and musical guest KATSEYE will air later than usual tonight in some parts of the country, following NBC’s extended coverage of the college football game between USC and Oregon, which ended 16 minutes late.
NBC appears to have given its affiliates the choice between airing the show live at 11:30 p.m. or on a 16-minute delay.
The delay adds one more wrinkle to an already unusual opening night for SNL, which is kicking off its new season with Brunson just over three months after the Knicks captain led New York to its first NBA championship since 1973.
Brunson is making his SNL hosting debut and becomes the latest NBA star to be handed a season premiere. Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and LeBron James have all previously opened seasons of the show, with James the most recent active NBA player to host SNL in 2007.
KATSEYE is also making its first appearance on the show. The six-member global girl group arrives at Studio 8H amid a breakout run that has included a Grammy nomination, a new EP, and a sold-out tour.
Saturday’s delayed start is not unprecedented for SNL, particularly on nights when NBC’s primetime sports coverage runs long.
The show’s most recent late start came on October 18, 2025, when postgame coverage of that night’s USC-Notre Dame matchup pushed SNL to 11:42 p.m. ET / 8:42 p.m. PT.
Tonight’s premiere will also offer the first look at a reshuffled SNL cast that includes newly promoted repertory players Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline, as well as new featured players Grace Reiter and Saidah Belo-Osagie.
Join us here at LateNighter.com following tonight’s premiere for the Saturday Night Network’s live after-show, with instant reaction to Brunson’s hosting debut and the Season 52 premiere.
Or in California where NBC needlessly forced even more “Bay Area News” down our throats. Never, never, wait until 11pm to unload your prepackaged, cookie cutter, not breaking news on us.