More details have come out regarding the mega-deal that Pat McAfee signed with ESPN to bring his daily radio show to the sports network.
A year ago, McAfee became a regular on ESPN’s “College GameDay” in addition to his college football alt-broadcasts with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions for ESPN. Throughout this time, “The Pat McAfee Show” program was growing into one of the biggest sports radio shows in the country while airing on YouTube.
His increased ESPN duties led to McAfee taking time off as a color commentator on WWE SmackDown, with Wade Barrett filling in for him while doing College Gameday. The idea was that he would return after the football season was over. However, that hasn’t happened, although McAfee did a one-off at the Royal Rumble in January and made a surprise appearance at WrestleMania 39 for a short match with The Miz.
He previously signed a four-year, $120 million contract with FanDuel.
Earlier this month, it was reported that McAfee inked the ESPN deal with the show moving to the network in the fall while also airing on ESPN’s YouTube channel and ESPN+.
Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports McAfee’s deal is for $85 million for five years, seeing him be paid $17 million annually.
“I will be paying my people and we will be producing the show fully,” McAfee said over DM. “[ESPN] will be handling a lot more of the backend stuff, while also providing a platform that is incomparable linear wise with a network of talent that is deep and awesome. Their production assets, league rights capabilities, and access to everything in the sports world makes us incredibly pumped about the possibilities and can’t wait to get started this fall.”
McAfee also made headlines this week after he made a false claim about the AEW Double or Nothing attendance.
NEW COLUMN: Pat McAfee's deal with ESPN is for 5 years and around $85M, The Post has learned.
I DM'd with McAfee about it.https://t.co/rnkgBkPdX6
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) May 31, 2023
