Pat McAfee Leaving FanDuel for ESPN This Fall; Show Will Continue to Stream on YouTube
Pat McAfee Leaving FanDuel for ESPN This Fall; Show Will Continue to Stream on YouTube
ESPN just netted a major score. The self-proclaimed worldwide leader in sports has announced that starting this fall, it will become the new broadcast home of “The Pat McAfee Show.” McAfee will continue to host the show daily on ESPN, its streaming cohort ESPN+, the ESPN app, and the ESPN YouTube channel.
The move marks an expansion of McAfee’s relationship with ESPN. Last fall, the former NFL punter was brought on to serve as one of the main hosts for “ESPN College GameDay.” McAfee had previously signed a four-year, $120 million deal with FanDuel, which he must now leave behind to pursue the ESPN opportunity.
“Pat is a proven talent. He and his team have built ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ into one of the most engaging programs in sports and all of media,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “It’s a destination for athlete interviews and breaking news, and the centerpiece of a growing community of sports fans. We’re honored to bring Pat and the show to ESPN through a multifaceted, multiplatform approach.”
The move could lead to a much bigger presence for McAfee on ESPN+. McAfee hosted several editions of “Field Pass with the Pat McAfee Show” alternate broadcast of college football games on ESPN2 last season, in addition to his “College GameDay” duties. That broadcast could become a staple on college football Saturdays going forward, and the company could potentially build out more McAfee content on its streaming platform as well.
“We are extremely honored that ESPN is blessing us with this opportunity to be a part of the next chapter of the ESPN family. We do not take that lightly and are going to work hard to make sure this is a success,” said McAfee. “All parties involved agree the time has come for a bunch of sports stooges in a Thunderdome in Indiana to sprinkle in some fun and celebration of sport as well.”
The move to keep McAfee’s show on the ESPN YouTube page means it will still be available to watch for free, instead of behind the ESPN paywall. That will certainly help McAfee’s fans make the transition from FanDuel to ESPN, as they’ll be able to watch on the same platform they’re used to seeing it on, even if they have to go to another company’s profile to find it.
McAfee’s transition to ESPN gives football fans yet another reason to be excited for fall. ESPN+ is set to get another exclusive international NFL game this year, and having content from McAfee available on the platform as well will surely help it grow its current subscriber base of 22.3 million.
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