Broadcaster Pat McAfee is set to join ESPN in a blockbuster deal, after the former Indianapolis Colts punter confirmed reports of a switch to mainstream media.
The American will reportedly leave his previous deal at FanDuel which was two years into a four-year, $120 million contract, according to a report by the New York Post. It emerged last week that ESPN were leading the race for the 36-year-old’s signature. Now the former Colts punter has agreed a deal that is suggested will see him earn more than $10 million a year.
“Hello Beautiful people. We appreciate and love you all.. together we’ve truly changed the game,” he posted on Instagram and Twitter channels alongside a five-minute clip explaining the good news. “I will be joining the ESPN universe,” he added with the announcement subsequently confirmed by ESPN. “We are so incredibly pumped, honoured and thankful to be doing that. They all very much understood that we need to embrace both what tomorrow is and what today is and I have the exact same vision.”
After making his second Pro Bowl appearance, McAfee retired from the NFL in 2016 to pursue a media career. He worked with BarStool Sports, DAZN and SiriusXM, before joining FanDuel in 2021 where The Pat McAfee Show which began with Barstool and then became McAfee's own property when he left the company.
The show, which possesses over two million subscribers on YouTube, discusses and analyses all things sport, and is set to debut on ESPN this autumn. It will feature the same expert opinions and engaging interviews and will be broadcast weekdays on ESPN, their YouTube Channel, the ESPN App and ESPN+.
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McAfee will also feature on the company’s digital and social platforms and will continue as a college football analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay, along with hosting some live broadcasts of college football games on the sports channel. "We are extremely honored that ESPN is blessing us with this opportunity to be a part of the next chapter of the ESPN family," McAfee added.
McAfee will leave his post at FanDuel which he had occupied since 2021 (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)“We do not take that lightly and are going to work hard to make sure this is a success. 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.”
McAfee eased fan fears about the show insisting he will retain full creative control, with the format of his shows remaining the same, and is set to follow two of the channel’s most popular sports chat shows ‘First Take’ and ‘Get Up’. In fact, McAfee’s relationship with ESPN goes as far back as 2019, when he originally served as an analyst for Thursday night college football games and regularly featured on the aforementioned Get Up.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro was full of praise for McAfee and is delighted to have acquired his services. “It’s a destination for athlete interviews and breaking news, and the centerpiece of a growing community of sports fans,” he said. “We’re honored to bring Pat and the show to ESPN through a multifaceted, multiplatform approach.”
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