Pat McAfee’s present is transferring to ESPN as a part of a brand new multiyear deal introduced Tuesday.
McAfee first joined ESPN as a school soccer analyst for its Thursday evening video games in 2019. He returned to the community final yr and have become a part of the “Faculty GameDay” crew in addition to internet hosting some alternate displays of ESPN video games, together with the CFP Nationwide Championship.
That can proceed, however it’s McAfee’s present that has created probably the most buzz. It started on satellite tv for pc radio in 2016 and picked up steam when it started streaming in 2019. The present has been primarily on YouTube the previous three years, however will transfer to ESPN, the ESPN YouTube Channel and ESPN+ as a part of the community’s afternoon lineup starting within the fall. It should doubtless air after “First Take” and begin at 12 p.m. ET.
McAfee is exiting a four-year cope with FanDuel that the New York Submit reported was price $120 million.
The McAfee present is understood for weekly appearances by Aaron Rodgers in the course of the soccer season, together with his announcement of his impending commerce to the New York Jets, but in addition for a frequent use of profanity. McAfee mentioned throughout ESPN’s presentation to advertisers Tuesday that he wouldn’t swear “practically as a lot” however the substance and magnificence of the present wouldn’t change regardless of its new dwelling.
“We ain’t altering a rattling factor,” McAfee mentioned. “Each different phrase is nice to go. … We gained’t be doing that as a result of it’s the center of the day, however every part else shall be good.”
ESPN additionally introduced a documentary collection on Serena Williams and 4 main matchups for the upcoming school soccer season.
“Within the Area: Serena Williams” has began manufacturing and comes on heels of the 2021 “Man within the Area: Tom Brady” collection. The Brady collection was 10 elements and targeted on every of the seasons Brady took his workforce to the Tremendous Bowl.
ESPN has not introduced what number of elements there shall be for the Williams collection. Williams gained 23 singles titles in grand slam tournaments, however ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro mentioned the episodes gained’t be dictated by that.
“We’ll mix some issues right here, but it surely’s going to be improbable. I’m most likely as enthusiastic about that as I’m any movie that now we have in growth proper now,” Pitaro mentioned.
Williams additionally appeared on stage in the course of the presentation. The collection shall be directed by Gotham Chopra and is co-produced by ESPN, Faith of Sports activities, Brady’s 199 Productions, and Williams’ and Caroline Currier’s 9 Two Six Productions.
The Labor Day weekend sport between Florida State and LSU will air on ABC for the second straight season. The evening sport shall be performed in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 3.
Alabama will host Texas on Sept. 9 in a sport airing on ESPN. ABC once more could have the Pink River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma from Dallas on Oct. 7 in addition to Notre Dame’s sport at Clemson on Nov. 4.
The ESPN presentation was one a part of the Walt Disney Firm’s complete program for advertisers Tuesday. ESPN and different networks owned by Disney used to have separate applications earlier than the transfer to a mixed presentation a few years in the past.
Rita Ferro, president of Disney promoting gross sales and partnerships, famous the transfer from eight completely different occasions to 1 stemmed from a requirement from advertisers to do fewer massive occasions.
The presentation got here amid layoffs all through the Walt Disney Firm, together with ESPN. Disney CEO Bob Iger introduced in February that the corporate would scale back 7,000 jobs both by way of attrition or layoffs.
ESPN went by way of the primary of two rounds of reductions final month. There additionally shall be a spherical of cuts involving on-air expertise over the summer season achieved by way of non-renewal of contracts, buyouts or cuts.
“It has been a troublesome interval, the previous few weeks. I believe of us are trying ahead to getting by way of this month and regrouping,” Pitaro mentioned. “We’re working in a world the place fewer households are subscribing to conventional tv. That places stress on the enterprise.”
