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ESPN eyes $65M Pat McAfee deal, outpaying NBA stars

6/10/2026

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Summary

Pat McAfee Deal

ESPN is negotiating a contract with Pat McAfee that could pay $65 million per year.
The deal would exceed the annual earnings of any active NBA player, per The Athletic.
ESPN already pays about $17 million to license The Pat McAfee Show and adds a College GameDay salary.
Critics say the $65 million offer is excessive amid ESPN’s 2026 layoffs, noting the special drew 278,000 viewers versus 7.2 million for Game 4 of the Knicks-Cavaliers Finals.

Summary

Pat McAfee Interviews

Pat McAfee interviewed six major sports commissioners—Adam Silver, Rob Manfred, Gary Bettman, Cathy Engelbert, Don Garber and Dana White—in a primetime special.
He was drafted 222nd by the Indianapolis Colts in 2009 and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2014 and 2016 after playing at West Virginia under Rich Rodriguez (2005-08).
He later appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay with Nick Saban and hosted a rain-soaked Fan Fest party praised for its pizazz.

History

Historical Context

After the NFL’s 1998 eight-year TV deals with CBS, Fox, ABC and ESPN lifted annual rights fees to roughly $2.2 billion per season, broadcast revenue has ballooned to over $110 billion for 2023-33. ESPN, which pays $600 million each season for NFL games, now proposes a $65 million yearly contract for Pat McAfee’s primetime special, echoing the league’s long-standing rights inflation.

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Pat McAfee Deal

ESPN is negotiating a contract with Pat McAfee that could pay $65 million per year.
The deal would exceed the annual earnings of any active NBA player, per The Athletic.
ESPN already pays about $17 million to license The Pat McAfee Show and adds a College GameDay salary.
Critics say the $65 million offer is excessive amid ESPN’s 2026 layoffs, noting the special drew 278,000 viewers versus 7.2 million for Game 4 of the Knicks-Cavaliers Finals.

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