Ever since the report dropped that ESPN host Pat McAfee pays some of his premier guests, the sports media landscape has been in a tizzy.
The original story came from The New York Post, where Andrew Marchand reported Aaron Rodgers and Nick Saban are paid seven figures per year to appear on the show with McAfee.
As the article notes, this is largely nothing new in sports media. As Marchand writes, “Baseball managers, from Joe Torre to Joe Girardi and Aaron Boone, have routinely done ‘exclusive’ audio spots in the $250,000 neighborhood — deals with radio stations or, in Boone’s case this year, with Jomboy’s Yankee podcast. Eli Manning used to make around $125,000 to appear for 15 to 20 minutes on WFAN. McAfee has taken this realm to a new level.”
But for some reason, this became a huge, and strangely controversial, story.
For Pat McAfee’s show, it’s smart business. As he noted, his company has gone from a $2-$5 million valuation to a $500 million valuation. Even if that number is a stretch, it’s hard to argue his seven-figure investments in Aaron Rodgers and Nick Saban haven’t been money well spent.
Now, let’s shift this conversation to news/talk radio.
While the format is less likely to have this type of relationship with a guest, it’s worth exploring in your market. Politicians obviously can’t take money for their guest spots, so you can cross them off the list. Those interviews will ultimately come down to your relationship with the guest and standing in the market. There’s no check that can legally change that.
But what about former prominent politicians? Or how about former athletes in your market who want to get into media and transition into potentially more news than sports? Who is your Aaron Rodgers? Granted, he’s still playing, but he clearly loves poking into the political realm, like his most recent dig at Travis Kelce, calling him Mr. Pfizer.
They’re out there, they will help make your show interesting, and it’s worth exploring. Especially in a world where more and more shows are made up of solo hosts and not co-host situations. Getting new voices and perspectives from people with name recognition in your market is worth your time and the audience’s interest.
For those wondering, yes, the promotion from being on your station, trade, or some other type of deal may be feasible to avoid direct payments, but this is where I will say something that modern-day radio suits will hate to hear: It costs money to make money.
And before going any further, let’s put to rest what would be a top excuse: “I pay my host to entertain the audience.” OK, well Pat McAfee is one of the most entertaining individuals in all of media right now, and if he understands there’s incredible value in this model, why wouldn’t local radio act like it’s above it?
If adding targeted, interesting, appointment-listening guests to your station can make a sizable impact on your ratings. You will make that guest appearance fee back many times over.
There’s no reason to force this, but it’s a model that our format should be thinking about as well, especially heading into an election year. So let’s start spinning those wheels.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
