Former MLB executive David Samson says Pat McAfee will sign ESPN’s reported $60 million extension. In addition, he also warns that more money means less independence.
What We Know: ESPN is reportedly in talks to extend McAfee’s contract, with the deal around $60 million a year. McAfee hasn’t publicly floated the idea of going independent or exploring other options, and remains very loyal to ESPN. Meanwhile, his recent State of Sports special drew modest numbers. The two-hour primetime special averaged just 278,000 viewers.
What They Said: (All quotes via Nothing Personal with David Samson)
David Samson believes the more money Pat McAfee takes from ESPN means the more beholden he will be to the business of the company: “The deeper the relationship with the parent company financially and in years, the more beholden you are to that company. Pat McAfee can sit and claim all he wants, and he will when he signs the extension. That he is an independent trailblazer that he can drop F-bombs and wear shorts and sleeveless shirts. But the more money that his company gets, the more they will have to toe the line. That is not an indictment of Pat [McAfee]. It’s not an indictment of Disney. It’s the reality of the relationship that exists between the people who pay and the people who get paid.”
David Samson believes the low viewership that McAfee’s “State Of Sports” special on ESPN didn’t help McAfee: “Word came out yesterday that only 278,000 people watched that two hour show that started at 8pm Eastern. Think about that. That means that the Pat McAfee show, it turns out on regular ESPN, is not exactly the juggernaut that people would assume.”
David Samson believes Pat McAfee won’t turn down ESPN’s reported offer: “This is a deal that will make sense for McAfee, no matter how much he says that he may want to go independent. That he’s going to look around, maybe at gambling companies, different networks. Maybe he’ll have his own network. It will be impossible for him to turn down the guaranteed money that will come from Disney.”
What Remains Unclear: No official timeline exists for when an extension between ESPN and McAfee could be finalized. It also remains unknown whether McAfee has received competing offers from companies or other networks. Additionally, the specific contract terms beyond the reported $60 million figure remain unconfirmed by ESPN.
What It Means: Samson’s experience in business provides a unique perspective. If ESPN were to invest more in McAfee, it will be interesting to analyze how his program could change to fit the ESPN viewing experience. In addition, it would be hard to imagine that ESPN would just continue letting McAfee do his program as is for such an increased price tag. Reports of McAfee’s first deal with ESPN are $15 million a year for five years. To reportedly quadruple that figure would have to come with some understanding on both sides of the agreement.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
