Pat McAfee ESPN start date is scheduled for fall 2023. It will likely start airing on ESPN’s network on the 31st of July or the 1st of August.
The program recently switched platforms in May 2023. The host and producer signed a multi-year compact worth $85 million with ESPN.
Before that, it was affiliated with FanDuel, DAZN, Westwood One, Sirius XM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio, and Barstool Sports.
The $85 million agreement received criticism because ESPN was laying off on-air talents during the same phase. People targeted Pat for the cut-off of many talented individuals.
More than 20 TV personalities were axed, including Suzy Koober, Steve Young, Matt Hasselbeck, Jalen Rose, Joon Lee, Max Kellerman, and Nick Fridell.
It had no connection with McAfee, as he was already working as the College Gameday host with ESPN since September 2022. Instead, the layoff was part of Disney’s 7k job termination scheme.
Why Is The Pat McAfee Show Not On Today?
The Pat McAfee Show is not on today because the former NFL Punter was on a two-week vacation. It will air on the ESPN network this autumn.
The program was under a partnership with FanDuel. They have ended the four-year 120 million and decided to work with ESPN from 2023 onwards.
Initially, the program came to light under Barstool Sports, where Pat formed and handled the Heartland division. The production aired on Sirius XM till 2018.
Following that departure, he started Pat McAfee Inc. and teamed up with Westwood One and DAZN on 7th August 2019. He made three podcasts per week for DAZN.
Likewise, he took his show to Sirius XM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio in September 2020. They aired the production on weekdays from 12 to 3 pm.
In December 2021, FanDuel and the veteran footballer reached an agreement. The sports betting site was the official sponsor of the program till May 2023.
Is Pat McAfee On Vacation?
Yes, Pat McAfee is on vacation, and it is reported that he is away from work for 2 to 2.5 weeks. The host tweeted about it via his official handle on 17th July.
Good morning beautiful people.
I enjoyed the ESPYs and the @ACChampionship..‘Twas a fun, long week.
We’re off for the next couple of weeks.. gonna spend time with my bride & daughter..wrap up loose ends 4 our fall run..& try to continue to grow as a human.
I appreciate you all pic.twitter.com/iTsdK8WEvR
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 17, 2023
According to the tweet, the 36-year-old plans on spending the break with his wife and daughter. Samantha McAfee gave birth to their daughter on the 4th of May.
She is named Mackenzie Lynn McAfee. Pat will spend time nurturing his newly born daughter and supporting his wife.
Before the vacation announcement, the former Punter attended the American Century Celebrity Gold Championship Tournament in Lake Tahoe with his friends and colleagues. WWE Superstar The Miz also joined the party.
Likely, the two-time Pro Bowler was accompanied by his wife at the ESPY Awards. They also attended Netflix’s Quarterback premiere red carpet event on 14th July.
When Is Pat McAfee Show Coming Back?
Pat McAfee Show return date is set for Monday, July 31 according to Hammer Dahn. He will start working with his crew to premiere the show on ESPN and its networks.
On July 27, 2023, McAfee tweeted he was planning Live shows for the fall with the first one scheduled in Detroit.
The show’s popularity piqued ESPN’s interest and made them head toward Pat and his team. Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman, said, “It’s a destination for athletes interviews and breaking news, and the centerpiece of a growing community of sports fans.”
Similarly, Pat is honored for the opportunity, and his team is willing to work hard to ensure its success in the platform.
The show will be simulcasted at the noon slot on ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN’s YouTube channel. It will premiere at 12 pm Eastern Time after ‘First Take.’
When Is Pat McAfee Going To ESPN?
ESPN Pat McAfee show will premiere the program in August. McAfee signed a contract worth $85 million with the sports network in March 2023.
The alma mater of West Virginia University first worked with the network as a color analyst for Thursday Night Football in 2019. He returned to the network in late 2022 as the College Gameday analyst.
Pat McAfee show break before the production premiere on ESPN is due to personal reasons. The leading man is taking a couple of week hiatus before commencing the revamped project with the new partners.
The production will be televised on ESPN. Its YouTube channel and ESPN+ will also stream the show simultaneously.
Per NBC Sports, the creativity and production department will remain the same, and the show won’t change. Some liberal words would be spoken less, and Aaron Rodgers will star as a Tuesday guest during the regular season.
Where Can I Listen To The Pat McAfee Show?
You can listen to the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN Radio once its new schedule is released, per New York Post. The scheme is to make it available on national radio.
The cast and crew are well-versed in their craft. They have made 218 episodes since their inception in 2017.
Before the ESPN deal, Sports Radion 1560 The Fan was home to the show. They aired on weekday afternoons in the afternoon slot of 3-6 pm.
Over the years, many famed names such as Dalvin Cook, Ian Rapport, Adam Schefter, George Kittle, Bill Burr, Travis Kelce, Stipe Miocic, Usain Bolt, Wiz Khalifa, Stephen A. Smith, and Josh Allen have appeared in the program.
The raw and unfiltered conversation on different topics and electric storytelling with a significant presence of humor has helped it build a rapport among the viewers and the listeners.
The Pat McAfee Show Cast
The Pat McAfee Show cast involves experienced names like:
- A.J. Hawk
- Ty Schmit
- Evan Foxy
- Lord Zito
- Nick Maraldo
- Bruce Brown
- Mike Girdy II
- Billy Tubes
- Mitt McMahon
- Phil Mains
- Boston Connor
- Gumpy Cathcart
- Tone Digs
- Chuck Pagano
- Darius Butler
AJ Hawk
AJ Hawk has featured in fifty-one episodes from 2020 to 2023. He has produced 34 episodes within this span.
The former Linebacker and Super Bowl XLV ran The HawkCast before teaming up with Pat. Initially, the two collaborated for the McAfee & Hawk Sports Talk.
Hawk’s role is co-host and takes center stage in the absence of McAfee.
Gumpy Cathcart
Another regular on the show is Gumpy Cathcart. The Canadian sensation can be spotted in the sports betting podcast called Hammer Dahn from Monday to Friday (4 – 5 pm).
He is also a part of Thats Hockey Talk and The Pod on Wednesdays.
Cathcart faced visa issues in May last year due to his lawyers’ mistake and was compelled to fly back to Canada. Because of that, he was absent from the show for a brief period.
Chuck Pagano
Chuck Pagano was the Indianapolis Colts head coach from 2012 to 2017. The 62-year-old coached Pat during his time with the Colts.
The two are reunited in the production. During the National Football League campaign, Pagano handles the ‘Coach P’s Key’ section every Thursday.
The former coach explains various critical things a team needs to handle to win the game.
Tone Digs
Like Gumpy, Tone Digs also features in The Pod and Hammer Dahn. His real name is Anthony DiGulio.
He has been part of the show since 2018 and helped produce content for the program. Before that, he was a Content Produce at Barstool Sports from January 2017 to September 2018.
Digs is a huge Pittsburgh Steelers supporter and is often seen donning a cowboy hat.
Ty Schmit
Ty Schmit holds the record for the second-most appearances in the production. He has been a part of 61 episodes since 2019.
He is good at mimicking others. So far, he has done impersonations of Mel Kiper, Lou Holz, Nick Sirianni, and Jay Glazer. He is the funny one in the lot.