Pat McAfee is making waves within the sports activities media world as soon as once more, with at present’s eponymous present severing ties with sports activities betting big FanDuel. ESPN.
The information comes halfway by the second of a four-year, $120 million deal McAfee signed with FanDuel in December 2021. When this deal was signed, it was deemed vital by the requirements of the sports activities media business, additional highlighting the intersection of media and media. Whereas sports activities betting is included, The Pat McAfee Present covers a variety of topics and goes past playing.
one thing is unknown ESPN Is mum or dad firm Walt Disney paying McAfee, or is the corporate compensating for fan duel? The previous NFL punter’s present aired on his YouTube, along with his FanDuel emblem on the display screen. This system will proceed to be streamed on YouTube and on-line. ESPN and the ESPN+ streaming service.
FanDuel, the biggest on-line sportsbook in the USA, is 95% owned by Dublin-based Flutter Leisure (OTC: PDYPY). Boyd Gaming (NYSE: BYD) owns the remaining.
McAfee may spur Disney’s short-term unhealthy PR
Disney did not disclose monetary particulars about McAfee’s transition. ESPNMaybe leisure is paying him greater than he was making on FanDuel.
In different phrases, Disney just lately introduced layoffs of seven,000 individuals, together with headcount cuts, which could possibly be interpreted as a poorly timed announcement. ESPN. This might add to Disney’s public relations woes. Amongst them is CEO Bob Iger’s alleged long-running altercation with Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Florida). The difficulty stems from an organization opposing a Florida invoice that will block intercourse training for kindergarteners by third grade. supplies within the classroom.
Conversely, McAfee’s cult following amongst youthful demographics coveted by media corporations and advertisers could make him worthy of short-term PR for Disney.
Moreover, “The Pat McAfee Present” is not devoted to playing content material, but it surely does have sufficient content material to doubtlessly add worth. ESPN Sports activities Betting Achievements β one thing lengthy rumored to be in growth. The previous Indianapolis Colt appeared on “Faculty Gameday” and alternate broadcasts of some faculty soccer video games, and had an present relationship with Sports activities Community.
For McAfee, ESPN’s transfer is smart
Along with the potential of a elevate, ESPN McAfee is sensible as a result of it owns the corporate that produces the present. So a transfer to Disney will take loads of time-consuming behind-the-scenes work off his schedule.
Additionally, the present’s present solid, which incorporates McAfee’s buddy and former Inexperienced Bay Packer Professional Bowl linebacker AJ Hawke, ESPN with their boss.
After an eight-year NFL profession with two Professional Bowls and one All-Professional group choice, McAfee is leveraging the Web and social media shops to lift consciousness and rise to the following technology of sports activities media.He received his begin at David Portnoy’s Enviornment bar stool sports activitiesis now a division of Penn Leisure, a regional on line casino operator.
