• Loading stock data...
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

Pat McAfee Becomes Full-Time Member of ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’

  • McAfee will add “College GameDay” to his growing media portfolio.
  • He said he’s been a fan of the show “forever.”
Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader, Sioux Falls Argus Leader

The roundtable at ESPN’s College GameDay has landed a new full-time member: Pat McAfee.

The former player and sports personality will begin his tenure on the show on Saturday, where Alabama will face off against Texas in Austin. 

The news was first reported by The New York Post, but McAfee confirmed it in a tweet. 

He said there were “so many moving parts,” and that conversations “moved quickly.” 

“GameDay is a show that I’ve been a fan of FOREVER,” he said.

“College GameDay” is now one of several shows McAfee will appear on regularly. He also has his own daily talk show, hosts WWE’s “Smackdown, and has even committed to several Mannincast-esque college football broadcasts on ESPN. 

McAfee additionally is in the middle of a four-year, $120 million deal with FanDuel and will have a weekly show for the rebranded FanDuel TV.

“College GameDay” which is perhaps only rivaled by Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff,” lands in a new location each Saturday morning to highlight a marquee college football game. 

Particularly for Group of 5 schools, landing the show is considered major free marketing for not just a school’s football program, but also the university as a whole.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Apr 11, 2025; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Rory McIlroy reacts after missing a putt on no. 18 during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.

Without Tiger Woods, ESPN’s First-Round Masters Viewership Drops 28%

Without Woods, ESPN averaged 2.3M Thursday vs. 3.2M last year with Tiger.
Iamaleava

College Football Has a Major, Messy NIL Standoff

Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava skipped practice amid reported contract renegotiations.

ESPN Reporter Jeff Darlington Could Become Free Agent

Darlington is one of the network’s top NFL and golf reporters.
Trae Young

How the Hawks Ended Up With Two College GMs on an NBA..

Trae Young and Terance Mann are actively working for their schools.

Featured Today

Yamine Lamal Barcelona

Lamine Yamal: The Pressure and Price of Barcelona’s Young Prodigy

Lamine Yamal is a teenage superstar. Can Barcelona afford him?
The pin flag on the second green flaps in the wind during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
April 7, 2025

Inside The Masters: Traditions, Restrictions, and Gnomes

How the most exclusive major employs its own strict rules and operations.
Mar 16, 2023; Sacramento, CA, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Kobe Brown (24) reacts after scoring a basket agianst the Utah State Aggies during the second half at Golden 1 Center.
exclusive
April 6, 2025

‘It’s On Principle’: NBA Players On Filing for House Settlement Checks

The checks are relatively small. That’s not the point, players say.
Mar 29, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) before playing against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the East Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center.
April 5, 2025

As College Basketball Teams Got Older, Duke Embraced the Fountain of Youth

How the Blue Devils went old-school in the transfer portal era.
Dec 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (right) talk before the game at Chase Center.

Potential Lakers-Warriors Playoff Series Could Be NBA Ratings Gold

There is less than one week left in the NBA regular season.
Apr 8, 2025; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Scottie Scheffler hit on no. 7 during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
April 9, 2025

Can Masters TV Ratings Rebound From Big Drop Last Year?

Viewership for the final round was down 20% in 2024.
April 10, 2025

NFL Schedule Set to Drop in May—With Major Changes in Store

Several additional factors are going into this year’s game slate.
Sponsored

League One Volleyball’s Defining Moment: A Championship Years in the Making

Volleyball has long thrived at the youth level—now it’s transforming professionally. The LOVB Finals mark a pivotal moment for the sport.
April 8, 2025

College Volleyball’s Audience Is Spiking—and Networks Are Noticing

Women’s college volleyball is booming as networks and fans embrace the sport.
Monica McNutt
April 8, 2025

Monica McNutt Reflects on Viral Stephen A. Smith Exchange 10 Months Later

“This is layered for me,” McNutt said at the FOS event in Tampa.
April 6, 2025

Auriemma and Staley: Women’s Hoops Should Have Its Own TV Deal

The current TV deal is tied with 39 other NCAA championships.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) and forward Sarah Strong (21) react on the bench during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the UCLA Bruins at Amalie Arena.
April 5, 2025

Women’s Final Four Delivers Nearly 4M Viewers, Still 64% Drop

Both of this year’s games were blowouts, which didn’t help returns.