Pat McAfee, who joined ESPN in a blockbuster 2023 deal, bridled at the question of whether “journalistic standards” should apply to his show.
Appearing on a panel with other on-air talent during a media day hosted Wednesday by the Disney division at its Bristol, CT campus, McAfee took exception to one reporter’s invocation of the phrase. The question appeared to be an effort to assess the settling-in process for all parties, and whether news-focus staffers had any concerns about the non-traditional setup for McAfee. Unlike conventional talent deals, the former NFL kicker’s wildly popular YouTube show was licensed to ESPN (for a reported $85 million). It continues to run on YouTube while blocks of it are also simulcast on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
“Define journalistic standards,” McAfee shot back at the reporter, CNBC’s Alex Sherman. Recognizing and correcting mistakes would be one aspect of it, Sherman ventured. The host went on to cite numerous instances of what he deemed unfair coverage of his show, calling out one reporter before scanning the room to see if a representative of the website Awful Announcing was present. McAfee blasted the site for “ripping” videos from his show in a bid for traffic. In addition, he said, the site highlights quotes “completely out of context.” As a result, he cited a negative impact on “future earnings, with slander, libel, character assassination, stolen clips, all that s–t. If I ever wanted to deal with suits, which i don’t, that could be a thing. I could make all that a thing.”
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The structure of his deal leaves McAfee a layer removed from the customary notion of network standards and practices, a disconnect revealed when NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers delivered a stream of unfiltered commentary about Covid vaccines last fall. (The QB, who has been quoted voicing anti-vax and conspiracy ideas, was suspended by the league in 2021 for deliberately misleading reporters asking about his vaccine status by assuring them he had been “immunized.” That treatment he was referring to was not a league-mandated vaccine but instead homeopathic remedies not recognized as public safety measures by health officials.)
“I understand that you may have a lot of reasons to potentially hate me,” McAfee said. “I think they’re misguided. I would appreciate if you would give me and my guys a chance. I think we’re helping out sports media as a whole in the future. I think we’re going to get some things wrong and we apologize for that. But whenever you’re ripping our sh-t and trying to kill us, I think ‘journalistic standards’ certainly is problematic. We want to be good for sports in sports media. We want to build sports. And we’d appreciate if you just gave us a fair shot.”
Before the temperature rose in the room, McAfee said he expected Rodgers to resume his customary weekly slot on Tuesdays once the NFL season begins next week. “There’s a good chance,” McAfee said, and while there’s no official agreement in place, the host said he is “optimistic.” Rodgers last year ruptured his Achilles tendon just four plays into his career as a New York Jet, ending his season.
McAfee acknowledged criticism of the segments, which run long and often provide a forum for Rodgers to muse on conspiracies and fringe topics even as he avoids traditional media interviews.
“I’ve heard some people say ‘Why’s he letting this guy on? He doesn’t push back,’” McAfee said. Rodgers, he countered, is destined for a place on “the Mount Rushmore of NFL quarterbacks. … This is one of the best football players of all time.” Getting to hear whatever he says, however questionable, is worthwhile, he added. Footage from the McAfee interviews “will probably be used in every Aaron Rodgers documentary 10 or 15 years from now,” the host said. “I don’t know if that’s journalism or not, in your guys’ eyes, but I think it’s certainly provided something useful for sports fans.” Referring to Rodgers’ on-field excellence during the seasons of 2020 and 2021, McAfee called him “the Covid King.”
After Rodgers kept up his weekly appearances while recovering from his injury, McAfee recalled, “There were a lot of people asking for it to not happen anymore. … When ESPN takes heat for something that’s said on our show, that’s not good business at all.”
Elle Duncan, an anchor on SportsCenter who also appears on other ESPN shows, defended McAfee’s stance. “I’m not sure if it’s fair to paint everyone with those same broad strokes,” she said. “I consider myself to be more of an entertainer than a journalist.”
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