The Pat McAfee Show will launch on ESPN platforms next month, only part of ESPN’s new line-up that is packed with personality-based programming.
What’s Happening:
- The Pat McAfee Show, the highly successful and innovative weekday sports talk and discussion program, launches on ESPN platforms on Thursday, Sept. 7 – the same day the 2023 NFL season kicks off, as part of ESPN’s robust weekday studio lineup. Led by Pat McAfee – former NFL player and one of the most successful voices in sports media, the show will be simulcast from noon – 2 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN on YouTube and ESPN+, with the final 2-3 p.m. hour airing on ESPN on YouTube and ESPN+.
- The Pat McAfee Show joins ESPN’s well-established personality-packed weekday lineup featuring the leading pundits in the industry. Mike Greenberg kicks off each morning hosting Get Up at 8 a.m., followed by First Take featuring Stephen A. Smith from 10 a.m. to noon.
- After The Pat McAfee Show, SportsCenter returns for the 2 p.m. time slot with NBA Today at 3 p.m., then NFL Live from 4-5 p.m., Around the Horn airing at 5 p.m., and Pardon the Interruption at 5:30 p.m. The 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter wraps up the daily lineup, Monday through Friday.
- Announced earlier this year, ESPN’s licensing of The Pat McAfee Show will lead to an expansion of McAfee’s current multiplatform role, while McAfee continues his college football analyst role on ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot and hosting alternate presentations of ESPN college football telecasts.
- In addition to McAfee himself, The Pat McAfee Show features former NFL linebacker and co-host A.J. Hawk, Evan Fox, Zito Perez, Connor Campbell, Ty Schmit, Tone Digs, Frank Maraldo, Phil Mains, Casey Tok, Matt Brahn, Michael Girdy, AQ Shipley, Bailey McComas, Mitt McMahon, Coach Chuck Pagano, Aaron Rodgers, Darius Butler and Adam Jones, among others.
- The debut episode on Sept. 7 will air live from the show’s ThunderDome headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., while select fall Friday shows will be hosted from College GameDay sites, with locations to be announced each week. The crew’s opening weekend also includes a college football alternate telecast on ESPN+ live from the Texas/Alabama Week 2 showdown (7 p.m., ESPN). The weekend wraps up with Aaron Rodgers – a recurrent guest on The Pat McAfee Show, making his New York Jets debut during ESPN’s Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m., ESPN).
- Additional details, including regular guests, will be announced in the coming weeks.
ESPN Weekday Lineup:
- 8:00 AM – Get Up
- 10:00 AM – First Take
- Noon – The Pat McAfee Show
- 2:00 PM – SportsCenter
- 3:00 PM – NBA Today
- 4:00 PM – NFL Live
- 5:00 PM – Around the Horn
- 5:30 PM – Pardon the Interruption
- 6:00 PM – SportsCenter
What They’re Saying:
- Burke Magnus, president of content at ESPN: “We can’t wait for Pat and his team to bring a fresh new energy to ESPN’s weekday lineup, led by some of the most prominent, creative and authentic voices in sports. The Pat McAfee Show will redefine what success looks like across multiple ESPN platforms and will bring a new, contemporary audience to our afternoon time block. It’s a perfect fit.”