Pat McAfee Reacts To Intense Backlash For Taking His Show to ESPN
Pat McAfee was surprised by the negative response he received from fans after announcing his move to ESPN earlier this week.
Despite trying to reassure them that he would maintain creative control, fans accused him of selling out and feared the show would change under ESPN’s management.
Pat McAfee says he received 4 major offers, but his show will move to ESPN beginning this fall.
The program will:
▪️ "Retain full creative control"
▪️ Not change in format
▪️ Follow 'Get Up' and 'First Take'
▪️ "Not say f**k nearly as much"
▪️ Air on ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN YouTube pic.twitter.com/JAyErtE86Q— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 16, 2023
During Thursday’s show, McAfee admitted that he miscalculated the backlash and was taken aback by the rude comments, especially from loyal fans who he thought would support him.
Hello beautiful people…
We appreciate and love you all.. together we've truly changed the game.
🗣🗣 #UpToSomethingSZN UPDATE: pic.twitter.com/Yv8SpyNH0E
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 16, 2023
“It’s been tough to go over the mentions, “It has been tough out there. I don’t think I expected that. That was a miscalculation … I think the reason I didn’t expect it is because it didn’t even cross my mind…I feel like our people are the ones that were most mad. It’s like, ‘Hey, we have a good history, do we not?’”
“I don’t know,” McAfee added. “I guess not. … Some of the things that are being said are very, very, very rude.”
The backlash is real.
Pat Mcafee selling out. Another one bites the dust.
— Tyler Helio (@TylerHelio) May 17, 2023
The Pat McAfee Show will “retain full creative control” and “not change in format” https://t.co/eSvpMBT9KD pic.twitter.com/YoIk48b4jQ
— Jacob Wayne (@wayne_sports_) May 16, 2023
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