Who doesn’t love a golden retriever? Kirk Herbstreit’s family certainly does—they have four of them. The oldest, Ben, has become somewhat of a fixture in the college football world, traveling with Kirk on the road for the past few seasons. Whether it’s on College GameDay or during Saturday night broadcasts, Ben often makes an appearance, much to the delight of many viewers.
However, not all fans are thrilled with the golden retriever’s frequent on-screen cameos. Recently, a growing number of college football enthusiasts have voiced their fatigue with Ben’s presence, expressing that the novelty may have worn off.
“I’m gonna say it… I’m over Kirk Herbstreit’s dog,” one fan bluntly remarked on social media.
“Not sure how I feel about Kirk Herbstreit bringing his dog with him to broadcast college football games on ABC,” another fan chimed in, questioning the appropriateness of having a dog on set.
Some fans have even raised practical concerns about Ben’s constant travel, particularly for those working behind the scenes. “Imagine if you were on the ABC/ESPN primetime production team and allergic to dogs, but Kirk Herbstreit insists on bringing his stupid golden retriever everywhere,” one fan pointed out, highlighting a potential issue for the production crew.
Others have expressed sympathy for Ben himself, suggesting that the dog might not enjoy all the attention as much as people assume. “He just wants to relax, not be paraded around,” one fan commented, while another raised concerns about the dog’s well-being during frequent air travel: “Just zero way a dog should be in the air that much. Has to be an issue.”
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Despite the grumblings, it’s likely that many college football fans still enjoy seeing Ben Herbstreit as part of the broadcast. However, it seems that the dog’s frequent appearances have struck a nerve with a segment of ABC and ESPN’s viewership.
Whether the criticisms will lead to any changes remains to be seen, but for now, Ben continues to be an unlikely star in the world of college football broadcasting.
