The Pat McAfee Show Starts Strong with 242 Million Total Views Across All Platforms During First Month of ESPN Launch
- The first four weeks on ESPN platforms brought in 242 million total views
- Total reach averaged 1.4 million per show across linear and YouTube highlighted by Sept. 15’s episode with a total reach of 1.9 million – the highest of the month
- Viewers averaged 44.5 minutes of watch time per day
- Clips from the show across social, YouTube and the ESPN App generated 213 million cumulative views
- The show is simulcast from noon – 2 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN on YouTube and ESPN+, with the final 2 – 3ish p.m. hour airing on ESPN+ and The Pat McAfee Show channel on YouTube presented by ESPN
The Pat McAfee Show, the highly successful and innovative weekday sports talk and discussion program, generated 242 million total views during its first four weeks on ESPN platforms averaging 44.5 minutes watched per show across all platforms. Across YouTube, social channels and the ESPN App, the show totaled 213 million cumulative views, with 82% of that audience falling between the 18-44 demographic.
Through the first four weeks on ESPN platforms, the show’s total reach averaged 1.4 million per show across linear and YouTube highlighted by Friday, Sept. 15’s episode live from Colorado with a total reach of 1.9 million – the highest of the month. The Pat McAfee Show also garnered five million audio downloads, making it ESPN’s most-downloaded show of the month.
“To be rather transparent, I’m not sure any of us had any certainty of how this particular report was gonna be when this all started a month ago,” says Pat McAfee. “We had hopes that a massive new audience provided by ESPN would give our show a chance and ESPN had hopes of us helping with the transition into the new multi platform generation of daily sports entertainment. I’m proud of my guys for their work and very thankful for ESPN’s belief in us because I do believe these numbers are telling us all that we’re off to a rather good start. We appreciate everything and everybody. We’re pumped about the continued possibilities on ESPN’s phenomenal platform. Cheers.”
Led by host McAfee, the show launched on ESPN platforms on Sept. 7, joining ESPN’s established personality-packed weekday lineup of Get Up (8 a.m.) and First Take (10 a.m.).
“Pat and his team have established a strong, loyal following and we’re happy to see these fans embrace the show on our platforms while also expanding ESPN’s overall reach,” says Mike Foss, senior vice president of studio and digital production, ESPN. “The Pat McAfee show has been an incredible addition to our strong weekday lineup and we’re looking forward to seeing how fans continue to tune in across our multiple viewing platforms.”
ESPN’s licensing of The Pat McAfee Show is an expansion of McAfee’s current multiplatform role as a college football analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot and as a host of 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 and Darius Butler, among others. The show also has a robust slate of weekly recurring guests, including NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers (Tuesdays), former NFL defensive end J.J. Watt (Wednesdays) and Alabama football head coach Nick Saban (Thursdays).
The show is simulcast from noon – 2 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN on YouTube and ESPN+, with the final 2-3ish p.m. hour airing on ESPN+ and The Pat McAfee Show channel on YouTube presented by ESPN.
About Pat McAfee
A college football All-American at West Virginia and All-Pro NFL punter with the Indianapolis Colts, McAfee has established himself as one of the most entertaining figures in sports media since retiring from football. In addition to hosting The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee has worked for a variety of media companies in various roles, spanning Wrestlemania to ESPN.
McAfee was selected by the Colts in the 2009 NFL Draft following his college career at West Virginia as a kicker and punter. A four-year starter (2005-08), McAfee finished with 384 points and accumulated more than 5,500 punting yards for the Mountaineers. He was named an All-American his senior year and finished his collegiate career as the all-time scoring leader at WVU. During his nine NFL seasons, McAfee was one of the league’s best punters. He was named an All-Pro (2014), a Pro Bowler (2014, 2016) and twice nominated for the NFL Hall of Fame (2022, 2023). A native of Plum, Pa., outside Pittsburgh, McAfee retired after the 2016 NFL season.
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