NewsBite

Ex-NFL punter Pat McAfee’s $168m media deal could change sports media

A former NFL punter has hit the jackpot as he hit it big with a monster deal that is set to change the sports media industry forever.

Pat McAfee has done well for himself.
Pat McAfee has done well for himself.

In what might be the richest talent deal in sports media history, FanDuel has reportedly signed a contract with “The Pat McAfee Show” worth in the vicinity of $30 million annually.

McAfee, whose show already had a sponsorship deal with FanDuel, confirmed in a YouTube video his show has reupped with FanDuel for “an absurd amount of money” on a four-year deal with an opt-out after three years.

Watch Live NFL every Monday, Tuesday and Friday with ESPN on Kayo. 6 live games every week + every game of the Post-Season. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial >

The 34-year-old was a punter for the Indianapolis Colts for seven NFL seasons before retiring and pursuing a career as a broadcaster.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport was first with the news that an extension had been reached and NBA insider Shams Charania followed up with the annual compensation.

It’s unclear how much of that $30 million will be base pay, as opposed to potential enticements for affiliate referrals.

Furthermore, this deal likely includes the pay for McAfee’s co-host, A.J. Hawk, and his crew of producers and other show contributors.

Nevertheless, McAfee is the main driver and this is an enormous pay package that will inevitably have ripple effects across the industry.

As sports gambling implementation continues its slow crawl toward activation in New York, there has been a gold rush across America.

Party time for Pat McAfee. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Party time for Pat McAfee. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Everywhere inside and outside of sports, there is marketing for sportsbooks such as FanDuel, DraftKings, PointsBet, BetMGM, WynnBet, BetRivers, Caesars and others.

McAfee, as an edgy and relatable personality, has proven to be effective at referring bettors to FanDuel.

That is why FanDuel was so keen to back up the Brinks truck to retain McAfee as gambling moves into higher-populated states such as New York and perhaps eventually Texas and California.

Other notable gambling deals involving sports media talent include Penn National Gaming buying Barstool Sports from The Chernin Group and DraftKings doing a deal with Meadowlark Media’s “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” which was reportedly worth $50 million over three years.

This story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.

Originally published as Ex-NFL punter Pat McAfee’s $168m media deal could change sports media

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/american-sports/nfl/exnfl-punter-pat-mcafees-168m-media-deal-could-change-sports-media/news-story/d0d466d16a483d51f8efb4e9bbfb6d62