Perhaps the only individual more excited to hear about Skip Bayless’ reported four-year, $32 million deal with FOX was a former NFL punter in middle America.<\/p>\n
“With Skip being a part of the second-largest sports show every single day, behind one other show, if you look at basically all analytics," Pat McAfee said Friday, referencing his own “The Pat McAfee Show” "This is great (expletive) news." <\/p>\n
McAfee and his crew — which split from Barstool Sports in August 2018 — have used the video platform to climb to the top of the sports media world and were the most-watched sports show on YouTube in January (54 million total views). Meanwhile, Bayless’ FS1 show "Undisputed," co-hosted with Shannon Sharpe, is the No. 2 sports program on YouTube (42 million total views).<\/p>\n
McAfee's program featured exclusive and lengthy interviews with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throughout the 2020 NFL season; McAfee's untraditional media background has resonated with fans and attracted a loyal fanbase. The show operates out of Indianapolis and airs from 12-3 p.m. ET Monday through Friday on YouTube and SiriusXM. <\/p>\n
In addition to his daily show, McAfee worked as a guest commentator on ESPN’s “College GameDay” during the last two seasons. He said he’s currently in negotiations with the network about a similar deal of working a set number of days, but “it would take a lot more than $8 million a year to get us exclusively to ESPN, so I’m not even in that conversation."<\/p>\n
McAfee added that he enjoys the aspects of owning his own business. It didn't change the fact Bayless' payday caught his attention. <\/p>\n
“We are in a much different time than we were (Thursday),” he said. <\/p>\n