Pat McAfee could reportedly receive a lucrative contract extension from ESPN; MLB players are reportedly “less enamored” with MLB salary floor proposal; and the Miami Heat sign an over-the-air broadcast deal. Plus news on Fox NFL, MLB on NBC, the FIFA World Cup and John Fanta.
McAfee could reportedly receive $60 million/year contract extension from ESPN
Representatives for Pat McAfee are negotiating a contract extension with ESPN that could be worth more than $60 million per year, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. The yet-to-be-completed deal could function on “a sliding scale based on McAfee’s new responsibilities,” including more responsibilities within the network’s NFL coverage.
Marchand reported that McAfee earns about $30 million/year through the production agreement for his eponymous weekday show, role as a “College GameDay” analyst and other responsibilities. ESPN initially brought McAfee onto “College GameDay” as an analyst during the 2022 season under a deal that also included appearances across ESPN NFL coverage and “Get Up.” The network licensed his studio show starting the following September for 235 episodes/year, simulcast across linear and digital platforms. McAfee pays for the show contributors and sets, along with the prize money for his field-goal kicking contest on “College GameDay,” per Marchand.
In an interview with Richard Deitsch on the “Sports Media Podcast” last September, ESPN president/content Burke Magnus said he “could not imagine” the network’s “daytime schedule without [McAfee’s] show.” While McAfee reportedly negotiated his original ESPN deal individually, Marchand reported that he is now represented by TKO Group Holdings executive chairman Ari Emmanuel and president/COO Mark Shapiro. The initial ask from McAfee’s representation to ESPN was $100 million/year, and the parties “are currently between $60 to 65 million per year,” according to sources cited by Marchand.
In addition to his studio show and “College GameDay” work, McAfee has hosted alternate broadcasts for select sporting events, including the semifinals and National Championship Game of the College Football Playoff. Earlier in the week, McAfee was on hand at Madison Square Garden to host an alternate presentation for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on ESPN. The network is considering a “Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show” presentation around its broadcast of Super Bowl LXI next February, according to a report by Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.
MLB players reportedly have become “less enamored” with salary floor proposal
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Tuesday that while there was some intrigue from players about the salary floor proposed by MLB last week, the group became “less enamored” with it as they learned more details. Players reportedly now believe the system “would be actively worse for them and that addressing competitive balance does not necessitate a salary cap.” Numerous MLB players have spoken out against a potential salary cap, and Philadelphia Phillies 1B Bryce Harper reportedly used invective towards MLB commissioner Rob Manfred about discussing the matter during a meeting with the team last season.
MLB proposed a $245.3 million salary cap and subsequent salary floor of $171.2 million, which together would necessitate spending adjustments of about $1.2 billion. The proposal would centralize media revenue and enact a 50-50 revenue split. The league would also use an escrow system that would allow the league to hold a portion of player salaries should revenue fall short of expectations, a sequence that MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer reportedly said would render things non-guaranteed.
Meyer said last week that the salary cap proposal put forth by the league as part of CBA talks have “effectively managed to cobble together the worst system for players in any major sport, and it’s not even close,” per a report by Mike Mazzeo of Sports Business Journal. MLB has never had a salary cap, and its pursuit of one led to the 1994 players’ strike that canceled the postseason.
The NFL and NHL utilize a hard cap system, and the NBA — the first of the major leagues to institute a cap 1983 — has a soft salary cap with penalties for exceeding certain ‘aprons.’ The NBA has, perhaps, had the most parity among the four major sports leagues in the last decade and is preparing to crown an eighth different league champion in eight seasons. Manfred recently told reporters that he was worried the negotiations may result in a work stoppage akin to the 1994-95 players’ strike, per a report by Jorge Castillo of ESPN.
Miami Heat sign over-the-air deal with WPLG Local 10
The Miami Heat this week became the second NBA team to ink an over-the-air deal this offseason, signing a media rights agreement to air regional broadcasts on WPLG Local 10. The local news network, which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, simulcast 12 Heat games last season covered by FanDuel Sports Network. In addition to over-the-air, Heat fans will be able to view games through cable and satellite television platforms and the LOCAL 10+ Platinum streaming app.
Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal reported that there is an option year after next season, giving the team flexibility as the NBA is reportedly expected to launch an “aggregated streaming hub” in the next two seasons. Heat EVP/chief marketing officer Michael McCullough told Friend in an interview that the organization “and WPLG would like to see this relationship continue even with whatever the NBA is going to be putting on the table.”
Earlier in the offseason, the Detroit Pistons signed a multiyear deal with Scripps Sports to air regional broadcasts on WMYD TV20 Detroit starting next season. The Heat and Pistons are two of 13 teams who aired broadcasts on the FanDuel Sports Network-branded RSNs owned by Main Street Sports Group. Just over a year after exiting Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Main Street wound down its operations this spring. While Fubo was said to be pursuing local rights for NBA teams with broadcasts formerly under the Main Street banner, the company rescinded the offers in April, per a report by Friend.
Seven NBA teams are slated to utilize over-the-air television networks as their regional television homes next season. Outside of the Heat and Pistons, the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz all broadcast on these networks and have a streaming solution.
Plus: Fox NFL, MLB on NBC, FIFA World Cup, John Fanta
- Fox Corporation has reached a new multiyear agreement to air National Football League games in Mexico, including the Super Bowl, NFC playoff games, Sunday regular-season matchups and “Thursday Night Football,” it was announced on Monday. The company is going to distribute the NFL telecasts, which also includes Thanksgiving contests and the Pro Bowl Games, through its linear networks (Fox/Fox+), the FOX One streaming service and “select content” airing on Tubi. Furthermore, the deal includes Fox airing four original NFL-focused shows per week as the league tries to expand its international appeal.
- Bob Costas will not host the “Sunday Night Baseball” pregame show this week ahead of a matchup between the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox airing on NBC and Peacock. Ahmed Fareed will anchor the coverage with analyst Anthony Rizzo, leading into the game broadcast with play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti, Rangers Sports Network analyst Mike Bacsik and NESN analyst Lou Merloni. Earlier in the day, Ashley ShahAhmadi will make her national MLB broadcasting debut as the reporter on the “MLB Sunday Leadoff” game between the Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates on Peacock and NBCSN at 12 PM ET. She will be working with Marlins.TV analyst Gaby Sánchez, SportsNet Pittsburgh analyst Bob Walk and play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian.
- Fox Sports revealed that its “FIFA WORLD CUP NOW” digital show will feature an array of former U.S. men’s national team stars, such as M/D Maurice Edu, M Sacha Kljestan, D Walker Zimmerman, CB Jay DeMerit and G Brad Guzan, plus former USMNT head coach Bob Bradley. The broadcast team also includes former England RB Alex Scott and CF/ST Peter Crouch, along with Denmark G Kasper Schmeichel, Colombia ST/M Melissa Ortiz and Canada M Kaylyn Kyle.
- NBC Sports broadcaster John Fanta will call play-by-play for the Overtime OT7 spring high-school football league’s championship game airing on NBC and Peacock this Sunday at 2 PM ET. Fanta, who has worked across the company’s sports portfolio since joining full time last August, will broadcast the action with analyst Kieran Hickey-Semple and reporters Mo Hasan and Tom Weingarten on the broadcast, along with the OT7 Finals on Saturday.
