With ESPN’s coverage of Wimbledon taking over its morning and afternoon programming, The Pat McAfee Show is getting a much deserved break.
On Monday, ESPN announced that PMS is taking a two-week hiatus amid the Worldwide Leader’s ongoing coverage of the high profile tennis tournament.
Programming Update: Due to 2024 #Wimbledon coverage across ESPN platforms, The @PatMcAfeeShow is taking a 2-week summer break
The progrum will return Monday, July 15 pic.twitter.com/2kDi4l5hvB
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) July 1, 2024
While McAfee might be a polarizing presence at ESPN, what isn’t up for dispute is how hard he and his crew work (yes, even A.J. Hawk). The All-Pro punter rarely misses a show or has a fill-in guest, which was demonstrated last week when he was back on the air one day after his father-in-law unexpectedly passed away.
McAfee’s attendance track record is all the more impressive considering his additional roles as an analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay and as a color commentator/sometimes wrestler for WWE. Despite traveling to the location of WWE Raw each Monday night, the West Virginia product has managed to remain on site in the “ThunderDome” on Monday and Tuesday episodes of his show since rejoining the weekly wrestling show’s broadcast booth earlier this year.
PMS‘ two-week hiatus conveniently coincides with one of the slower times on the mainstream sports calendar, with the NBA and NHL playoffs in the rearview, baseball in the dogs days of summer and NFL training camps still weeks away from kicking off. It also comes nearly one year into the start of McAfee’s high profile deal to lease his show to ESPN, which to this point, has had mixed results.
While McAfee has undeniably helped grow ESPN’s digital audience, PMS‘ linear ratings have been largely underwhelming. The show has also generated several headaches for ESPN — and Disney — including Aaron Rodgers’ feud with Jimmy Kimmel, McAfee’s reported feud with Stephen A. Smith and the general awkwardness of one the company’s most high profile employees technically not being an ESPN employee.
Last week, ESPN content president Burke Magnus did a Q&A with The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch, in which he admitted the network’s working relationship with McAfee is a unique one. But while it will certainly be worth monitoring where the partnership goes from here, for now, McAfee and his crew are enjoying a very much earned two-week vacation.
[ESPN PR]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.