Netflix Emerges as Front-Runner for Pat McAfee's Next Deal
Netflix is expected to emerge as a primary front-runner to secure Pat McAfee's next media deal, according to sports business reporter Blake "Axe" Avignon.
Per Avignon, McAfee's next deal window is expected to take shape over the next 12 to 24 months as his current agreement progresses. TKO Executive Chairman Ari Emanuel is now reportedly involved in positioning McAfee for whatever comes next.
McAfee signed a five-year licensing deal with ESPN in 2023, reported to be worth approximately $85 million. That agreement runs through 2028. ESPN president of content Burke Magnus said last September that the network wants to keep McAfee beyond the current deal, telling the Sports Media Podcast he was "one hundred percent" committed to extending the relationship.
The case for Netflix centers on several overlapping factors. The streamer already airs WWE Raw as part of its landmark deal with TKO, and McAfee has been a regular presence on the Netflix-distributed broadcast as a commentator. Netflix has also been expanding into live video podcasting, a format McAfee has built his career around.
McAfee is also set to appear in the Netflix film The Mosquito Bowl, a World War II sports drama directed by Peter Berg. That project adds another layer to the existing Netflix relationship.
The report aligns with broader industry analysis. Media reporters Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw discussed on The Town podcast last year why Netflix would be wise to pursue a McAfee-style deal, with Belloni predicting Netflix would have its own version of a McAfee show "pretty soon."
Emanuel's involvement adds significant weight to any future negotiations. The TKO executive chairman hired McAfee as a client for Hollywood representation earlier this year, securing him roles in Tulsa King on + and The Mosquito Bowl. Emanuel and McAfee also co-host a live video podcast on X called Rushmore.
Emanuel has been the driving force behind McAfee's expanding profile across TKO properties. Multiple outlets reported this weekend that McAfee's surprise return on SmackDown last Friday, where he aligned with Randy Orton against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, was directed by Emanuel and TKO executives rather than WWE's creative team.
Triple H reinforced McAfee's value to the company on WWE Unreal Season 2 earlier this year, calling him "the face of WWE to a lot of people."
McAfee is no longer just a sports talk show host. Between his ESPN show, College GameDay duties, WWE appearances, acting roles, and the Rushmore podcast, he has built what Avignon described as "an organically grown audience engine." That multi-platform presence is exactly what Netflix has been targeting as it expands beyond traditional scripted content.
With approximately two years remaining on his ESPN deal, McAfee is entering the window where his next move will begin to take shape. Whether Netflix, ESPN, or another suitor ultimately wins out, the involvement of Emanuel suggests McAfee's next contract will extend well beyond a standard media deal.
