ESPN are reportedly considering bringing in Pat McAfee to save their alt-cast broadcasts as viewing figures for ManningCast continue to follow a downward trend.
According to The Athletic, ESPN’s alternate broadcast featuring Eli and Peyton Manning saw just 705,000 viewers tune in for the Broncos-Chiefs game in Week 1.
A week later, that figure dropped to 661,000 for their alt-cast of the Giants-Rams clash, despite boasting over 19 million viewers for their total broadcast figures.
The only reprieve for network chiefs is that ManningCast’s viewership percentage technically went from 3 percent to 3.4 percent during that time.
However, with no ManningCast currently scheduled for Week 3 of the NFL season, rumors are continuing to swirl regarding a potential move for McAfee.
Back in August, reports claimed that ESPN had been looking to add McAfee to their alt-cast of Monday Night Football, should the NFL approve the move.
ESPN are reportedly considering bringing in Pat McAfee to save their alt-cast broadcasts
Viewing figures for ManningCast continue to follow a downward trend in the opening weeks
According to another report from The Athletic at the time, the network had plans for McAfee to cover the games on Monday when the Mannings were out of action.
Currently, ManningCast airs 10 times per year.
Similarly to Peyton and Eli’s alt-cast, a show involving McAfee would be broadcast on ESPN2, sparking a potential competition between the two alt-casts.
ESPN declined commenting on the matter when contacted by The Daily Mail.
The update comes just days after seething ESPN viewers labelled Monday Night Countdown as ‘unwatchable’ after the additions of McAfee and Stephen A. Smith.
The ‘Worldwide Leader in Sports’ is reportedly spending between $80-86 million for the contracts of Smith and McAfee.
So, when fans tuned in to Monday Night Countdown in Week 2 before the game between the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams, they were displeased to find Smith and McAfee sitting right next to each other on the desk.
‘Best way to ruin the pre-game show is to not only put Pat McAfee on, but then add Stephen A. Smith,’ wrote one user on X.
The network plans for McAfee to cover Monday games when the Mannings are out of action
NFL fans voiced anger at seeing Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee on Monday Night Countdown before the Los Angeles Rams played the New York Giants
Another angry fan posted, ‘WHO IS ASKING FOR MCAFEE AND STEPHEN A ON MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN? I NEED NAMES!!!’
‘Using mute on the TV is not enough to silence these two loudmouths,’ read another comment.
One post read, ‘It was absolute overkill when McAfee went double duty joining Countdown. Now SAS for absolutely no credible reason.
‘As a Giant fan, I’m heading to WFAN to Giant pregame. And btw, I don’t live in New York and thank goodness I have options.’
