ESPN knew it was taking a risk when it shelled out big bucks to bring the popular but irreverent "Pat McAfee Show" to its family of networks.
Part of McAfee's appeal is his off-the-cuff nature and willingness to speak his mind. That made his show successful, but it also created worries for ESPN about what he might say on air every day.
Sure enough, McAfee has been responsible for a handful of controversies while with the company. From feuds with fellow company members Stephen A. Smith and Norby Williamson to off-color jokes about Nebraska guard Keisei Tominaga and disgraced doctor Larry Nassarmade on or in association with the show,McAfee's show has created problems for ESPN.
His latest comments about Caitlin Clark will also put the network in an awkward position.
ESPN has a vested interest in the WNBA, as the network owns broadcast rights to the league. While McAfee has been a proponent of Clark and the league, he described her in a way that many sports fans believed was disrespectful.
Here's what to know bout McAfee's comments about Clark and the WNBA's rookie class.
MORE:Pat McAfee, Stephen A. Smith share same opinion about future of 'Inside The NBA'
What did Pat McAfee say about Caitlin Clark?
McAfee included a segment on his show Monday meant to showcase the importance of Clark to the WNBA's success.
His main points? Clark had participated in four of the league's highest-rated games in 2024 and is averaging more viewers per game than any WNBA rookie.
"What the WNBA currently has is what we like to describe as a cash cow," McAfee said. "There is a superstar."
McAfee clarifiedhe wasn't asking the players to treat Clark differently than they already were.
However, he put his foot in his mouth when he implored "media people"to focus on acknowledging Clark's superiority over her fellow rookies.
"I would like the media people that continue to say, 'This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class.' Nah, just call it for what it is," McAfee said. "There's one white b— for the Indiana team who is a superstar."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 3, 2024Monday's Pat McAfee Show opened with a Caitlin Clark PowerPoint:
"I would like the media people that continue to say, 'This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class'. Nah, just call it for what it is — there's one white bitch for the Indiana team who is a superstar." pic.twitter.com/psGNQXts5O
Unsurprisingly, McAfee calling Clark a "white b—" in his analysis of her performance was poorly received. Many called the talk show host — and ESPN — out on social media for his characterization of Clark. They also called out the juxtaposition of his call for everyone to respect Clark while he simultaneously called her a derogatory term.
Pat McAfee wants everyone to give Clark this unprecedented respect for what she’s doing for women’s basketball and he can’t even respect her enough to not call her a bitch on live tv
— It Is What It Is (@ParagonDon605) June 3, 2024
Calling a woman athlete a b**** while simultaneously tearing down the real and substantial efforts the entire rookie class has done is why Pat McAfee should not be commentating on any women's sports. https://t.co/2qgLzQTbNK
— Ashlee Woods ✨ (@ashleemwoods) June 3, 2024
— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) June 3, 2024Not a single man in that room told Pat McAfee, who openly called Caitlin Clark a "white b****" on national television, that he was wrong - that he shouldn't speak about Caitlin or any woman like that.
What is EVEN happening?
We're cool with that...all for him to prove a point?
— Ali Donaldson (@AliCDonaldson) June 3, 2024Thinking about all the talented journalists @ESPN has laid off in the past few years so they could pay Pat McAfee $17 million to call Caitlin Clark, one of the biggest female sports stars, a bitch.
It's not funny. It's not cute. What is wrong with the people at @espn + @Disney? https://t.co/DQTxuYDne6
Pat McAfee called Clark "one white b*tch who is a superstar”. No one checked him. Sports media today is simply unrecognizable from the days of Bob Ley and Ralph Wiley. There are those like Monica Mcnu*tt who stand in that tradition, but the overarching environment is putrid.
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) June 3, 2024
If you’ve wondered why some folks who have covered women’s sports for a long time have been a bit hesitant to embrace mainstream voices entering this space, you can look at how Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee acted today as reasons why.
— Mitchell Northam (@primetimeMitch) June 3, 2024
It should be noted McAfee attempts to praise Clark culminated in him calling out proponents of the narrative that Clark's popularity is due to her race. That topic was given air time on shows like "The View."
"Is there a chance that people just enjoy watching her play basketball because of how electrifying she is? What she did, what she stood for, how she went about going for what she went for? Maybe," McAfee said. "But instead, we have to hear people say we all like her because she's white. And she's only popular because of what the rest of the rookie class is doing. Well, that's a bunch of bulls—."
MORE: How Chennedy Carter's foul sparked rivalry with Caitlin Clark
Perhaps he viewed his "white b—" comment as the proper build-up to that argument. Either way, it was a miscalculation given the blowback he received for it.
McAfee addressed his comments later in the day, apologizing for using the term he did to describe Clark. He said that he has "way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe" and he intended the "white b—" remark to be complimentary.
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 3, 2024I shouldn’t have used “white bitch” as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark. No matter the context.. even if we’re talking about race being a reason for some of the stuff happening.. I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe.
My intentions when saying… pic.twitter.com/F6OHB4gvYh
McAfee also stated that he sent a personal apology directly to Clark as well.
Even with McAfee's apology, ESPN may still be forced to say something, especially since a McAfee's clip was the second women's sports coverage debate to go viral. The first was Monica Mcnu*tt's call-out of Stephen A. Smith on Monday's episode of "First Take."
