Pat McAfee Criticizes ESPN's Middle Management While Celebrating $1.6 Billion WWE-ESPN Deal

ESPN host Pat McAfee criticized ESPN's middle management while celebrating the $1.6 billion deal between WWE and ESPN.

After WWE and ESPN announced their premium live event broadcasting deal on Wednesday, McAfee stated on X, "I celebrate the historic deal between WWE and ESPN, and I am glad that two giants of sports and entertainment are coming together."

However, he continued, "It seems that ESPN's powerless middle management will try to mess this up somehow, with irrelevant leaks or ignorant anonymous opinions, etc."

McAfee added, "Ultimately, this deal will last longer than the dinosaurs currently sitting at desks in Bristol, and it will be a good deal for ESPN."

This deal is worth $1.6 billion over five years, with ESPN set to broadcast WWE events like WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble through a new direct-to-consumer service launching at the end of this month.

McAfee has signed a five-year, $85 million deal with ESPN starting in 2023 and has previously had conflicts with former ESPN executive Nobi Williamson.