Pat McAfee has made inroads with ‘College GameDay’ viewers this season who might not have enjoyed seeing him on the program last year.
In The Athletic’s yearly survey that was sent out to college football viewers, almost 4,000 respondents took part in the survey, up from 3,100 last year. Among the questions asked were which broadcast was most enjoyable, and which announcers and commentators were preferred, among other topics.
One of the questions centered around McAfee and his involvement with ‘College GameDay.’ This year, more fans have trended toward accepting the former punter as one of the program’s leads, with his popularity seemingly heading in the right direction compared to last season.
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In 2023, nearly 50 percent of respondents (48.9 percent) expressed that they did not like McAfee and what he brought to the show. Conversely, only 30.1 percent of those who took the survey have a favorable view of the personality, while the rest chose to have no opinion on the matter.
This year, the number of respondents who viewed McAfee negatively has gone down while those who viewed the former NFL star favorably have gone up immensely. As it stands, 42.5 percent of viewers had a negative view of McAfee’s inclusion in ‘College GameDay.’
On the other hand, those who approved of seeing the former punter before every marquee matchup increased to 37.7 percent, a seven percent increase year-over-year. Fans also left comments on the job McAfee has done, with some expressing their criticisms of the 37-year-old’s style.
Pat McAfee’s popularity has improved among fans compared to last season (
Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“If he could spend more time at about 60 percent, it would be so much better than him trying to spend the whole show at 100 percent,” a fan wrote. Another respondent added that while they might not be a fan of McAfee himself, they “understand his appeal.”
Another fan explained that having legendary head coach Nick Saban’s demeanor was a welcome addition to offset McAfee’s overly boisterous attitude. “The contrast between Saban’s considered and informative comments and McAfee’s bombast is stark,” the comment began. “I’m amazed every week that Saban takes it so well. I have to admit, though, that I love McAfee’s kicking segment.”
McAfee’s approval rating among fans is one that is close to the former NFL punter’s chest. In 2023, McAfee posted a heartfelt message on X to his fans about the criticism he’s received while working on ‘College GameDay’ and how it made him rethink whether or not he would like to return to the show.
“I have heard you all very loud and clear since the beginning of my stint with GameDay. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I have not resigned a contract with the legendary show,” he posted on his account. “I’m not right for some crowds and the ‘distinguished’ College Football folks are definitely one of those.
“Excited to enjoy the rest of this year, that’s shaping up to be a GREAT one, and then see what the future holds.”
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