When ESPN turned to Pat McAfee to fill the role once held by the legendary Lee Corso, the network was looking to connect with younger viewers, and McAfee’s loud energy made College GameDay easier for young fans to embrace. However, ESPN now faces a dilemma over how much freedom McAfee has. Former ESPN host Linda Cohn argues the shift came out of “desperation,” and she believes the network’s strategy has gone too far.
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“Since when are you allowed to curse at 9:15 in the morning for GameDay?” Cohn told Sage Steele on The Sage Steele Show on October 28. “I can’t believe it. That’s how desperate ESPN has become. And it’s not just McAfee, it’s Saban. They’re all cursing on College GameDay, and the kids are watching.”
During LSU’s opening game against Clemson this season, McAfee encouraged fans in Baton Rouge to sing “Neck,” a song associated with LSU that includes explicit lyrics. Many parents complained online, saying they were uncomfortable watching with their children. During the 2024 season, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also received several complaints regarding McAfee’s language on GameDay.
“I continually hear profanity on College Gameday, which airs on ESPN,” a complaint from Forest City, North Carolina, read. “The show comes on at 9 am to 12 noon. Children are obviously awake and can be exposed to this broadcast.”
The complaints are not limited to McAfee. Several also name former Alabama coach Nick Saban for his language on the show. Per AL.com’s Matt Stahl, an FCC complaint from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, cited Saban using “s****” twice and “b****” once on a GameDay broadcast.
In a December 2024 GameDay appearance, Saban was discussing his former assistant coaches who downplay expectations. He remarked on air that the coaches were “b****s****ing us.”
Cohn criticized the network’s approach to both men, calling it a sign of how desperate ESPN had become.
“That’s a tradition. People are into college football. They sit there with their kids,” Cohn added, referring to College GameDay. “They grew up with their dads and moms, and now they have kids. That show’s been around for 40 years. And is that what you want College GameDay to be now?
Cohn also believes the network has given its most prominent personalities, such as McAfee, Saban, and Stephen A. Smith, more freedom in order to reach a younger audience.
“That’s why they do these moves. They’ve lost younger audience,” Cohn added. “That’s why they put him [McAfee] on Monday Night Countdown.”
By the numbers, that move has borne fruit for ESPN so far. Through Week 7, College GameDay has averaged an impressive 2.8 million viewers. That places the show on track to become the most-watched season ever.
According to ESPN’s data, viewership among children ages 2 to 17 is up 34% from last year, and women make up about 35% of the audience. Every episode this season has now exceeded 2.7 million viewers, which had not happened before.
ESPN now has to figure out how far it can push the show before it starts to lose longtime viewers. Some viewers tune in for the familiar Saturday setup, with game previews and a family-friendly atmosphere.
Others like McAfee precisely because he doesn’t stick to that script. Keeping both audiences happy won’t be easy, especially when what one group enjoys is exactly what puts off the other.