Doors seem to have closed for the former Marlins’ CEO, Derek Jeter! What everyone expected to be a great Opening Day moment turned into an awkward situation for the Yankees legend. So what actually happened? Well, Jeter was slated to appear on The Pat McAfee Show, but at the last minute, he had to back out for some strange circumstances. What’s the reason behind the legend’s no-show, and how is FOX involved?
Hall of Famer Jeter isn’t happy with the way things are going. Pat McAfee confirmed on Wednesday that the interview with Jeter has been called off, though he made it clear that Jeter wasn’t to blame. According to McAfee, the decision to cancel the interview came from the top, as the Fox Sports analyst himself stated.
McAfee officially announced to his audience on The Pat McAfee Show: “Derek Jeter’s not on the show today. Not his fault. I got a personal call from him this morning—he’s not happy either.” McAfee even mentioned that Jeter personally called him to explain the cancellation wasn’t his decision. And of course, he doesn’t agree with the reasoning. Known for wearing his emotions on his sleeve, McAfee also seemed visibly disappointed by the situation. But is there more behind Jeter missing out on the show?
I’ve got some bad news..@derekjeter will not be joining the progrum today#PMSLive https://t.co/9xRkebiJcl pic.twitter.com/7kmQe7NmNX
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 27, 2025
Apparently, FOX Sports, where Jeter is a lead MLB analyst, wasn’t thrilled about one of their own making a big splash on ESPN, especially on a day when FOX wasn’t airing any MLB games. Meanwhile, ESPN had two marquee matchups, including the Yankees-Brewers game. This raises the question: Are FOX Sports perhaps afraid of their rival promoting game coverage?
There could be another reason why FOX didn’t want one of its top analysts appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, potentially boosting ESPN’s coverage of Opening Day. Let’s delve deeper into what the issue is all about!
MLB moves on from ESPN after decades together
If you remember, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred made headlines recently for criticizing ESPN for its lack of daytime studio coverage of outlets. In his words, he felt MLB was “being treated disrespectfully.” On Wednesday, Manfred shared his thoughts on the league’s upcoming split with ESPN. Even though the league tried to frame the split as a mutual decision, it turns out that it was really ESPN that chose to back out of their deal with MLB. So, the 2025 season will be the last time we see baseball games on ESPN, ending a decades-long partnership.
“They stepped up for the NBA. They stepped up for football. And to come back to us and say we want to cut you… We felt like we were being treated disrespectfully. Particularly if you listen to their own rhetoric when they are marketing baseball,” said Manfred on Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo. Baseball viewership has suffered greatly since ESPN reduced its coverage, cutting back on the number of games broadcast and ending regular programs like “Baseball Tonight.” And Manfred, of course, can’t just sit back and watch America’s favorite pastime gradually lose interest among the fans.
MLB may shift its focus to traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms. As the league claims, they have shown strong interest in acquiring the league’s broadcasting rights. Perhaps Fox may have been particularly cautious about lending any support, direct or indirect, to ESPN’s Opening Day programming but then, there’s also a long history between FOX and ESPN.
What are your thoughts on it? Let your thoughts unwind, as the comment section is all open for you.
The post Derek Jeter ‘Not Happy’ With FOX as Pat McAfee Reveals Reason Behind MLB Legend’s Interview No Show appeared first on EssentiallySports.