Masters Tournament Denies Pat McAfee Show Coverage

McAfee reveals his show has been turned down for the past three years to cover the Par 3 event.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 6:19pm

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Pat McAfee has revealed that his popular sports talk show has been denied access to cover the Masters Tournament for the past three years. Despite attempts to join the Wednesday Par 3 event coverage, McAfee said the Masters has repeatedly told his show to 'go to hell' when they've inquired about participating.

Why it matters

The Masters is one of the most prestigious golf events, with a long history of tightly controlling its media coverage. McAfee's show, known for its energetic and unfiltered sports commentary, likely does not fit the traditional mold that the Masters organizers prefer for their tournament coverage.

The details

McAfee shared the news on his show, noting that while former NFL player Jason Kelce has been granted access to cover the Par 3 event for ESPN, McAfee's requests to join the coverage have been denied 'very loudly' for the past three years. The Masters is known for its strict policies around who is allowed to report on the tournament.

  • McAfee has attempted to join the Masters coverage for the past three years.
  • The 2023 Masters Tournament is scheduled for April 9-12.

The players

Pat McAfee

The host of the popular sports talk show 'The Pat McAfee Show', who has been denied access to cover the Masters Tournament.

Jason Kelce

The former NFL player who has been granted access to cover the Masters Par 3 event for ESPN.

Augusta National

The organization that hosts the Masters Tournament and tightly controls media access to the event.

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What they’re saying

“We have attempted to be a part of the Wednesday coverage of the Masters at the Par 3 thing for three consecutive years now. And for the people that are mad about Jason Kelce being a part of the Masters, I've got a good piece of news for you: they've told us to go to hell.”

— Pat McAfee, Host, The Pat McAfee Show

What’s next

The 2023 Masters Tournament will take place from April 9-12, with the Par 3 event scheduled for the Wednesday of tournament week.

The takeaway

The Masters Tournament's strict control over media access highlights the prestigious nature of the event, but also suggests the organizers may be resistant to untraditional sports media personalities like Pat McAfee and his energetic show. This decision could disappoint some fans who enjoy McAfee's unique sports commentary.