Pat McAfee Praises Mikaela Shiffrin's Impact on Women's Sports Growth

The Moment That Sparked It Pat McAfee doesn't hand out praise lightly, but when Mikaela Shiffrin showed up on his show, the ESPN host couldn't help himself. The topic: the explosive growth of women's sports, and how skiing's biggest star has been part of the wave pushing it forward.

McAfee, talking about his own daughter and the sports future he wants for her, turned to Shiffrin for her read on the moment. Her answer was simple but pointed — people are finally giving credit where it's due.

Shiffrin's Take on the Shift "I think people are starting to give credit that women provide that entertainment in sports," Shiffrin said. "We're starting to see how exciting it really is." She broke it down as a puzzle piece situation — recognition, TV time, viewership, all feeding into each other. Get one piece moving and the rest follows.

It's not just talk. The numbers back her up. According to the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2023-24 Nielsen Media Evaluation, women's races pulled in 52% of the total TV audience compared to 48% for men's races. That's not a rounding error — that's women's alpine skiing straight-up out-drawing the men's side on television.

Why Shiffrin Specifically Shiffrin isn't just a name attached to this moment — she's arguably the reason skiing has this kind of cultural gravity right now. Three-time Olympic gold medalist. 110 World Cup wins. She's redefined what dominance looks like in alpine skiing, and that kind of sustained excellence tends to drag mainstream attention along with it, whether the sport is used to that spotlight or not.

Part of a Bigger Wave Skiing isn't operating in isolation here. Women's basketball has seen its own surge, with the WNBA drawing record crowds and ratings heading into its next season. McAfee's comments tie into a broader sports media conversation happening right now: women's sports aren't a niche category anymore, they're a ratings draw, a business, and — as Shiffrin put it — genuinely exciting television.

What This Means Going Forward For a media figure with McAfee's reach to give this kind of on-air standing ovation matters. It's not just a fan moment — it's a signal to networks, sponsors, and casual viewers that the audience for women's sports is already here and already massive. Shiffrin's not asking for a favor; she's pointing at the ratings and saying the demand already exists.