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Skip Bayless Will Not Unite With Shannon Sharpe On Stephen A. Smith’s ESPN First Take Amid Speculations Of Departure From Fox: Report
Skip Bayless is reportedly steering clear of Shannon Sharpe on ESPN's First Take amidst swirling rumors of his Fox departure. Read more
Prominent personality, Skip Bayless, is set to exit Fox Sports and his long-running show, Undisputed, as reports emerged on Monday. A reunion between Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith at ESPN is off the table, amidst Bayless's departure from Fox Sports.
"Skip has our best wishes for his upcoming adventures; our current First Take rotation is established," replied an ESPN spokesperson to Michael McCarthy from Front Office Sports.
Could Skip Bayless return to ESPN amidst changes at FS1's Undisputed?
Ryan Glasspiegel from The New York Post disclosed on Monday that Bayless will be stepping down from his part in FS1's Undisputed later this summer.
Ever since his ESPN exit in 2016, Bayless has been the show's centerpiece. However, following Shannon Sharpe's exit and a format revamp that reduced Bayless's prominence, the 72-year-old is all set to depart.
It's only natural to wonder if a comeback to the Worldwide Leader in Sports is in the pipeline. Bayless and Stephen A. Smith, who has now become ESPN's most pervasive figure, were the pillars of First Take before Bayless left.
Skip Bayless's influence on ESPN's future dynamics
FOS states that Bayless was instrumental in ESPN hiring Smith for First Take in 2012. This move led to Smith's return to the network, three years after they had fired him. Their partnership was quite potent until Bayless's departure. Since his move to FS1, Smith has emerged as the definitive face of ESPN, so much so that he even led ESPN to hire Bayless’s longtime debate partner on Undisputed, Sharpe, after his conspicuous exit from the show.
Naturally, ESPN can claim they have no intention of bringing Bayless on board before he officially departs from FS1. The question remains - will Smith exercise his influence one way or the other? It's worth noting, that Smith is presently in contract negotiations with ESPN and has outrightly said he might consider parting ways with the network to pursue other opportunities if his demands are not met. It's worth keeping a close eye on Bayless’s career trajectory once his contract expires, primarily because, if he chooses to stay within sports media, there’s a slim chance of him landing anywhere else.
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