During his eight-year run as the top talking head on FS1, Skip Bayless often referenced how he came up from humble beginnings and had a rocky relationship with his mom.
He was able to overcome all of these family issues and rise to the top of his profession becoming one of the highest-paid taking heads in history.
Now, at 72 years old, the co-host of “Undisputed” will host his final show this summer after agreeing to part ways with the network.
There are many people within the industry who feel this moment is long overdue
”Cuz Is cooked, go retire in Arizona,” said Nick Hamilton of Nitecast Media.
Skip Bayless Ratings Have Plunged Since Shannon Sharpe Left
Since the well-documented breakup between him and former co-host Shannon Sharpe, Bayless’ ratings have plummeted and the $8 million per year man has priced himself out of the sports talk show game.
Bayless’ exit at Fox Sports comes more than a year after his longtime co-host Shannon Sharpe left the network after a series of tense on air interactions with Bayless to join ESPN’s “First Take,” where he and Stephen A. Smith have remained at the top of the ratings for morning sports talk TV shows.
We haven’t scene Sharpe expand his role across the other Disney-owned properties as first expected, but his brand is booming because of his sports acumen, his interaction with Stephen A. Smith and other panelists, and his podcast interviews, some of which have gone viral and introduced Sharpe to an entirely new audience.
Sharpe’s “Late Night” podcast with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson has been a hit for a few years because of their borderline X-rated content.
Sharpe’s “Uncle Shay Shay” podcast blew through the roof when he interviewed comedian Katt Williams and got a reported 8 million views in 24 hours.
Sharpe has followed that success with more internet-breaking interviews and become a subject of the daily sports conversation while also talking sports.
Since then, “Undisputed” has featured a rotation of co-hosts from Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin and Paul Pierce to Rachel Nichols and Michael Irvin. The once proud king of sports talk was unable to recapture the chemistry that Skip and Shannon once had when they challenged “First Take” for the top spot.
The New York Post is confirming that “Undisputed” ratings suffered over the past year. Despite that, “Undisputed” will continue and be rebranded and expected to continue on FS1 – Fox Sports’ cable channel.
The show will go on without the guy who — if you let him tell it — built that network into a sustainable entity with ESPN ruling the landscape.
Bayless referred the Post to FS1 spokespeople, who declined to comment on the matter.
Skip and Shannon Feud
Sharpe, the two-time Super Bowl champion, was chosen to debate Bayless on a myriad of topics daily. And while the two saw plenty of success, they also hit many rough patches, and it seems as if a recent series of debates that turned personal led to their divorce.
Issues between Sharpe and Bayless hit a peak in 2023 and Sharpe reached a buyout with Fox Sports and bounced to start his own media empire.
With no reason for their breakup revealed, many speculate it had something to do with Bayless constantly disrespecting Sharpe amidst debates.
Especially ones involving Tom Brady, and disregarding Sharpe’s Hall of Fame career.
Damar Hamlin’s near-death experience, the insensitive tweet Bayless sent following that near fatal ordeal, and his refusal to apologize, were also speculated to be factors in Sharpe exiting the show.
‘No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game – but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.’
When the separation was announced, rumors also spread that Sharpe felt like his voice wasn’t heard in production meetings as show topics and angles were discussed.
Unfortunately for Sharpe, Bayless wouldn’t let his co-host discuss the subject without interrupting him.
‘Skip tweeted something, and although I disagreed with the tweet, and hopefully Skip will take it down,’ Sharpe said before Bayless interjected.
“Timeout,” Bayless said. “I’m not going to take it down, because I stand by what I tweeted.”
The entire NFL world turned on Skip Bayless that day. He also lost any chance to endear himself to the next generation of sports fans.
The final straw in Shannon and Skip’s run came in the form of a direct shot at Sharpe’s NFL legacy in one of Skip’s fanboy moments involving Tom Brady.
Bayless’ suggestion in December that Sharpe was somehow jealous of Tom Brady. That may have sealed their fate.
“The moment Skip claimed Shannon was ‘jealous’ of Tom Brady, and Shannon took his glasses off, that was the moment they were separated,” Fox Sports host Rob Parker said.
Skip’s Had A Magical Career: He Lost Fair and Square
Bayless launched his career and made his mark in journalism as an award-winning sports columnist and reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Dallas Times Herald, Miami Herald and Los Angeles Times. He rose to fame and expanded his audience when he teamed with a young Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s “First Take” before moving on to Fox Sports in 2016.
The ride might be over for the LeBron James hater, Dallas Cowboys sports desk cheerleader and Tom Brady worshipper.
If he doesn’t get on somewhere else, then it’s been a great ride. When it comes to mastering the game though, it’s safe to say Shannon Sharpe got the best of Skip in the end.
