Skip Bayless confirmed on Friday that he is leaving his on-air role as a sports commentator on FS1’s “Undisputed.” Bayless’ departure has been rumored. On Friday, he offered his first public comments on stepping aside after eight years on the show.
“Today was my last show on Undisputed,” Bayless said, according to TMZ. “I’m leaving FS1. I’ve been planning to pursue other opportunities for several months. I had a great 8-year run with a lot of great people at FOX, but now I’m excited for what’s coming up. Stay tuned.”
Skip Bayless made a name for himself on TV at ESPN, trading barbs with Stephen A. Smith on “First Take.” But Bayless moved on from there into his role at FOX. He had noted on-air battles with Shannon Sharpe when Sharpe was on “Undisputed.” Sharpe, though, left the show and created a space that needed to be filled.
FOX added big-time NFL names Michael Irvin, Keyshawn Johnson, and Richard Sherman to battle with Bayless. Plenty of highlight reels showing Sharpe and Bayless verbally sparring with one another can be found on YouTube. Bayless has never been shy about sharing his opinions.
Longtime followers of Bayless’ work know that he got started in the newspaper world. Bayless worked for the Dallas Times Herald in its heyday. He also has made scandalous headlines, implying at one time that former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman might have been a homosexual.
Skip Bayless News Comes Out Early
Ahead of Friday’s announcement, Marcellus Wiley, who previously worked for FS1, revealed the Bayless news on his podcast. “I was given information that tomorrow (Friday) will be Skip Bayless’s last day on FS1,” Wiley said, according to Awful Announcing. “What’s interesting about this departure is, other than the news, the headlines, how anti-climactic it is in terms of nothing publicly has been said by Skip Bayless. Nothing making headlines. And frankly, internally, a lot of people in the building are saying, ‘we’re not talking about it either.’ Maybe that’s by design, or maybe that’s by residue.”
Skip Bayless has proclaimed himself to be the “most hated man in sports media.” Well, that may be so but “Undisputed” lost some of its steam when Sharpe left. These days, Sharpe is tearing it up with his own platform. Fans looking for him can find Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson firing off opinions on “Nightcap.”
While sports talk fans watch to see where Bayless lands next, don’t expect him to soften his routine. Skip Bayless knows that his hot takes, whether fans like them or not, bring him attention and big dollars. Sure, “Undisputed” may have gotten soft around the belly without Bayless having Sharpe there. Now, though, where does he go?
Don’t be surprised if he starts his own podcast. Besides Sharpe, other sports-related names like Bill Siddons and Dan LeBatard have successful name brands online. Bayless can draw fans and detractors alike from all over the sports spectrum. Putting him solely behind a microphone with a solid on-air partner could bring him major dollars. Sponsors looking to hook their wagons to a sports name will look at Bayless.
He’s not everyone’s cup of tea, that’s for sure. And yes, there are plenty of bickering sports voices that attempt to grab sports fans’ opinions. Bayless, though, does have a following. It’s maybe not as big as some years ago. Still, seeing what he will say about NBA, NFL, college football, or societal issues may keep Bayless relevant. Time will tell, though. Watch to see where he lands, whether it’s with another big-name sports network or media platform. Luring Bayless to his next stop will be worth watching.
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