Skip Bayless to reunite with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN as First Take’s ratings slip

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For the first time in nearly a decade, Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith will debate each other on ESPN’s “First Take” this Friday.

On Monday, the network announced Bayless will join Smith for a “one-time reunion” in Los Angeles. Bayless last appeared on the show in June 2016, before leaving ESPN for FS1.

The dynamics this time are different. “First Take” used to be Bayless’ show. He personally asked Smith to join him as a full-time debate partner in 2012. At the time, Smith had just returned to ESPN as a radio host and did not have a television platform. Today, Smith is one of the biggest names in sports media, while Bayless no longer has a television show after leaving FS1 in 2024. He is now a contributor to Gilbert Arenas’ YouTube platform.

Skip Bayless standing in Los Angeles, California.

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Notice the wording ESPN used to promote Bayless’ appearance, calling it a “one-time reunion.” That phrasing appears to shut down speculation that Bayless could return to “First Take” as a full-time host or a weekly contributor, like Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.

Still, Smith previously said he had moved on and had no interest in reuniting with Bayless. Plans and visions change.

As OutKick reported last month, most of ESPN’s shows are up double digits year over year. It is no coincidence that this surge coincided with the network toning down political and racial dialogue. However, “First Take” is the outlier.

“Get Up” airs directly before “First Take” and is up 18%. “The Pat McAfee Show,” which follows “First Take,” is up 16%. And yet, “First Take” is up just 5%, which falls below the standard Big Data + Panel bump.

In an industry where showing growth is paramount, ESPN management and Smith are certainly aware of “First Take’s” trends.

They hope Bayless can provide a much-needed bump, but we aren’t so sure he will.

Stephen A. Smith standing at Allegiant Stadium during WrestleMania 42 Night 1

Bayless is no longer the needle mover he was when he left ESPN 10 years ago. Near the end of his run at FS1, “Undisputed” averaged just 30,000 viewers. He also recently stopped recording “The Skip Bayless Show” podcast, which drew only a few thousand views per episode on YouTube.

Further, Bayless cannot be the answer if Smith is the problem.

Since signing a record $100 million contract last year, Smith has appeared increasingly uninterested in the content. His rants are often predictable, repetitive and riddled with errors. Over the past year, he has repeatedly misidentified players or discussed players and coaches who are no longer active.

Perhaps Smith’s political commentary has become a distraction for him. If so, he should no longer host a daily two-hour sports debate show on ESPN.

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless standing together at an event in New York City

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Skip Bayless will not change that. If anything, known for his obsessive preparation, Bayless will further highlight Smith’s lack of command of current sports topics and make him look worse.

In other moves to boost viewership for “First Take,” ESPN says rapper Cam’ron on May 5 and comedian Kid Mero on May 7 will also debate Smith next week.

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For now, Bayless is excited for his return.

“CAN’T WAIT FOR FRIDAY,” he posted on X. “MORE SOON.”

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