We here at Awful Announcing are very aware that anytime we write about Stephen A. Smith and First Take there is going to be a deluge of comments such as “Who cares?” and “Who even still watches that?”
According to ESPN, the answers to those questions are “an ever-increasing number of people” and “you’d be surprised.”
According to the network, August was the 13th consecutive month that First Take achieved year-over-year viewership growth, notching a 22 percent increase from 2022 with an average of 391,000 viewers. That made it the most-watched August the show has had since 2017.
And this is before Shannon Sharpe gets there and presumably boosts ratings a bit more.
A First Take discussion of Chris "Mad Dog" Russo at a Bruce Springsteen show took a turn. "A gummy, a couple of cocktails, and Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out! What could go wrong with that!" …"This is a Disney operation!" "Gummy bear! Gummy bear!" pic.twitter.com/K340dqpuCV
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 22, 2023
Those aren’t quite 2019 First Take numbers but the suits have to be pleased with their high-profile morning show pulling in bigger audiences. At the very least it’ll make them feel better about writing those Chris Russo checks.
While ESPN doesn’t mention it, it does seem like there could be a direct correlation between that audience growth and the lack of any episodes of Undisputed during August. That show went on hiatus in July and just returned this past Monday with a revamped set of hosts (in a set-up that seemed familiar to some).
Still, it’s a testament to Smith’s ability to continually find a way to draw eyeballs. Maybe it’s because people genuinely like hearing him yell about NBA players. Maybe it’s because it’s being put on in more gyms and dentist office waiting rooms. Maybe it’s both.
Regardless, we hear you when you say you don’t like reading so many stories about Smith and First Take, but the numbers don’t lie.
[ESPN]
