ESPN closes door on possible Skip Bayless ‘First Take’ return with Stephen A. Smith

Skip Bayless reportedly leaving FS1 might give Stephen A. Smith the final piece of leverage he needs to get the offer he wants from ESPN.

Eight years after Bayless left First Take for FS1, and four years after he nearly reunited with Smith on ESPN, the godfathers of debate TV are slated to hit the free agent pool together, albeit with vastly different leverage plays. Smith has already reportedly received an $18 million per year contract offer from ESPN, but wants more. Bayless, meanwhile, will just be looking to see if he can maintain some semblance of a sports media platform.

While the 72-year-old Bayless lacks the juice and attention he once commanded to land a massive payday, a possible reunion with Smith would undoubtedly generate interest. Some of that interest would stem from people wondering if Smith and Bayless still have chemistry. Some of it would stem from rubbernecking, but there would be interest in a reunion nonetheless.

Considering the current trajectories of their careers are headed in vastly different directions, a reunion would essentially be Smith throwing Bayless a lifeline. Would Smith be interested in returning the favor more than 12 years after Bayless rejuvenated his career by bringing him on First Take? And would Bayless’ ego allow himself to accept that lifeline from Smith?

According to ESPN, the answer is no as reported by Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.

Ouch.

ESPN Is Not Interested In A Reunion with former morning star Skip Bayless Once He Leaves FS1.

“We are set with the current First Take rotation, and wish Skip the best on his future endeavors,” an ESPN spokesman tells @FOS.https://t.co/7ccvIHR8Io

— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) July 16, 2024

As First Take has grown, Smith does not need Bayless at this point in his career, nor does ESPN. But a potential reunion between the pair doesn’t have to happen in Bristol.

With Amazon on track to get an NBA rights package, would they not be interested in a potential Smith-Bayless show as some sort of shoulder programming? It won’t replace Inside the NBA, but it would instantly generate more interest than anything ESPN has ever done with NBA Countdown. And if Smith starts talking to Amazon about a reunion with Bayless, and a massive platform for content produced by his Mr. SAS Productions company, doesn’t that put pressure on ESPN to get closer to his $25 million asking price?

Skip can’t be picky at this point. If Smith invites him to his podcast network, he should run there. If Smith invites him to Amazon, he should run there. In the wake of pushing Shannon Sharpe off Undisputed last summer, Bayless has looked tired, bored, and disengaged on FS1. The once-head-to-head competition between Smith at ESPN and Bayless at FS1 is over. Smith won it years ago and Sharpe has since delivered the knockout punch.

Skip’s schtick wore thin as presumably the only person in America who thinks sports fans only want to hear about the Dallas Cowboys, LeBron James, and Bronny James. Despite what he will tell you, Bayless doesn’t look like a person interested in commanding a daily debate show anymore. But with Smith, he wouldn’t have to.

After getting fired by ESPN in 2009, Smith’s way back to the Worldwide Leader was through a local radio show on ESPN 98.7 in New York, until Bayless brought him on First Take. More than a decade later, Smith is seeking a $25 million contract while many are already presuming Bayless’ career is dead.

But Smith is capable of rejuvenating Bayless, just as it happened the other way around in 2012. Smith doesn’t owe Bayless anything, but if he can revive his favorite debate opponent and simultaneously pressure ESPN into boosting their contract offer, then Smith should at least pretend to be interested in a reunion.