Skip Bayless reportedly out at ‘Undisputed’

First Shannon Sharpe, now Skip Bayless.

Undisputed‘s ratings remained low despite a drastic revamp featuring celebrities and athletes. And with that, Bayless’ run at the show is no more.

The New York Post’s Ryan Glasspiegel reports that Bayless is leaving Undisputed after eight years as co-host. Bayless‘ final show will be later this summer.

The revamped show couldn’t compete with the success of other FS1 midday programs and went into a freefall in ratings. The cracks were already showing for Undisputed— Bayless’ struggle to find a permanent co-host after Sharpe’s departure coincided with lagging NFL season viewership. Since the Super Bowl, things have only spiraled. From there, the struggles only snowballed, making Bayless’ reported exit the tipping point.

Heading into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournaments and toward the NBA playoffs and NFL Draft, Undisputed averaged just 48,000 viewers during its mid-morning slot.

According to Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch, that equals the smallest audience of any Undisputed broadcast since it returned from hiatus last September.

Even with Bayless’ high-profile status, Undisputed’s format with a rotating cast of panelists was seemingly unsustainable. Sports networks rarely shake things up before the fall, but Undisputed‘s future in its current form was already precarious.

And with Bayless in the final year of his hefty four-year, $32 million contract and Undisputed‘s struggles following Sharpe’s departure, a parting of ways between Fox Sports and Bayless seemed inevitable.

And that’s seemingly what’s happened here.

[NY Post]