Skip Bayless has made a big decision when it comes to the future of his FS1 show Undisputed. The 71-year-old sports reporter announced that new episodes of Undisputed won’t air until Aug. 28, right before the start of college football and the NFL. According to Front Office Sports, the reason for the move is because Bayless and FS1 management are having a hard time finding a replacement for Shannon Sharpe, who left the show last month.
“Shannon’s exit moved way faster than they expected. So they had no choice but to go on hiatus,” a source told the outlet. “Skip has never done anything like this during all his years at FS1 or ESPN. Not being on the air during all these NBA moves is killing him.”
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Front Office Sports says another reason for the delay could be that Bayless and FS1 could be changing the format of the show. Instead of a one-on-one debate, Bayless could replicate ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith’s formula on First Take where he debates a rotating series of guests. The option is unlikely since Bayless has had the same format for 15 years, but it could happen if they want to go that route.
But whoever comes in to replace Sharpe, they have to know that Baylees is in charge, Front Office Sports says Bayless has the final say on everything eternally at Undisputed, and Sharpe’s replacement will not be Bayless’ equal in show direction and salary. If it was up the Bayless, he would work with Smith again like he did when he was on ESPN.
Bayless teased some info on Undisputed 2.0 on his podcast. “Trust me, it is going to be something. I’d divulge some details. But I’ve been told I have to be tighter-lipped than [Bill] Belichick. So I’m on to Cincinnati,” he said. FS1 has some options for Sharpe’s replacement. ESPN recently laid off multiple on-air personalities such as Keyshawn Johnson and Max Kellerman. The network could look within the company and hire LeSean McCoy, Nick Wright or Joy Taylor.
But did Baylees offer the job to Charles Barkley? “Please, please, please, Charles, come be this damn ‘idiot’s’ debate partner,” Bayless said on his podcast. “Please let me annihilate you on a daily basis. Ten times per show. Let me make barbecue chicken out of you.”
