*Rumors are emerging about ESPN’s “First Take” being dominated by Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, leading to tension among the staff.
The Sun reports, citing anonymous sources, that the focus on Smith and Sharpe has made other panelists feel marginalized, creating a tense work environment. The show, which features a rotating panel including top ESPN analysts like Monica McNutt and Kendrick Perkins, has been affected by internal frustrations. Some staff members joked about creating shirts that read “Stephen and Shannon versus the World” as a sign of their discontent.
Smith’s contract is set to expire in 2025 and his recent display of influence on the show has drawn public criticism.
“A lot of people are fed up with their behavior and the way they run things,” one employee revealed to The Sun.
“They decide on the topics and act like they know everything, never accepting other opinions or criticisms,” said a staffer. “People try to voice their thoughts, but Stephen and Shannon always insist they are right, like that stubborn uncle who always thinks he knows best.”
As fans know, Sharpe exited Fox Sports 1 in June 2023 after seven years of co-hosting “Undisputed” with veteran sports journalist Skip Bayless. He joined Smith on “First Take” three months later in September.
We reported earlier that Bayless is set to depart the show later this summer after an eight-year tenure, New York Post reports.
After Sharpe’s exit, “Undisputed” became a rotating panel featuring Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, Richard Sherman, Rachel Nichols, and Paul Pierce. The new iteration failed to engage audiences as effectively as the firey one-on-one debates between Bayless and Sharpe.
Sharpe and Bayless launched FS1’s “Undisputed” in 2016, but growing tension between the pair allegedly prompted Sharpe to leave the show.
Following Sharpe’s exit, F1 took a brief hiatus before returning with a new format and new co-hosts with Bayless. Despite the changes, it wasn’t able to dethrone ESPN’s “First Take” as the most buzzed-about sports talk show on TV.
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