Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Should Consider Full-Time Reunion With Skip Bayless

Skip Bayless made a return to ESPN's "First Take" last week, reuniting with his former debate partner Stephen A. Smith. Under a new agreement, Bayless is set to appear on the program on the final Friday of each month. This marks a significant development for the long-standing personalities who were foundational to "First Take" when it launched in 2007.

Initially, "First Take" was built around Bayless, who debated a rotating cast of analysts. He advocated for Smith to join the program, a move that executives initially resisted due to Smith's prior unsuccessful tenure at ESPN. Smith eventually joined on a weekly basis, becoming Bayless's full-time debate partner in 2012. Together, they significantly boosted viewership, often outperforming other ESPN programming.

Bayless departed ESPN in 2016 to launch "Undisputed" on FS1, a program with a similar debate format. Despite ESPN2 having a larger viewership base than FS1, "First Take" saw a decline of over 20% in its audience after Bayless's exit. The program was moved to ESPN, where it subsequently attracted about twice the audience of "Undisputed."

The audience gap widened in subsequent years as key personalities shifted. By 2023, "First Take" consistently drew three to four times the viewers of its FS1 competitor. Bayless ultimately left FS1 in 2024.

Shifting Roles and Current Landscape

Both Smith and Bayless are in different professional positions compared to their early partnership. Smith is now one of sports media's most prominent figures, recently signing a lucrative contract with ESPN. Bayless, conversely, had been without a primary television platform until his recent agreement with ESPN. His ventures into digital media, including a YouTube show and a podcast, have seen limited engagement, though he has found some traction with a new venture called "Gridiron."

The current iteration of "First Take" has been described as having grown stale, with the format of pairing Smith with rotating panelists yielding inconsistent results. While some panelists like Michael Irvin, Dan Orlovsky, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, and Marcus Spears are noted contributors, others are seen as interchangeable. The article suggests that a more effective approach might involve reducing the panel size and focusing on the strongest personalities alongside Smith and potentially Bayless.

Despite its challenges, "First Take" remains one of ESPN's highest-rated programs, though its growth has reportedly lagged behind other ESPN studio shows. Smith has acknowledged the need for the program to stay fresh, having previously stated the necessity of making changes every three years. The departure of Max Kellerman from "First Take" was cited as an example of this strategy, though it has been five years since that change.

The dynamic between Smith and Bayless is credited with bringing out a more appealing side of Smith for viewers. Their exchanges, characterized by Bayless's provocative statements and Smith's indignant responses, create a compelling, albeit informal, form of television. This dynamic is compared to the successful partnership of Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser, suggesting that the synergy between Smith and Bayless is greater than either host individually.

The article posits that a full-time reunion with Bayless could offer an opportunity for Smith and "First Take" to regain momentum, especially as the program faces competition from other ESPN shows and personalities like Pat McAfee. While ESPN executives have reportedly expressed reservations about Bayless's return, even in a limited capacity, and have emphasized a shift away from the "embrace debate" format, the ratings trends for "First Take" suggest that the debate-driven approach, particularly with Bayless, remains effective for the program. The piece concludes by suggesting that leaning into what made Smith successful, which includes his dynamic with Bayless, and embracing a degree of nostalgia, could be a more reliable strategy for the program's future.