FS1
It’s been a little over a month since Skip Bayless filmed his final episode of Undisputed before leaving FS1 behind, and the Hot Take Artist made some interesting claims about the nature of his departure while shedding light on the divorce that ended a lengthy relationship with the network.
Skip Bayless made the leap from ESPN to FS1 in 2016 following a high-profile run as the co-host of First Take alongside Stephen A. Smith, and he wasted no time picking up where he left off by teaming up with Shannon Sharpe on Undisputed.
In 2023, the Hall of Fame tight end announced he was leaving the program amid rumors a battle of egos had led to a behind-the-scenes beef with Bayless, and while Undisputed attempted to continue to conduct business as usual, it was unable to recover from what turned out to be a fatal loss.
A program that had averaged hundreds of thousands of viewers per episode during Sharpe’s tenure found itself entering a ratings tailspin, and we were treated to what was arguably the Canary In The Colemine Moment at the end of April when it attracted an audience of just 49,000 people on a day where the sports calendar boasted the first day NFL Draft and a slate of NBA playoff games.
In July, the network announced it was parting ways with Bayless (ESPN and Stephen A. Smith wasted no time ruling out the possibility of a potential reunion), and on August 2nd, Undisputed came to an end with a whimper before its longtime host announced he was “planning to pursue other opportunities for several months.”
The exit didn’t impact the production of The Skip Bayless Show on YouTube, and on Thursday, we were treated to a new episode where the 72-year-old sports media veteran entered the spin zone while offering some new insight into the end of his time a FS1.
Bayless had previously implied he had plenty of agency when it came to his split with the network, and he firmly positioned his departure as a decision he made while implying executives had stopped him from truly speaking his mind, saying:
“I have waited a long time for this moment. I am finally free. Free to unleash in ways I never have. Free to give you every bit of me without boundaries or handcuffs or fear of suspension.
I recently left FS1—an exit I’d been planning for several months—because I wanted to do this. I wanted to be my own boss. To bet on myself. To break free from the TV networks I’ve worked for for 35 years.
For 35 years I’ve been told, ‘Don’t! Don’t! Don’t! Careful! Careful! Careful!’ I’ve tiptoed, sidestepped, pulled punches…
No more bosses with huge egos and hidden agendas. No more games that have to be played behind closed network doors. Now I’m free to be 1000% me.”
Bayless went on to say he wouldn’t have been allowed to talk about the restrictions Tom Brady will have to abide by in the broadcast booth for Fox if he buys a stake in the Raiders due to internal corporate policies, which may be true but also doesn’t seem like that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.
As far as the aforementioned “other opportunities” are concerned, Bayless teased the release of what would presumably be a tell-all book chronicling the time he spent at ESPN and FS1 over the course of 20 years as well as a “controversial screenplay” he said would have drawn the ire of his former employer.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how things pan out.