If you all are familiar with my column, then you’re familiar with my musings on sports debate television.

Shannon Sharpe is someone who I have alluded to on several occasions as a prominent voice in contemporary sports culture. He truly rose to prominence during his time on Fox Sports 1 opposite his long-time co-host Skip Bayless. Bayless, a sports media legend in his own right, saw something in Sharpe that would allow for invigorating debate on his new show Undisputed. This involved Bayless leaving his own creation First Take on ESPN and starting fresh on a new network. He believed Sharpe was the man for the job, and Sharpe proved him right.

Skip and Shannon butt heads a bunch of times on air, with Skip calling Shannon’s football acumen into question. There came a time when it all came to a head, and most of us in the viewing public believed it to be the beginning of the end. Following the conclusion of the 2023 NBA Finals, Sharpe left Undisputed and FS1. We knew that it was the increase in heated spats with Bayless that provided the impetus. But the question remained, what was next for Sharpe?

While on FS1, Sharpe continued to expand his brand in media by creating an interview-style podcast called Club Shay Shay. Since its launch, the show has garnered millions of views and has had memorable moments thanks to Katt Williams, Mo’Nique and others. As Sharpe continued to deepen his cultural imprint, he was also brought on to Bayless’ former show, with his former co-host. First Take was now home to not only Stephen A. Smith but now Shannon Sharpe as well. It was at that point that many began to believe that the writing was on the wall for Bayless.

Undisputed and First Take began to take different approaches to their format. They increased the carousel of contributors they had on the show. It helped keep the show fresh and widened the spectrum of opinions. But since Sharpe’s exit, Undisputed has struggled to find a rhythm that would help garner viewership to rival its competitor. The most tangible reason for this is the sheer on-screen talent that Sharpe has.

Landing Sharpe was a coup for Smith and ESPN. Sharpe’s most recent contract extension is proof of that. What furthers that point are the recent reports that Bayless will no longer be at FS1 after this summer. It’s news that rocked the sports talk world, and further proof that Sharpe made his show must-see. Sharpe is a must-see talent, and although Bayless viewed him as talented, I doubt he held that respect for it.

Ultimately, I guess it doesn’t matter. Truth be told, Sharpe was never disrespectful toward Bayless on-screen. And as far as I’m concerned, any condescension from Bayless was unwarranted. With Sharpe’s hustle and natural guile, he has singlehandedly changed the landscape of debate show media. He may have changed it, possibly, for the greater good.

First Take

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