Sports fans and personalities were divided over Skip Bayless’ abrupt departure from Undisputed and Fox Sports 1 as a network.
On Friday, Bayless announced that this was his “last show on Undisputed,” ending eight years of being on the show. He also shared that he will be leaving FS1, as he has been “planning to pursue other opportunities for several months.”
Following his sudden departure, users were divided over the nature of his departure and speculated on the terms under which he would leave. Former FS1 teammate Nick Wright paid tribute to Bayless, calling his time at FS1 “a truly legendary time”.
“Very few people, in any industry, can say they helped create and define an entire genre,” Wright wrote. “Skip did. Cheers and good luck in whatever he does in the future.”
However, others disagreed with the First Things First host. User Matt Williams retweeted Wright’s statement and criticized Bayless’ career and lack of positive contribution.
Fans and sports personalities were divided over Skip Bayless’ abrupt departure from FS1
“Skip Bayless simply turned sports talk shows into a cesspool of nonsense and unfounded, unsubstantiated opinions,” he wrote. “The man was a negative element to society and contributed nothing of value. Get the hell out of here, man.”
Another user, @veldous, was in the same boat as Williams, insisting that “nobody cares” about Bayless’ departure.
“It’s very fitting that Skip Bayless went off the air the other day and literally no one cares,” the user wrote. “It’s not enough that he helped kill sports discourse, it’s that no one will ever remember anything he’s said in over 20 years. What an absolute waste of a career.”
Meanwhile, user Ian Cameron appeared to speculate that Bayless was fired due to Undisputed’s recent ratings decline.
Nick Wright insisted that Bayless had a legendary career, however, others disagreed with him.
“The idea that Skip Bayless is saying he was pursuing other opportunities all this time that led him to ‘leave’ Undisputed is a bunch of nonsense and he’s said a lot of nonsense over the years,” he wrote.
“Ratings plummeted, the show was a disaster, and FOX executives canceled it. Period.”
Bayless’ former co-host Shannon Sharpe left FS1 in 2023 after seven years on Undisputed. Sharpe took her talents to ESPN to join Stephen A. Smith on First Take, Bayless’ former show.
While Bayless said he’s “excited for what’s next,” the network also released a statement thanking him for his service.
Bayless left FOX Sports after eight years with the network, hosting Undisputed
Shannon Sharpe left the show in 2023 and took her talents to ESPN and First Take
“The FOX Sports family thanks Skip Bayless for his outstanding contributions to FS1,” the network wrote. “As a founding member of UNDISPUTED and known as the Godfather of Sports Talk, Skip has been a cornerstone of our network and a driving force in sports commentary.
“His passion, insight and distinctive voice have entertained audiences and captivated sports fans over the years. We wish Skip continued success in his future endeavors.”