‘First Take’ Sees Ratings Spike as Skip Bayless Returns
After a ten-year hiatus, Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith reunited on First Take last Friday, and to no one’s surprise, ratings were through the roof.
For those who may not remember, First Take was initially a spinoff of Cold Pizza and starred Bayless, Woody Paige, Jay Crawford, and Dana Jacobson. In 2011, the show was reworked to focus on Bayless and embrace a debate-style format.
Photo: ESPN
Smith initially joined First Take as a weekly contributor before becoming a full-time star in 2012. Together, Bayless and Smith would turn First Take into ESPN’s premier morning show.
Bayless’s Departure
When Bayless left the show in 2016, he was first replaced by Max Kellerman and, eventually, a rotating cast of ESPN talent.
Photo: ESPN
While Smith’s star power continued to rise and First Take still delivered ratings, it never reached the heights of the Skip Bayless era.
The Return
After a ten-year wait, there was clearly pent-up demand for more Smith/Bayless content.
According to a report from Front Office Sports, last Friday’s episode of First Take saw a 44% year-over-year jump, averaging 647,000 viewers.
Photo: Front Office Sports
That number is also 24% higher than the show’s average viewership in 2026.
What’s Next?
The question now is whether Bayless’s return was a one-off or part of a larger plan.
Based on Friday’s ratings, ESPN may look to bring Bayless back on a semi-regular basis. Like Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, Skip could potentially even return once a week.
Photo: The Wrap
For now, ESPN has not announced any plans to bring Bayless back, but ratings don’t lie, and the chemistry between Skip and Stephen A. is clearly still there.
As always, be sure to check back with MickeyBlog. We will continue to update you on all the news from ESPN.
Photo: MickeyBlog
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