When Skip Bayless’ massive contract extension from FOX Sports was revealed last week, it came with a report that the sports talker could be adding an afternoon show. And according to Michael McCarthy of FrontOffice Sports, one of the ideas the network has considered features Bayless as the judge of a debate show.
If the idea for Bayless as a judge does take off, requiring him to reflect 18th century fashion should be a caveat and he can even turn to another sports talker for help in Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo.
The potential plans for an afternoon show won’t take Bayless away from co-hosting Undisputed with Shannon Sharpe every morning on FS1. The afternoon show is also unlikely to include Sharpe. Instead, Front Office Sports states the 69-year-old Bayless would probably judge debates featuring some of the network’s younger talent such as Emmanuel Acho, Joy Taylor and Nick Wright. The show will ultimately give sports audiences more Skip Bayless, but less of his argumentative opinions.
Bayless recently signed a four-year $32 million deal to stay with FOX Sports. It’s his second contract with FOX Sports and a 33% increase from his first one which was signed in 2016. Adding an afternoon show to his schedule could be an effort to justify giving Bayless a bump in pay and a near $8 million annual salary.
Launching an afternoon show also could be an attempt from Bayless to keep up with his former partner Stephen A. Smith. Smith recently signed a massive contract extension with ESPN, where his daily show First Take sometimes more than triples the audience of Bayless’ Undisputed on FS1. Smith recently added a solo afternoon show on ESPN+ to his daily schedule and continues to be one of the network’s premier personalities.
