29/03/2024

Shannon Sharpe leaving FS1’s ‘Undisputed’

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Shannon Sharpe leaving FS1’s ‘Undisputed’

Shannon Sharpe's partnership with Skip Bayless is coming to a conclusion soon.

Shannon Sharpe's partnership with Skip Bayless is coming to a conclusion soon.

Shannon Sharpe’s partnership with Skip Bayless soon will be coming to a conclusion.

Sharpe and Fox Sports, the parent company of Fox Sports 1, which airs “Undisputed,” have reached a buyout agreement, sources have told The Post.

Sharpe’s final show is expected to be aired after the 2023 NBA Finals conclude in June.

Sharpe’s popular “Club Shay Shay” podcast, which draws a big audience on social media and YouTube, will also be leaving Fox Sports, a source said.

There was public friction between Sharpe and Bayless on the show after Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during a Week 17 game against the Bengals this past NFL season.

Bayless, in a stream-of-consciousness tweet sent after Hamlin had collapsed, but before the rest of the game had been canceled, wrote: “No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game — but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.”

shannon sharpe on fox sports 1's undisputed
Shannon Sharpe’s breakup with Fox Sports 1’s ‘Undisputed’ is imminent.
Fox Sports

Sharpe stayed home from “Undisputed” the following morning.

When he returned a day later, he said that he had wished Bayless would take the tweet down, while Bayless said that he stood by it.

The two then had disagreement on whether the FS1 bosses wanted Bayless to offer an explanation for the tweet.

At that time, there were a number of armchair observers, including former FS1 host Marcellus Wiley, who predicted the duo were headed for a breakup.

“I cannot even get through a monologue without you interrupting me,” Sharpe said.

“This is primal. This is two alphas fighting for territory,” Wiley said on Instagram. “This is about power. Because that dynamic of power on that show has shifted, whether it’s real or imagined. Right now, we’re all seeing that battle for it. Let’s see who comes out undisputed.”

shannon sharpe on fox sports 1's undisputed
Sharpe and co-host Skip Bayless have seemingly been at odds for months.

People close to Sharpe said privately he did not seek to be the unquestioned leader on the show, but wanted to be an equal with Bayless in the program’s topic selection.

Another element that seemed to bleed over between the two was that Sharpe is close with LeBron James, while Bayless has been a hard grader of James’ performance over the years.

Sharpe, 54, was the unquestioned choice to join as Bayless’ cohost on “Undisputed” after Bayless left his ESPN “First Take” partnership with Stephen A. Smith and joined FS1 in 2016.

FS1
There was public friction between Sharpe and Bayless after Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field.
NBAE via Getty Images

Sharpe had filled in for Smith in debating Bayless on the program, and the two had dynamic chemistry.

Plus, in a rarity, the “First Take” viewership numbers did not fall off with one of the hosts off the set.

Sharpe is a three-time Super Bowl champion, a four-time All-Pro and enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Sharpe and Bayless did not immediately respond to requests for comment, nor did a Fox Sports spokesperson.

It is unclear at this time what FS1 will do to replace Sharpe on the show.

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