Shannon Sharpe is leaving Undisputed and FOX Sports activities 1 after seven years, and lots of disagreements together with his co-host may very well be guilty.
Sharpe waves goodbye
It was reported Wednesday that the Corridor of Fame tight finish, former AbsolutePoker ambassador, and co-host of FOX Sports activities 1’s Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, Shannon Sharpe, has agreed to a contract buyout together with his employer.
one of many greatest voices in sports activities media
Sharpe, 54, has been part of the FS1 staff for the previous seven years and has turn into one of many greatest voices in sports activities media. Whether or not it’s his perception from his 14-year enjoying profession, extravagant reactions to breaking information, or loquaciousness on social media, he has been simply as profitable in his second profession as he was in his first.
In April, Sharpe responded to the information that the NFL had suspended 5 gamers for playing in his typical fashion:
Lately, Sharpe’s relationship together with his ever-controversial co-host Skip Bayless has turn into extra tough across the edges. The timing of his choice to depart the present comes off as removed from coincidental given the variety of disagreements the pair appear to have had in latest months.
Should you’re nonetheless questioning why Shannon Sharpe is leaving some of the fashionable sports activities speak reveals on tv, right here is a few meals for thought…
The Damar Hamlin confrontation
Bayless, by no means one to draw back from sharing a controversial opinion on social media, revealed a tweet that brought about the primary main rift in his relationship with Sharpe on January 2 this yr.
The Buffalo Payments had been enjoying the Cincinnati Bengals when Payments security Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the sphere. He needed to be revived in the midst of the stadium and barely prevented loss of life. It was a stunning state of affairs, that later led to many bettors checking the nice print of their wagers on the postponed sport.
advised the league wanted to complete the sport
Bayless tweeted in regards to the incident and advised the league wanted to complete the sport. The insensitiveness of the tweet led to Sharpe calling out of labor the subsequent day after which an in-studio. When he did reappear on-air the day after, he obtained into it with Bayless in a heated trade:
Sharpe was visibly upset and short-tempered for the rest of the present and in future episodes.
“Jealous” of Tom Brady
One in every of Bayless’ many M.O.s is to defend Tom Brady at each flip. That got here to a head in December 2022 when Sharpe was criticizing Brady for his poor play and Bayless accused Sharpe of being jealous that Brady was nonetheless enjoying the sport he as soon as did.
Bayless didn’t again down and continued to pile it on
Sharpe questioned if Bayless was actually prepared to launch a private assault on him for criticizing Brady’s on-field efficiency, however Bayless didn’t again down and continued to pile it on:
The dialog obtained so out of hand that Bayless appeared to just about drop an F-bomb in the midst of the back-and-forth. Identical to the Hamlin state of affairs, the remainder of the present was rocky, and it was clear that Bayless’ feedback struck a nerve.
Membership Shay Shay
Apart from on-air spats together with his co-host, one more reason for Sharpe’s exit may merely be his success exterior of Undisputed.
Sharpe launched his podcast Membership Shay Shay in September 2020. It rapidly grew to become successful due to Sharpe’s infectious character, riveting tales, and bubbly character. He’s had high-profile friends comparable to Floyd Mayweather, Snoop Dogg, Travis Kelce, and lots of others.
Sharpe has made slightly below $4.1m from his podcast in viewership alone
The podcast’s YouTube channel has 1.18 million subscribers and 226.6 million complete video views on the time of writing. The typical pay for YouTubers is about $18 per 1,000 views, which implies that assuming the common charge, Sharpe has made slightly below $4.1m from his podcast in viewership alone. That excludes the potential of partnership money as effectively.
Membership Shay Shay was additionally a part of FS1 below the phrases of his contract however is coming with him to the free-agent market. The rising prevalence and recognition of podcasts is one other weapon for Sharpe to make use of throughout negotiations with a brand new employer, ought to he select to finish up again within the filming studio.
Maybe Sharpe merely doesn’t want Undisputed or the trouble of his co-host anymore.
