Skip Bayless' return to ESPN's "First Take" boosted viewership by 24%, raising questions about whether the show needs him back on a regular basis.

Skip Bayless returned to the ESPN First Take desk on Friday for the first time since June 2016, reuniting with his former debate partner, Stephen A. Smith. Bayless began his run on First Take in 2007 when the show was rebranded from Cold Pizza.

The post Skip Bayless Re-Energizes ‘First Take’ in ESPN Return appeared first on Front Office Sports.

The reunion sports media fans waited a decade for turned into a massive success for ESPN. According to reports, Skip Bayless’s return alongside Stephen A. Smith on First Take delivered huge viewership numbers and exploded across social media.

"We really don't have strong a offseason in our house," Shae Cornette says. She shares how she and her husband balance sports, their hectic TV life.

As First Take has grown into the biggest show on sports television, the show and its host, Stephen A. Smith, have become lightning rods for criticism of the entire industry. Many attribute the sensibility of First Take as a root cause for why talk shows on TV went downhill.

The post Stephen A.Smith Doesn’t Hold Back Against FOX for Claiming Skip Bayless’ Return to First Take Is a Ratings Grab appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Skip Bayless spent 28 emotional minutes discussing his First Take reunion with Stephen A. Smith, calling their partnership greater than his marriage.

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