The great sports talk show debate kicked off again in full swing this week as “Undisputed” rolled out the red carpet with their new-look lineup, including Richard Sherman, Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, and Rachel Nichols. Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith will welcome in former Undisputed host Shannon Sharpe to “First Take,” but his debut isn’t until next week.
Was Undisputed able to come out swinging against First Take and knock the sports talk show king, Smith, off his perch? The ratings are in, and we can declare a winner by first-round knockout.
Which Show Won the Battle of the Ratings?
Reportedly, First Take obliterated Undisputed, and it wasn’t even close. On Monday, First Take totaled 448,000 viewers, while Undisputed totaled 131,000. The flagship program for ESPN mornings won the viewership war 3 to 1, and that was during Undisputed’s debut episode. It gets worse from there.
In the battle of Stephen A. Smith's First Take and Skip Bayless's revamped (and much-hyped) Undisputed, it's a TKO. https://t.co/GG0OhfnvQx
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 1, 2023
By Wednesday, First Take’s ratings dropped to 423,000, but that’s nothing to what Undisputed felt as its ratings fell to 78,000. The early numbers are a horrific sign, even as FS1 is currently available in more homes than ESPN.
Why Is Undisputed Falling Flat?
The advantage of Smith over Bayless plays a factor. Despite Bayless ushering Smith into ESPN years ago, Smith has surpassed Bayless and many others as the premier voice in sports talk shows today. Smith has an overwhelming and passionate following unrivaled in the industry.
Monday's premiere of "Undisputed" averaged 131K viewers vs. 448K for "First Take".
By Wednesday's airing, Undisputed was all the way down to 78,000 viewers. 🫣 pic.twitter.com/uI6L4fpI2B
— MyBookie – Bet With The Best (@MyBookie) September 1, 2023
Bayless likely faces backlash from fans after his relationship with former Undisputed partner Sharpe unraveled in the public square, with the former looking horrible throughout the breakup. Bayless and Undisputed may have also lost some viewers when they took a hiatus and scrambled for replacements for Sharpe.
MORE: NFL Fans Roast Keyshawn Johnson for Brutal Mistake on Undisputed
Sherman, Johnson, and Irvin are fine analysts, but none carry the A-level draw FS1 would need to gain and eventually surpass First Take. FS1 hoped strength in numbers would pay off, but Smith is dusting the competition.
Will Undisputed Revamp Again?
FS1 may have to re-think this plan and head to the drawing board. Watching the new iteration of the show was clunky and, at times, clumsy. With four figures accustomed to being the primary voice on set, they talked over each other regularly, leaving the audience with poor audio quality.
Skip Bayless’ revamped premiere of ‘Undisputed Live’ only averaged 131k viewers, while Stephen A’s ‘First Take’ averaged more than triple that, with an average of 448k viewers. 👀 #NFL pic.twitter.com/lMEVHXru1C
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) September 1, 2023
Undisputed has provided a few fun soundbites but remains a work in progress. The problem for FS1 is with Sharpe teaming with Smith, making the premier sports show only stronger.