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Shannon Sharpe has been an integral part of Skip and Shannon: Undisputed for over seven years. However, the Hall of Famer has recently decided to move away from the show. Let’s take a look at Sharpe’s FS1 contract.
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After Skip Bayless parted ways with ESPN back in June 2016, he combined with former Denver Bronco Shannon Sharpe to start their new show Skip and Shannon: Undisputed on the FS1 network in September 2016. The show airs Monday to Friday, has covered various sports-related topics, and has witnessed a steady growth in viewership.
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Since the start of the show, both analysts have been a staple in mainstream media for their takes as well as the antics that they pull off. However, Shannon moving on from this largely successful relationship only indicates that something else is in the works.
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In March 2021, Bayless after some negotiations, signed a huge $32m contract with Fox Sports that will keep him as a part of the show through 2025. However, it is believed that Shannon followed suit looking for a similar contract but had to settle for less.
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This move reportedly also closed the disparity between their previous contracts. At the start of the show, Bayless signed a $24m, four-year deal while Shannon was said to earn $12m for the same duration. This along with other disputes between the two have been the deciding factors in the duo splitting up.
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According to reports, Skip Bayless had the final say regarding all the decisions regarding the show including what topics are to be debated every day. That combined with the heated argument he had with Shannon a couple of months ago where Skip accused Shannon of being jealous of Tom Brady’s career also seems to have contributed to this decision.
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Whether Shannon Sharpe returns to CBS Sports, his previous network, or turns to a new sports network is yet to be seen. But, there is no doubt that the three-time Super Bowl champion will have multiple offers to choose from judging from knowledge of the game as well as his ability to entertain the masses.
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One strong contender to land Sharpe will be Skip’s former network, ESPN. The sports media giant has already acquired Pat McAfee’s “The McAfee Show” for a lucrative $85m, five-year deal and could do the same to bring in Sharpe as an analyst on First Take as well as his popular podcast “Club Shay Shay”.
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On the other end, Fox will be looking for a new partner for Skip on Undisputed, but this decision will also come down if Skip likes the candidate or not. When Shannon was looking to leave the network in 2021, FS1 had interviewed multiple candidates with Cris Carter being the favorite to join the show. Two years down the road they may have to give Cris another call.
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Along with Carter, Max Kellerman is also a candidate to be the new host. With Pat McAfee and possibly Shannon Sharpe joining ESPN, Kellerman who was “pushed out” of First Take in 2021, could be on his way out of ESPN. Other candidates like Joy Taylor and Nick Wright who already work at Fox could also be candidates for a promotion.
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