ESPN2’s “First Take” co-host Skip Bayless- much like his partner, Stephen A. Smith- is both loved and loathed, and has become known for making controversial statements and taking sides.

ESPN ‘First Take’ Host Skip Bayless Apparently Headed To FoxSports

And now, he is parting ways with the network after 12 years for the only other one that seems to want and need him: Fox Sports 1, which is attempting to create its own debate-show culture, with Bayless, 64, at its forefront.

ESPN stated Bayless’ final appearance on “First Take” will be the day after the NBA finals wrap up, although he will officially leave the network once his contract expires at the end of August.

Bayless’ departure comes after a series of other big-talent losses at ESPN. Just last year–for different reasons– Keith Olbermann, Bill Simmons, Jason Whitlock and Colin Cowherd all left. Earlier this week,  Monday Night Football announcer Mike Tirico said goodbye after 25 years and went to NBC Sports, where he is rumored to potentially replace Al Michaels on “Sunday Night Football” and Bob Costas as the Olympics prime-time host.

Bayless turned down ESPN’s offer last Friday and he is now speaking FS1 executives, particularly Jamie Horowitz, the former coordinating producer of “First Take,” who is the current president of Fox Sports national networks. He has worked with Bayless and, since going to Fox, coveted him.

Last year, Smith renewed his contract with ESPN to continue on “First Take” for over $3 million annually.

One of ESPN’s main concerns now is who to choose as Bayless’s replacement. What is certain is that whoever this person is will need to have strong chemistry with Smith, whose rambunctiousness occasionally gets him into trouble with his bosses. Smith was suspended following his comments on domestic violence during the 2014 scandal surrounding Baltimore Ravens quarterback Ray Rice.

Nevertheless, “First Take” has recently boasted strong ratings. The show attracted 412,000 viewers in the first three months of 2016, a record for the show during the first quarter. The show reached its peak average viewership in the fourth quarter last year with an average of  483,000 viewers.

By comparison, “Mike & Mike,” the two-man show starring Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic  that precedes “First Take,” only brought in 274,000 viewers in the first quarter this year, a viewership increase of 16 percent.

“I don’t mean to be flippant about replacing Skip easily,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN’s executive vice president for production. “But I feel very confident that we’ll continue to innovate the show and build on the success that the two of them had. It’s not like we haven’t faced things like this before. But we’ve been pretty adept at navigating successful change.”

ESPN will also need to find a replacement for Tirico, a likeable and versatile announcer who could have easily remained on the network for several more years.
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SKIP BAYLESS IS LEAVING ESPN FOR FOX. HERE ARE SOME OF HIS GREATEST HITS pic.twitter.com/8VJbQnhJio

— WSHH FANS (@WORIDSTARHIPHOP) April 26, 2016

In the history of ESPN, the show that causes the most “foot-in-the-mouth” moments has to be First Take. Currently hosted by Stephen A. Smith — who himself was suspended about questionable comments on domestic abuse — and the severely criticized Skip Bayless, the show has provided some genuinely great unscripted moments.

Perhaps one of the best/worst of 2014 happened today, when Bayless called Johnny Manziel an alcoholic and a liar: following a question from Smith, Bayless stated “[Johnny Manziel] has a problem. If you want to call him an alcoholic, I’ll go that far. I think he can’t handle his alcohol.” Well, first it is important to note that this is indeed his opinion: at the same time, to call someone an alcoholic because of what the media reports is a bit drastic. These comments are in response to the latest Manziel story: where he was fined for being late for a treatment on his injured hamstring. Some have suggested Manziel threw a party, which directly resulted in this fine, as well as Gordon’s suspension: but Johnny has since claimed these allegations are “100 percent false.”

Now, does Bayless have proof of this alcoholism, minus the few stories written about the star? Probably not: thus saying he has a problem undermines the disease, hurts the integrity of ESPN and worsens Manziel’s already tarnished image. And since today’s episode, plenty of fans have took to Twitter to show how appalled they were by Skip’s comments.

I for one have never despised Skip Bayless like other people: in fact, First Take is sometimes a very entertaining show. At the same time, a journalist should never make a statement like that without any evidence whatsoever. Yes, Manziel has made some poor decisions in the limelight: but can being a 22-year-old kid really be confused with such a serious disease — which affects roughly 17 million individuals in America.