Ever since Skip Bayless parted ways with Shannon Sharpe, ratings for the ‘Undisputed’ have plummeted massively. His own ‘The Skip Bayless Show’ isn’t doing that great either, and it shows. Sharpe, on the other hand, is flourishing on ‘First Take’ alongside Stephen A. Smith; his personal projects, ‘NightCap’ and ‘Club Shay Shay’, have also seen considerable growth. Former Panthers QB Cam Newton, who has been at constant odds with Skip, seems to be aware of this, and couldn’t help but take a jab at Bayless on his ‘4th & 1 Show”, even claiming that the latter has been throwing shades at him only to boost his ratings.
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For the uninitiated, Cam took shots at Skip last month after the latter downplayed Anthony Edwards’ game-saving block against the Indiana Pacers, claiming that it was nothing out of the ordinary despite Edwards bumping his head on the rim with his insane 47-inch vertical jump. The former NFL star emphasized that Skip should back off and not criticize something that he could never accomplish in real life. “If you can’t do it, shut up,” Cam said. The ‘Undisputed’ host didn’t take kindly to this and, during his recent banter session on YouTube, went on to challenge Newton to a hooping and sprinting contest.
The focus now shifts to Cam Newton, who, in his response, first remarked, “You started it — I’m about to finish it.” He then added, “Skip Bayless needs Cam Newton. I have seen the reports that say Skip Bayless’ ratings have failed week after week after week. Who can give Skip Bayless them ratings sitting across from him?” followed by, “Skip doesn’t actually want to play me; He just wants the ratings for his show.”
The ex-Panthers man subsequently clarified that he wasn’t taking a jab at Skip’s co-hosts, Keyshawn Johnson and Richard Sherman, but solely at the main man himself.
Is Cam Newton Right About Skip Bayless’ Show?
According to a report by AwfulAnnouncing, Skip Bayless’ Undisputed has accumulated just 48,000 viewers on average in their mid-day morning slot, although events like the NBA playoffs and the NFL draft are on the horizon. This is historically low since the show has a reputation for drawing a crowd bigger than 150,000 year after year.
In contrast, First Take set a record by amassing 611,000 viewers on average in December last year. But Skip’s show managed to attract just 120,000 heads during that timeframe, considerably lower than their biggest competitor. One could very well argue that it’s the ‘Shannon Sharpe effect’, who abruptly left the show last year.
While it’s certain that Cam Newton has a point, Skip’s back-to-back three-pointers from the rant session have left fans in awe. The latter is significantly older when compared to the NFL star; however, it didn’t stop him from challenging Cam in a basketball contest. The likelihood of such a contest taking place is slim to none, but it sure would generate excitement among fans.
