ESPN and Stephen A. Smith had another card to play beyond the new addition of Shannon Sharpe.
Only a few days after Sharpe made his successful debut on “First Take,” Smith announced that he would be bringing on another notable sports media personality onto his show: Pat McAfee.
“The Pat McAfee Show” made its debut on ESPN on Sept. 7 during its 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time slot that follows “First Take.” McAfee guested on “First Take” prior to his show’s ESPN debut for the two to make the special announcement.
Related: Stephen A. Smith, ‘First Take’ achieve notable record in Shannon Sharpe’s debut
“Not only are you following ‘First Take,’ you’re going to be on ‘First Take’ at least every Tuesday,” Smith said to McAfee on “First Take” on Sept. 7.
“Hell yeah,” McAfee replied. “Obviously, if you ask me to be on the number one show on TV, I’m certainly going to take that opportunity and be appreciative.
“Undisputed,” ESPN's (DIS) -) competition at FS1, added several new names like Richard Sherman, Josina Anderson, and a trio of former ESPN talents in Michael Irvin, Rachel Nichols, and Keyshawn Johnson. Fox’s - (FOXA) -) show did not come close to unseating “First Take” during its first week, despite ending strong.
More Stephen A. Smith:
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- Stephen A. Smith unleashes on critics of debate show format amid Fox, ESPN changes
But Sharpe’s debut, which tallied ESPN’s second-highest television ratings of the year, coupled with McAfee’s presence, may more than offset the challenge that Fox has presented.
McAfee has had his presence on ESPN since 2019 when he started as a football analyst on shows like “College GameDay.” But McAfee has seen the rise of his own show, and earlier this year signed a licensing deal with ESPN for “The Pat McAfee Show.”
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