Stephen A. Smith – Source: Allen Berezovsky / Getty
Stephen A. Smith confirms the ongoing rumors that ESPN is in talks with Shannon Sharpe to join ‘First Take’ & feels it will likely happen.
The dust has settled and Shannon Sharpe has made a clean break from Skip Bayless and FS1’s Undisputed. When it was announced he reached a buyout agreement most business savvy people could guess how. Furthermore, only one brand is big enough and respected enough to help get a buyout done. Additionally, only a few have the money bags to facilitate one and thats Disney and ESPN. Stephen A. Smith has been vocal about Shannon and Skip’s feud and their breakup and isn’t holding back. According to Deadline, Smith has revealed ESPN executives are in talks to bring Sharpe onboard and bringing out all the stops to make it happen.
“I want Shannon Sharpe on First Take and I am to get him,” said Stephen A. Smith on his podcast while revealing that ESPN execs are in negotiations with Sharpe. “We are definitely talking to Shannon Sharpe,” Smith bragged. “The conversations are official, the reports have not been misnomers or misreports or anything like that. We are talking to him and I’m hopeful, very hopeful, very confident that ultimately we will be announcing sooner than later that he will be on First Take.”
Smith issued the disclaimer he does have a say in the matter but doesn’t make the final decision. However, the podcast felt like a warning the two would be on our televisions soon. To throw gas on the fire Shannon Sharpe himself joined in on the conversation on Twitter. Furthermore, it looks to be a done deal and the terms are the only thing left to figure out.