ESPN will be losing its most polarizing television personality this summer, as the network announced on Tuesday that Skip Bayless has decided to leave when his contract expires in August.
“Skip Bayless has decided to leave ESPN when his contract expires at the end of August,” ESPN said in a statement. “His final appearance on First Take will be the day after the NBA Finals conclude. We want to thank Skip for his many contributions to ESPN. His hard work and talent have benefited ESPN for 12 years.”
Deadspin is reporting that Bayless is leaving ESPN to join FOX Sports, where former “First Take” producer Jamie Horowitz is now running the show. Horowitz told Sporting News last month that he is looking to hire popular opinionated personalities for FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 and admitted he was eyeing Bayless.
According to a report from Richard Deitsch several months ago, ESPN was prepared to pay Bayless $4 million annually when his current contract expired. That would seem to indicate that FOX has offered the 64-year-old a ton of dough.
The announcement regarding Bayless came less than 24 hours after it was reported that another major television personality is leaving the World Wide Leader.
