By Big changes coming for ESPN’s ‘First Take’ as ESPN’s viewership hits an all time low in 41 years Max Kellerman looks to be leaving the show. As alternative media like “The Pat McAfee Show” And “Barstool” Dominate and Shows on Cartoon Network and Nat Geo continue to out perform ESPNS First take. ESPN is looking to do whatever they can to regain momentum.
There have been reports that co-host Max Kellerman will be leaving ‘First Take’. Max Kellermans nearly five-year long stint on “First Take” may all be coming to an end. It doesn’t look like Kellerman will be going far as ESPN still plans to make him a frequent guest on “Get Up”. Kellerman also has hosted “Max Kellerman Show” on ESPN radio since 2020 also hosts a boxing show on ESPN+.
Nobody quite knows why Kellerman is leaving the show. Earlier this year ESPN tried to reunite Stephen A. and Skip Bayless. Skip decided to stay with FOX. Some people feel as if co-host Stephen A. Smith is forcing max off the show. Rumors have spread that Smith “hates” Kellerman. Smith said “Rumors I hate Max are an absolute lie” and “I actually got a lot of love for the guy” on a recent podcast.
Max and Stephen A. don’t have a chemistry quite like when Skip Bayless was on the show. They still had a great dynamic. The most glaring thing in there discourse was the obvious age gap. Only being a few years apart Max grew up as a hip hop kid and Stephan A. being the complete opposite. They has differing Views on a variety of thing most notably the legal use of marijuanna for players Max being for the legal use as Stephen A. has the famous “stay off the weed” quote.
There have been reports ESPN wants to rename the show “Stephen A. vs The World”. Which would include a variety of analysts and talking heads coming on the show to debate Stephan A. different topics.
This is still a developing story and nothing has been made official. I love watching Max and Stephen A. go at it, I hope they stay together and get thru whatever they are going through. The departure It will cause an obvious void in the show and we can expect ratings to continue to fall. Other have reported that this could all be a publicity stunt to get viewers more engaged and watch the show again, if that’s so this is a sad attempt from ESPN.
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