Skip Bayless, other FS1 'opinionists' under pressure to debate sports that air on network

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Skip Bayless, Colin Cowherd, Jason Whitlock and the rest of the "opinionists" at Fox Sports 1 should study up on baseball, NASCAR, UFC and international soccer. With the sudden firing of FS1 chief Jamie Horowitz last week, the pressure is on FS1 studio talent to talk more about sports that actually air on their network rather than debate LeBron James, Steph Curry and the Cowboys ad nauseam. That's what Sporting News is hearing from multiple sources about the future of FS1's studio shows post-Horowitz, the aggressive young exec who recruited Bayless, Cowherd, Whitlock and other talents to FS1.

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How often does the "Undisputed" crew — Bayless, Shannon Sharpe and Joy Taylor — debate LeBron, Curry and the NBA, which airs on rival networks ESPN and TNT, rather than sports that air on FS1? Too often. How often do Colin Cowherd and Kristine Leahy on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," and Cowherd and Whitlock on "Speak for Yourself," debate MLB, NASCAR, UFC or international soccer? Not enough, considering these leagues are in business with their network. ESPN doesn't make the same mistake. In fact, the Worldwide Leader in Sports is notorious for virtually ignoring sports with which it doesn't have a TV deal. Just ask the long-forgotten NHL. Yes, I know FS1 has "NASCAR RaceDay" and another studio show for international soccer. Yes, I know Fox Sports also owns 20 or so regional sports networks that carry the NBA, MLB, the NHL and other sports. But the truth is you're more likely to hear a debate about Lonzo Ball's summer league game on the two biggest shows — "Undisputed" and "SFY" — than about baseball stars Mike Trout and Jose Altuve, NASCAR drivers like Kyle Busch and Danica Patrick, or UFC fighters like Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes.

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"There's a disconnect. These debate shows are still going on and on about the NBA — which ended a month ago — and there's not enough about MLB which is in the middle of a season," one source told SN. "Jamie would protect those guys if they still wanted to talk NBA. But Jamie is gone." Another source was equally blunt: "Look, (FS1) airs MLB, UFC and soccer — and all these studio shows ever seem to talk about is the NFL and NBA. They have to reflect what’s actually on FS1 — and what drives ratings." Said a third source: "These debate shows don't make sense given what’s actually on FS1. It's like they're switching viewers in and out."

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