Stephen A. Smith ‘First Take’ Show Faces Huge Drop In Viewership After Max Kellerman Exit

Stephen A. Smith as a television personality, especially on ESPN’s ‘First Take.’ However, it seems the show underwent a huge change recently that didn’t do it any favors.

‘First Take’ co-host Max Kellerman left the show earlier this month and as a result, ESPN’s ‘First Take’ has seen a huge drop in ratings. Smith himself previously stated that the show needs changes and it seems now he will have to reap what he sowed.

After Kellerman’s exit, ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption is now leading the ratings by a huge margin. Other shows such as Around the Horn and also Even Get Up, the early morning sports TV show that precedes First Take, have overtaken ‘First Take’ in ratings as reported by OutKick’s Bobby Burack.

Stephen A. said on radio he saw numbers that suggested @FirstTake‘s viewers wanted Max Kellerman off. The early ratings say otherwise. This week, First Take is losing to Get Up and NFL Live, in addition to PTI and ATH: FT: 398k Get Up: 408k NFL Live: 413k ATH: 469k PTI: 652k

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Smith previously called his relationship with Max “not a great partnership” on Ebro’s Hot 97 radio show in early September

“Yes I did. We don’t have a bad relationship. I think he’s a real good guy. I appreciate what he did for the show. We were number one for five years. We stayed number one, and I appreciate that.

In the nine years I’ve been at First Take I’ve given over 33,000 takes. And what a lot of people don’t realize is, not just the work that goes into that, but also the fact that there’s a chemistry that you have and sometimes, it just stalls.”

We will have to wait and see what the future holds for ‘First Take’ as it certainly seems bleak at this point in time.

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