Stephen A. Smith’s ‘First Take’ Ratings Take A Nose Dive After Max Kellerman Leaves

The First Take Ratings are in!

Stephen A. Smith and ESPN’s show First Take have seen their ratings drop drastically following the departure of Max Kellerman. Smith, who acknowledged that First Take needed a change, now faces an early decline in numbers that has reportedly landed the show amongst the worst at ESPN. Although Smith believes his ratings were dipping with Max.

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Stephen A. Smith Assigns Blame For What Happened With Max Kellerman https://t.co/TFVlt1fFar

— SideAction (@SideActionHQ) September 30, 2021

Quite the contrary, since Max’s departure, the show is no longer #1, which it was when Max was on the show.

ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption is ahead of First Take, followed by Around the Horn. et Up, the early morning sports TV show that precedes First Take, also has a higher viewing audience than Smith’s show.

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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

— Bobby Burack (@burackbobby_) September 24, 2021

Kellerman served as the co-host on First Take for the last five years.

Since being kicked off Fist Take, Max joined Keyshawn Johnson and Jay Williams on their own ESPN morning radio show. Max also has a new show, This Just In, which premiered on September 14th.

It would be fantastic if Max’s new show can pull higher numbers than First Take.

We’ll have to wait and see how that shakes out…

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