When FOX Sports announced their new lineup of studio shows on FS1 back in August of 2024, the network was in a state of transition. Working away from the era of Skip Bayless and Undisputed and into becoming a network utilizing a dynamic roster of sports talk personalities from around the country. Mark Schlereth was added to the new daily programming lineup hosting the network’s two-hour morning show Breakfast Ball, alongside co-hosts Craig Carton and Danny Parkins.
The announcement positioned FS1 to provide sports fans another option for daytime sports television with a shift away from the hot take and sports debate model in the mornings the daypart had become known for. Now nearly a year after the network’s announcement, Schlereth says that Breakfast Ball is continuing to aim for a different style of program that allows the audience a choice for sports on morning television.
“What we’re trying to present is an alternative. Something new, something fresh. Building a show and finding an audience it just takes time,” said Schlereth. “I don’t feel pressure if we don’t make this happen, or if we don’t get a certain rating by this time. I just think of it more from the standpoint of let’s just keep getting together. Let’s just keep having fun, keep creating good content, and eventually my hope is that we find a large audience.”
Schlereth joined FOX Sports in 2017 after 16 years at ESPN following a 12-year career in the NFL. While serving as a game analyst on the NFL on FOX broadcasts, Schlereth also hosted a weekday radio program on Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan alongside co-host Mike Evans.
When he was contacted by FOX about Breakfast Ball in early August of last year, the show launched just weeks after the pitch was made which left no large amount of time to develop a working relationship with either of his new co-hosts. While Schlereth says that he took an offer he couldn’t refuse from FOX, he understands he’s still growing into the role of host on the program.
“It’s been a real challenge for me because I never hosted anything. Part of it is figuring out a system that works for me,” Schlereth said. “I don’t know how much Breakfast Ball has evolved, it has to some degree. I think from a chemistry standpoint for me as a host learning that business and learning how to do something I’ve never done 25 years of television. That was a real challenge for me, but it’s getting to be very comfortable.”
Schlereth says he works with a producer on Breakfast Ball every morning who writes out his scripts for him to use on camera, only to have work through them and re-write if needed for air as Schlereth has battled dyslexia for his entire life.
He felt a lot of anxiety as he was finding himself struggle to read elements during the show, but leaning on the hosting experience of Carton and Parkins from their previous radio backgrounds in New York and Chicago is helping with his transition into the host role.
“Those guys are awesome, and they’re so young. Both of them are so good at what they do, and honestly when you look at it, you’re like why do you guys have me in this role,” Schlereth joked. “They’re incredible when it comes to the value they bring to the show.”
Balancing Breakfast Ball With 104.3 The Fan In Denver
The biggest question about Schlereth’s role with Breakfast Ball was what that would mean for his morning radio program in Denver, which he has hosted for nine years on Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan. While he has adjusted his schedule to only work the final two hours of the program, he now joins the program immediately following his television duties and dials in for the radio program from his New York studio space.
With Schlereth not solely focused on the Denver sports scene like he once was, the prep for the radio program surrounds a text chain where talent and producers can share ideas for topics, guests, and show content. By working in his role with the NFL on FOX and Breakfast Ball, it allows him time for a similar amount of prep but the aim for the radio show in Denver is more geared for entertaining the listener.
“Most people who listen to us while driving in Denver in the morning, I would say there’s a majority of people that are driving to a job that they don’t like,” noted Schlereth. “My job I’ve always felt is to entertain those people. My hope would be at some point during the course of the day, after whatever they do for a living, laugh and say to themselves that dude is an idiot. That’s my goal, I want to entertain.”
What helps drive the entertainment of the morning show on 104.3 The Fan has been the addition of former Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley, who joined the program in September of last year. Schlereth said he loved the addition of Stokley to morning show as he brings another valuable perspective and attitude to the program being a former NFL player himself.
“‘Stoke’ is a great guy. He plays the role of the Cajun idiot, he plays that role really well,” said Schlereth. “‘Stoke,’ like me, spent his entire adult life in a locker room. He’s really good at busting balls, and he’s great at taking it as well. There is there’s a great give-and-take, it’s very much a locker room kind of environment.”
Working alongside another former pro athlete on the radio is something that Schlereth doesn’t take for granted. Through his experience in radio, he sees how the challenges with the current Nielsen PPM ratings setup have had a major impact on how sales teams and stations can determine their level of investment in talent.
A Warning For Television Networks Regarding Athlete Analysts
Schlereth also is a student of media, and how the current landscape of television media is shaped. As current athletes continue to begin their own media careers, he noteed this could be an issue for television networks in the very near future when it comes to recruiting talent.
“It’s going to be hard to find analysts that are really devoted to the craft that are really gonna work. That’s an industry issue,” said Schlereth. “If you can just go and create a podcast like Micah Parsons or the Kelce brothers, and sell a podcast for $100 million, that’s incredible. It’s going to be harder find guys that are going to go to the studio, fly across the nation, and do whatever when they look at it like ‘man I can just catch on with a podcast and do it from my house. I’ll get the equipment, sponsors, and it becomes very popular. Plus, I got a network of guys that play currently that will come on. I can make I can make more money doing that.”
Despite the grind of two weekly programs with one on television and one on radio, a twice a week podcast and weekly duties traveling the country calling games for the NFL on FOX; Schlereth’s mindset going into every one of his ventures has always surrounded having fun.
As competitive as Schlereth was on the football field, he is as competitive off it as long as it all revolves around fun. At 59-years-old with over 20 years of experience in the media, Schlereth is not looking to slow down anytime soon.
“The football season becomes really tiring, call me in November and I’ll tell you yeah I’m thinking about cutting black,” joked Schlereth. “But bottom line, man life is good.”
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
