Change is brewing at FS1 as Skip Bayless’ time at the network recently came to an end. While the network decides what to do next to try and catch ESPN in the ratings, there has been some speculation about who FS1 sees as the future of the network and one of the names being mentioned is Nick Wright.
Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy wrote on the topic earlier this week which included some things he had learned from talking to his sources in the industry. “I’m hearing FS1 could completely revamp its current lineup, canceling Bayless’s Undisputed, moving talent around to different or new shows…” and “According to my sources, FS1 executives believe First Things First star Nick Wright is the future of the network.”
Wright took to his podcast, What’s Wright? with Nick Wright to address the reports. He started the episode on the topic of Skip Bayless leaving and saying he wished there would have been a ‘victory lap’ week and that Bayless deserves more credit for what he has done in the industry. Wright also said he believes it was Bayless’ choice to end it the way he did and that he can respect that. Then, he began to address his situation.
“I am incredibly grateful that Skip took the chance he did, that Colin took the chance he did and then both of those people allowed me, when nobody knew who I was outside of Kansas City and Houston, to go on their platforms and very often tell them why they were wrong about stuff, and I was right,” he said.”
“…Now Skip leaves and there’s all these articles written – ‘Nick Wright is the new face of FS1.’ Wright went on to talk about the goals he has for his career and while he has added some, ultimately, he has always wanted to be looked at as “the biggest or the best sports talk guy in the country. I’m not there yet. Skip was on the top of that at one point, Colin’s been on the top of that, you know Stephen A’s obviously been on the top of that…I’ve never been on the top of it.
“I now feel like I’m in a place where I would get votes…but I am not there yet. So, I think people see ‘face of the network’ and they’re like ‘man Nick this is what you want’ and I’m here to tell you, yeah in theory of course it’s what I want and I’m also here to tell you it is absolutely, unequivocally, inaccurate to say it now. The face of FS1 is Colin Cowherd and he has been for some time. That is undeniable and right now the reason I get uncomfortable with folks…putting me in that is for two reasons, one is because it’s Colin. The other is I am not right now trying to be that because right now I’m not a solo act and don’t want to be right now. I am part of a team, and I get oddly emotional talking about this…so if those articles had said First Things First is now positioned to be the best show on the network or the biggest…I would take that. That is what I want, that is what we attempt to do every day. But positioning it as ‘Nick Wright’ is so wildly disrespectful to [co-hosts Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes] that it makes me uncomfortable.”
Wright talked about the seven-year anniversary of First Things First, which is coming up in less than a month. He says the show started to be successful when his current co-hosts joined him and he thinks any talk of him being out in front of anything is unfair to those guys.
“I just thought those articles were prematurely disrespectful to Colin. And I didn’t like it. And I also thought they were dismissive of Wildes and ‘Brou.'”
He then went on to say the people who reported the story could have called him to discuss it but then added he has not willingly talked with those same reporters in the past so he can understand why nobody may have called.
In closing, Wright said, “I am very aware of the supercharge that my career was given by Colin believing in me. And that is a type of blood loyalty that I will always be grateful for and never be dismissive of, ever…Do I want our show to be the biggest, best, number one show on the network? You’re [darn] right. Will that be a validation of me, personally? No. It’s a validation of what we’re doing collectively.”
