"We try our best to respect the game and showcase and display it in a fashion that might be a little bit more appetizing for a different group of people that are watching alongside the best play commentators on Earth."
"With a potential $60 million-$65 million annual extension reportedly waiting in the wings, ESPN is clearly wanting to make a significant investment in his future. Whether you love McAfee, tolerate him or cannot stand him, there is little denying his ability to generate attention."
"Those numbers came from 'Speak' and 'Undisputed.' Some would say the name [Speakeasy] was generated because it wasn't so much different than speak easy. Where y'all get that name from? It's so cool. Speak. Easy."
"Viewers know exactly what they're getting from First Take, just as they know what to expect from Pardon the Interruption. When a formula continues to deliver results and remains central to a show's identity, changing it during growing success rarely makes sense."
"This is a business. You can't tie your emotions into business, and I think Ryan Clark naturally did that. Does that make him a bad person? Absolutely not."
"You will not make me hate my experience with ESPN. What I've been able to garner with the face of sports media in Stephen A. Smith is something that I'll take to my grave."
"Proven chemistry is difficult to manufacture. ESPN already knows this pairing works. With another opening on First Take, the easiest decision may also be the smartest one."
"We look forward to honoring the content that moved audiences in 2026 and continuing the Gracies’ long-standing investment in the people who will shape what comes next.”