On the Thursday, Nov. 29, edition of ESPN’s popular morning debate show First Take, Stephen A. Smith will return to Dallas. He will be based at Texas Live! in Arlington to discuss, debate and preview that night’s prime-time NFL battle between two division-leading teams, the Dallas Cowboys hosting the New Orleans Saints.
First Take, ESPN’s popular morning debate show featuring Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and host Molly Qerim Rose, will hit the road the week of November 5. First Take airs weekdays on ESPN from 10 a.m. – noon ET.
ESPN dedicates a week of multiplatform content November 6-12 as part of the 10th annual America’s Heroes: A Salute to Our Veterans initiative. Highlights include SportsCenter from the U.S.S. Carl Vinson Navy Aircraft Carrier and First Take live from Luke Air Force Base in Arizona on Friday, Nov. 9.
ESPN senior writer Mina Kimes has agreed to a multiyear extension with ESPN, and will debut an NFL-themed podcast – Bootleg with Mina Kimes – is now available everywhere ESPN Audio podcasts are accessible. Kimes, who joined ESPN in May 2014, will continue to write for ESPN The Magazine, as well as maintain a presence across a variety of programming including: as a regular panelist on Around the Horn; as a co-host on The Morning Roast on ESPN Radio with Domonique Foxworth and Clinton Yates; guesting on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz and Highly Questionable; as a debater on First Take; as a contributor to E:60; appearances on Get Up!; and more.
On Monday, Sept. 3, First Take – with featured commentators Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman, and hosted by Molly Qerim – will permanently move to ESPN’s New York Seaport District Studios. The debut will showcase an updated look, while bringing all of the analysis and debate that viewers know and love. Production for the program will continue out of ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., headquarters. Additional details about the September 3 debut will be released later.
ESPN’s First Take will have a week of “Two-a-Days” beginning Monday, July 2, with a morning edition from 10 a.m. – Noon ET on ESPN2, followed by NBA Free Agency specials live from 4:30-6 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Many of ESPN’s weekday daytime studio shows saw audience growth in the last month over March 2017 (P2+). In addition, a number of shows saw an increase among viewers 18-34, including four separate editions of SportsCenter.
ESPN’s First Take earned its most-viewed February ever, across multiple demos including viewers P2+, M18-49, M25-29, P18-34 and P18-49. The month also notched a 16% overall audience gain over the previous year, averaging 499,000 viewers (P2+, Nielsen’s February 2018: January 29 – February 25, Nielsen’s February 2017: January 30 – February 26).
ESPN’s First Take viewership was up 16% for Wednesday, Jan. 31, through Friday, Feb. 2, while Stephen A. Smith was live from Minnesota for Super Bowl LII, compared to Wednesday – Friday before the Super Bowl last year (461,000 vs. 398,000, P2+, according to Nielsen). The all-star guest lineup for the three shows included Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg, Todd Gurley, Marcus Mariota, Travis Kelce, Dan Marino, Emmitt Smith, Von Miller, Kareem Hunt and more debating the Super Bowl, LeBron James and other NFL and NBA topics.
In January, ESPN’s First Take enjoyed a 7% increase in overall viewership over the previous year, averaging 503,000 viewers (P2+, Nielsen’s January 2018: January 1-28, Nielsen’s January 2017: December 26, 2016 – January 29). The month also saw an increase of 13% for women (F2+) compared to the same month last year (103,000 vs. 91,000) and an increase of 6% for men (M2+, 399,000 vs 377,000). This increase comes after First Take capped off 2017 with its most-viewed year ever.
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