One of the most shocking developments in the sports media world will have a swift resolution.
Earlier this week, longtime host Molly Qerim announced that she would be leaving “First Take.” Qerim was a host and moderator on the debate show for a decade, rising to a new level of stardom at the network with Stephen A. Smith.
Qerim’s departure means that the network’s most popular show needs a new host – and ESPN says it won’t waste time finding one. In an interview with The Athletic, ESPN’s Burke Magnus explained the timeline for determining Qerim’s successor.
Magnus, ESPN’s president of content, told The Athletic that the process to find Qerim’s replacement will take between 30 and 45 days.
A Time of Change at ESPN
The decision is an important one, as the new host will be taking over in the middle of the NFL and college football seasons.
The new NBA season will also begin during the tryout period, another sport that is covered extensively on “First Take.”
Qerim’s departure shows how the show has changed over the last several years. After years of Smith debating Skip Bayless or Max Kellerman, “First Take” now features a rotating cast of panelists who discuss the day’s sports news.
ESPN has doubled down on Smith with a lucrative new contract, and expanded roles on broadcasts. He was – controversially – a focus of ESPN’s NBA playoff coverage, and reports suggest that he will soon become a larger part of the network’s NFL slate.
The quick move to find a new host for “First Take” seems to indicate that ESPN believes in Smith to carry the show, potentially with new faces every single day. Smith is the most visible figure in sports media, and ESPN will now lean on that visibility to keep “First Take” as one of the biggest shows in all of sports television.
Qerim’s Message to Fans and Colleagues
“After much reflection, I’ve decided it’s time to close this incredible chapter and step away from First Take,” Qerim said in an Instagram post this week. She had worked at ESPN since 2006, initially joining in its mobile and digital divisions.
“Hosting this show has been one of the greatest honors of my career. Every morning, I had the privilege of sharing the desk with some of the most brilliant, passionate, and entertaining voices in sports — and with all of you, the best fans in the world.”
Magnus explained that Qerim appeared to make the decision to leave the show out of a desire to pursue other opportunities.
“I read a lot of stuff on X. There’s no controversy here. There’s no shoe that’s going to drop. She’s an awesome person. You know, it’s business,” he said.
“You try your best and we just weren’t totally aligned. I totally respect her interest, in rather than going into a less defined situation, to make a clean break and try to do other things outside of ESPN.”
