ESPN’s First Take wrapped July with a double-digit ratings gain over the same month last year, continuing a streak of year-to-year audience growth.
July marked the 12th consecutive month that First Take’s ratings improved over the same period a year earlier. The morning show, hosted by Molly Qerim and with lead panelist Stephen A. Smith, averaged 363,000 daily viewers for the month, a 26 percent gain over July 2022. That’s the largest percentage growth of any month in the current streak.
“First Take continues to innovate and produce results, and this is the latest example of that,” David Roberts, head of event and studio production for ESPN, said in a statement. “It is the place fans turn for authentic reaction to impactful moments and topics in the sports world. Stephen A., Molly and the signature weekly guests connect with fans in a way that is unmatched.”
Said Smith, “This is what we do!
July marked the 12th consecutive month that First Take’s ratings improved over the same period a year earlier. The morning show, hosted by Molly Qerim and with lead panelist Stephen A. Smith, averaged 363,000 daily viewers for the month, a 26 percent gain over July 2022. That’s the largest percentage growth of any month in the current streak.
“First Take continues to innovate and produce results, and this is the latest example of that,” David Roberts, head of event and studio production for ESPN, said in a statement. “It is the place fans turn for authentic reaction to impactful moments and topics in the sports world. Stephen A., Molly and the signature weekly guests connect with fans in a way that is unmatched.”
Said Smith, “This is what we do!
- 8/2/2023
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On Monday, ESPN hosts Mike Greenberg and Stephen A. Smith might be called for going offsides.
With coverage expected to center on this Sunday’s NFC match-up between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, hosts and analysts from two of ESPN’s popular morning programs, “Get Up” and “First Take” will cross lines, so to speak, and appear across both shows’ time slots. Smith, Greenberg, Michael Irvin, Molly Qerim, Rex Ryan, Dan Orlovsky and more will make appearances across the two shows’ four hours and analyze weekend NFL play as well as discuss a game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers schedule for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”
“The dynamic will be memorable, if not unpredictable,” says David Roberts, ESPN’s head of NBA and studio production, who oversees the morning programs, in an interview.
ESPN at present doesn’t appear to have plans to make the cross-over event a regular thing,...
With coverage expected to center on this Sunday’s NFC match-up between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, hosts and analysts from two of ESPN’s popular morning programs, “Get Up” and “First Take” will cross lines, so to speak, and appear across both shows’ time slots. Smith, Greenberg, Michael Irvin, Molly Qerim, Rex Ryan, Dan Orlovsky and more will make appearances across the two shows’ four hours and analyze weekend NFL play as well as discuss a game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers schedule for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”
“The dynamic will be memorable, if not unpredictable,” says David Roberts, ESPN’s head of NBA and studio production, who oversees the morning programs, in an interview.
ESPN at present doesn’t appear to have plans to make the cross-over event a regular thing,...
- 10/13/2022
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Whether you’re an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers or have dreams of being courtside at a Celtics game, ESPN’s “First Take” has the commentary you need to stay up to date with all trending sports news.
You can stream all the episodes of “First Take” on the ESPN app from any device and ESPN.com.
Live episodes of the show air Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until noon Est. However, you can catch repeat episodes on ESPN2 every day at noon Est and on ESPN News from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Est. Past episodes of the show are also uploaded on ESPN’s YouTube channel.
Let’s get into other interesting facts about ESPN’s “First Take.”
What Does “First Take” Talk About?
“First Take” is a debate show where the host, Molly Qerim Rose, is joined by commentator Stephen A. Smith and other A-list guests and analysts.
You can stream all the episodes of “First Take” on the ESPN app from any device and ESPN.com.
Live episodes of the show air Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until noon Est. However, you can catch repeat episodes on ESPN2 every day at noon Est and on ESPN News from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Est. Past episodes of the show are also uploaded on ESPN’s YouTube channel.
Let’s get into other interesting facts about ESPN’s “First Take.”
What Does “First Take” Talk About?
“First Take” is a debate show where the host, Molly Qerim Rose, is joined by commentator Stephen A. Smith and other A-list guests and analysts.
- 4/19/2022
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
As the Los Angeles Angels’ pitcher-slugger Shohei Ohtani moves toward a Major League Baseball feat that has not been accomplished since Babe Ruth, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith went on First Take Monday morning to say Ohtani’s discomfort with speaking English in interviews hurts the marketability of the sport.
Asked directly by First Take host Molly Qerim if it was good for MLB “that Ohtani’s the top attraction,” Smith replied, “Not to me.” He then went on to explain: “If you are a star and you need an interpreter…that might have something to do with your inability to ingratiate yourself with that young demographic to attract them to the sport.
“Baseball is in trouble,” said Smith. “The audience for Major League Baseball repeatedly gets older. It’s not getting younger. That younger demographic, which is the target for all the advertisers and sponsors…that’s the NBA and the NFL.
Asked directly by First Take host Molly Qerim if it was good for MLB “that Ohtani’s the top attraction,” Smith replied, “Not to me.” He then went on to explain: “If you are a star and you need an interpreter…that might have something to do with your inability to ingratiate yourself with that young demographic to attract them to the sport.
“Baseball is in trouble,” said Smith. “The audience for Major League Baseball repeatedly gets older. It’s not getting younger. That younger demographic, which is the target for all the advertisers and sponsors…that’s the NBA and the NFL.
- 7/13/2021
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Molly Qerim knew that she would have a career in the media hence armed herself with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s in broadcast journalism. She worked for various networks before winding up at ESPN, and perhaps her skills are what saved her from the massive layoff at the network. She has always been a sports fan, so it is no surprise that she was on shows like “Fantasy Football Now” that led her to win an Emmy Award. Now she is the face of “First Take,” and Molly is not slowing down until she achieves what is
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Molly Qerim...
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Molly Qerim...
- 2/14/2020
- by Jennifer Borama
- TVovermind.com
Charles Barkley Hates Lavar Ball -- blasting the Big Baller as an "idiot" who should never be allowed on television again! "Wherever Lavar Ball is, there's a village missing an idiot," Barkley said ... "We should just keep Lavar off television. That would be the best way to be." Barkley's newest anti-lavar stance comes in the wake of another Ball controversy -- he's been under fire for comments he made on-air to ESPN's Molly Qerim ... comments ESPN deemed "completely inappropriate.
- 6/24/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Molly Qerim is breaking her silence after the Lavar Ball incident on "First Take" -- telling TMZ Sports she's grateful for the way ESPN execs "had my back" after the way Lavar talked to her on-air. "ESPN was really supportive," Qerim told us Tuesday morning in NYC ... "All the executives had my back. Much appreciated." The network quickly condemned Ball's comments to Qerim on Monday as "inappropriate" -- when he told her, "You can switch gears with me anytime.
- 6/18/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
12:38 Pm Pt -- ESPN issued a statement ... saying, "Lavar Ball’s comment to Molly Qerim Rose was completely inappropriate and we made him aware of that." Lavar Ball is adamant the comments he made on-air to ESPN's Molly Qerim on Monday were not intended to be "sexual in nature" ... despite the way it sounded on live TV. The head of the Big Baller Brand appeared on "First Take" to discuss the blockbuster trade that sent his son,...
- 6/17/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Join our newsletter to get more stories like this This week, a WWE superstar will get a special opportunity to host one of the biggest shows on ESPN — First Take. The talk show featuring Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman is normally hosted by Molly Qerim, but there will be someone new at the desk on New Year’s Eve and January 2. Which WWE superstar will host ESPN First Take? Charly Caruso, the backstage interviewer from Monday Night Raw, will get to host ESPN First Take during both of those shows, giving her a great gift to send out […]
The post WWE superstar to host ESPN First Take, talks about choosing ESPN over WWE appeared first on Monsters and Critics.
The post WWE superstar to host ESPN First Take, talks about choosing ESPN over WWE appeared first on Monsters and Critics.
- 12/31/2018
- by Shawn S. Lealos
- Monsters and Critics
Facebook will offer exclusive live coverage from eight PGA tournaments leading up to into the FedExCup Playoffs, teeing off this weekend with the Travelers Championship.
The Facebook Watch will carry 60-plus hours of live streamed coverage this summer from the Quicken Loans National; A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier; John Deere Classic; Rbc Canadian Open; World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational; Wyndham Championship; and The Northern Trust.
“No matter if it’s a weekend foursome or water-cooler conversation about a top moment on Tour, golf brings people together,” Devi Mahadevia, Facebook’s North America live sports programming lead, said in a statement. “So we’re delighted to partner with the PGA Tour to help it reach new fans and deliver interactive, live coverage on Facebook that taps into the social nature of the sport.”
Facebook has been aggressively courting sports programming for Watch, precisely because sports– and teams — are good at building community and fostering conversation.
The Facebook Watch will carry 60-plus hours of live streamed coverage this summer from the Quicken Loans National; A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier; John Deere Classic; Rbc Canadian Open; World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational; Wyndham Championship; and The Northern Trust.
“No matter if it’s a weekend foursome or water-cooler conversation about a top moment on Tour, golf brings people together,” Devi Mahadevia, Facebook’s North America live sports programming lead, said in a statement. “So we’re delighted to partner with the PGA Tour to help it reach new fans and deliver interactive, live coverage on Facebook that taps into the social nature of the sport.”
Facebook has been aggressively courting sports programming for Watch, precisely because sports– and teams — are good at building community and fostering conversation.
- 6/20/2018
- by Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
Sports stars, fans and commentators alike mourned the death of Kathy Berman, the wife of legendary Espn sportscaster Chris Berman, after she died in a car accident in rural Connecticut on Tuesday.
Connecticut State Police told Patch that a vehicle driven by Edward Bertulis, 87, was struck in the back by the Lexus Kathy was driving while both were traveling eastbound on Sherman Hill Road in Woodbury.
Kathy’s car veered off the road down an embankment and overturned in a small body of water, while Bertulis’ vehicle crashed into utility pole and landed upside down in the center of the road.
Connecticut State Police told Patch that a vehicle driven by Edward Bertulis, 87, was struck in the back by the Lexus Kathy was driving while both were traveling eastbound on Sherman Hill Road in Woodbury.
Kathy’s car veered off the road down an embankment and overturned in a small body of water, while Bertulis’ vehicle crashed into utility pole and landed upside down in the center of the road.
- 5/10/2017
- by Stephanie Petit
- PEOPLE.com
If Molly Qerim can control “First Take” analysts Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman, and survive former side-kick Skip Bayless — then there’s nothing she can’t handle. The Espn host took the reins from Cari Champion 18 months ago, and since then she’s proven that she’s not to be taken lightly. Whether it’s keeping her outspoken colleagues in check or forwarding the sports conversation to prove that she can keep up with the big boys, Qerim has more than earned her stripes on the high-energy debate show. Also Read: Espn Names Samantha Ponder, Suzy Kolber and Trey Wingo...
- 3/31/2017
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
As the host of Espn’s top debate show “First Take,” Molly Qerim is automatically thrust into the middle of every sports news topic — including whether the New England Patriots should visit President Trump in the White House to celebrate their win. Sitting between analysts Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman in the Bristol, Connecticut, studio, she says her job is to “move the conversation forward, to play devil’s advocate, to bring up points of order so we can touch on a lot of different topics.” Also Read: New England Patriots' Donald Trump White House Visit Is Set “When...
- 3/30/2017
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
It’s been five months since First Take co-host Skip Bayless left Espn, and now the Worldwide Leader is hoping to boost the show’s sagging vierwership by moving it from ESPN2 to the Mothership. The yell-fest hosted by Stephen A. Smith and Bayless’ replacement Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim will replace the stalwart morning SportsCenter block beginning January 3. The two hours of SportsCenter that airs from 10 Am-noon Et, will move to ESPN2, also on January 3. SportsCenter Fa…...
- 11/11/2016
- Deadline TV
“First Take,” which airs on ESPN2, will move on up to regular ol’ Espn next year. The Stephen A. Smith-Max Kellerman debate program will basically swap spots with “SportsCenter” beginning Tuesday, Jan. 3. “First Take” runs live from 10 a.m. Et to noon, which will not change. The former “Cold Pizza” will still re-air on ESPN2 daily. Molly Qerim moderates “First Take.” Also Read: Skip Bayless Reveals Why Espn Almost Canceled 'First Take' We couched the switch with “basically” because it’s actually a bit confusing. “SportsCenter Face to Face,” an interview-based show hosted by Hannah Storm, will take the first ESPN2 hour.
- 11/11/2016
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
“First Take” has named a variety of Espn Radio hosts as temporary replacements for Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith on the television network’s hit morning show starting July 11. Smith is on vacation and Bayless, who left Espn for Fox Sports, has not been permanently replaced yet. In the meantime, Molly Qerim will host the show with a rotating group of radio personalities. Steve Mason and John Ireland will join the show on Monday, while Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman will embrace debate on Tuesday. Peter Rosenberg, Don La Greca and Rick Dipietro will appear on Wednesday with Freddie Coleman and Bomani Jones taking.
- 7/7/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Currently keeping Espn’s Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless in check on “First Take,” host Molly Qerim is also joining “Mike & Mike” as a contributor on Monday, Feb. 8, TheWrap has exclusively learned. Qerim will expand her profile by appearing on Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic’s weekday morning show on ESPN2 during its final two hours from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Et before then heading to “First Take.” “Mike & Mike,” which has been on the air since October 1998, will also be moving into a new Bristol, Connecticut, studio on Feb. 8, the day after Super Bowl 50. Also Read: NFL to Host.
- 2/1/2016
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.