Skip Bayless' net worth: How much is Skip worth currently?

Skip Bayless' net worth: How much is Skip worth currently?

Helix Odhiambo
updated at April 21, 2023 at 8:02 AM

Skip Bayless is an American sports columnist and TV host. He previously worked as a commentator on ESPN2 before penning a contract with Fox Sports to host the Skip and Shannon: Undisputed show. Skip Bayless' net worth has grown significantly, making him one of the wealthiest sports hosts at Fox Sports.

How much does Skip Bayless make?
Skip Bayless attends the Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans of America 7th annual Heroes Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on 12 November 2013 in New York City. Photo: Steve Zak Photography
Source: Getty Images

The veteran TV personality has enjoyed a long career in the industry and made a fortune in life. So, does Skip Bayless have a wife? This article reveals Skip Bayless' net worth in 2023, his bio, his family, and other lesser-known facts about him.

Skip Bayless profile summary

Full Name

John Edward Bayless II

Nickname

Skip

Birth date

4 December 1951

Age

72 (as of April 2023)

Place of birth

Oklahoma City, United States

Height

1.78 m (5' 10")

Education

Vanderbilt University

Occupations

Sportswriter, TV sports commentator

Parents

Levita and John Sr. Bayless

Siblings

Rick Bayless

Niece

Lane Ann

Wife

Ernestine Sclafani

Net worth

$17 million

Social media

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

Skip Bayless' biography

John Edward grew up alongside his brother Rick in Oklahoma City. They used to work in a family-owned restaurant. Rick followed the family tradition and became a celebrity chef, while Skip pursued sports as a career.

Rick specialises in Mexican cuisine and has made a name for himself by hosting multiple PBS series. He has become a celebrity chef by opening numerous restaurants and winning various awards, including the Top Chef Masters. Rick reportedly cooked for Barack Obama at the White House and his restaurant.

Is Skip Bayless young?

Skip Bayless' house
The veteran journalist got featured on ESPN2's daily sports talk show, First Take, in a two-hour debate with Stephen A. Smith on 30 August 2013. Photo: Christopher Capozziello
Source: Getty Images

Skip Bayless' age is 71 years (as of April 2023). He was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. However, he changed his name from John after his father began calling him Skip, and the name instantly stuck.

Did Skip Bayless play basketball?

The veteran sports commentator loved playing baseball and basketball at Northwest Classen High School. He was also a sports columnist for the school newspaper in his junior and senior years. In the summer of 1969, he interned under sports editor Frank Boggs at The Daily Oklahoman.

John graduated in 1970 and earned the Grantland Rice Scholarship to pursue further studies at Vanderbilt University. Skip majored in English and History and graduated in 1974. He served as the sports editor of the university's student newspaper, The Hustler.

Skip's career

Skip Bayless' contract
Skip Bayless appearing on TV screens in the control room during the live filming of First Take, ESPN2's daily sports talk show, on 30 August 2013, at ESPN Headquarters. Photo: Christopher Capozziello
Source: Getty Images

The Oklahoma-born media personality has enjoyed a successful journalism career that began in 1974 at Miami Herald to Fox Sports. He has written for various national sports publications. Here is a timeline of his career journey and achievements.

Miami Herald

After graduation, the journalist joined the Miami Herald newspaper as a sports features writer. He spent two years working for the newspaper and then moved to LA Times.

Los Angeles Times

In August 1976, John moved to the Los Angeles Times. He won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Newspaper Writing in 1977 for covering the Seattle Slew's Triple Crown victory.

The Dallas Morning News

Skip Bayless' net worth in 2023
Woody Paige (L), Jay Crawford (M) and S. Bayless (R) during a broadcast of ESPN's Cold Pizza from the Super Bowl XL Media Center in Detroit, Michigan, on 30 January 2006. Photo: Al Messerschmidt
Source: Getty Images

Bayless moved to The Dallas Morning News as a lead sports columnist at 26. He published his first book in 1989, called God's Coach: The Hymns, Hype, and Hypocrisy of Tom Landry's Cowboys. He also had a short radio stint with the ESPN Radio show "The Fabulous Sports Babe" as a regular guest.

He won the Texas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association three times (1979, 1984, 1986).

Chicago Tribune

In 1998, he joined Chicago Tribune as a lead sports columnist. He won the Illinois Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association in 2000 for his outstanding work at Chicago Tribune.

ESPN

In 2004, ESPN hired him full-time to host a daily TV segment with Woody Paige. The segment got renamed "First Take," and he parted ways with the network in June 2016.

Fox Sports

Bayless signed for Fox Sports in 2016 and teamed up with Shannon Sharpe in their debut show, "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed." The show is available on Fox Sports 1.

Skip Bayless' contract

Skip Bayless' undisputed salary
TV sports commentators Skip Bayless (L) and Shannon Sharpe attend the 2016 IAVA Heroes Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on 10 November 2016 in New York City. Photo: Nicholas Hunt
Source: Getty Images

In 2021, the veteran media personality penned a four-year contract with Fox Sports worth $32 million. He is a phenomenal sports columnist, commentator, and TV host, who brings a lot to the station.

How much does Skip Bayless make a year?

According to sources, Skip Bayless' Undisputed salary is $8 million annually. He is among the best-paid NBA commentators. Fox Sports increased his pay to keep him in the show and prevent him from returning to ESPN.

Skip Bayless' net worth on Forbes

The sports columnist's net worth is $17 million from his journalism career. Skip has a 19-year career in the media industry. He has a reputation for being one of the best commentators in the NBA.

Skip Bayless' cars

The TV personality is fun of fast cars. He bought brands like ZR1 (Zora Racer One) with a 755 horsepower. In August 2022, the journalist got involved in a road rage incident while driving home from the Brentwood Country Club in his 800hp vehicle.

Skip Bayless' house

In 2020, Skip took his fans on a tour of his home studio during quarantine. He also showed other parts of his house, including the stairs and a horse racing trophy he won during his youth.

Is Skip from Undisputed married?

Does Skip Bayless have a wife?
Ernestine Sclafani and her husband got married in 2016. Photo: @ernestine.sclafani.bayless (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

The journalist had relationships with different women before meeting his wife, Ernestine Sclafani, in New York. He married Ernestine in 2016. So, does Skip Bayless have a kid? The Vanderbilt University graduate has always prioritised his career and is not keen on having children.

"On our first date, as she will attest, I said, 'Hey, if this happens to go anywhere, I'm sorry, but I'm declaring myself upfront, you'll always be no.2 to my job, which is my life, which is my passion." S. Bayless said.

Does Skip Bayless have a daughter?

The Fox Sports commentator has often focused on his career and always believed he would be a horrible father. He does not have a child with his wife or in previous relationships.

"I chose in my twenties, as I was coming up in this business, to not have children. I married not my high school sweetheart but my junior high sweetheart, and one reason we didn't make it was- I knew she wanted kids, and the deeper I got into my career, I knew- I just couldn't have kids." Skipp said.

Skip Bayless' net worth and salary have increased since he started his career in the media industry. The Undisputed host has never played professional sports like basketball and gymnastics, but he is a good analyst and commentator. He has inspired many people with his eloquence and achievements.

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Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.