Often it’s not the players or coaches, or even the officials that run the rule over them, who bear the brunt of fury from fans.
It’s the network analysts who bring the game the alive for Americans watching on TV at home.
Whether it’s their perceived bias toward certain teams — or an apparent lack of knowledge — viewers can find all manner of things to criticize.
But which pundits are the most loathed in America? And which are actually well-liked?
Today, DailyMail+ can unveil its inaugural Power List of sports media personalities.
Based on exclusive polling, our Power List sets out the definitive ranking of who American sports fans like and trust… and who they don’t.
DailyMail+ can reveal its Power List of America’s favorite sports media personalities, which sets out the definitive ranking of who fans trust and who they don’t
Our Power List captures public sentiment across several categories including likability, trustworthiness, perceived bias and knowledge.
And – trouncing the competition across the board – there’s one clear winner: Shaquille O’Neal.
The basketball great was a four-time NBA champion, 15-time All Star and one-time Most Valuable Player over the course of his legendary career.
So it’s little surprise he’s cleaned up in every category of our Power List.
After almost 15 years on Inside the NBA, which recently moved from TNT to ESPN, 53-year-old Shaq has clearly earned his way into fans’ hearts.
And, in a coup for ESPN, O’Neal’s Inside the NBA colleague Charles Barkley clocks in at second place.
Another former NBA MVP, Barkley, 62, may sometimes divide opinion with his hot takes, but it’s his wide breadth of knowledge that saw him claim the silver medal.
Indeed, a clear pattern emerges in the Power List showing that former athletes are seen as the best-informed pundits of the lot, with nine ex-players coming in the top 10 for knowledgeability.
Our ESPN mole was unsurprised by the Inside the NBA victory, saying: ‘When it comes to Shaq and Charles, they bounce off each other so naturally and everyone around them because they are just being themselves.
‘They are also fans themselves and understand that they are speaking for us all. They never sugar coat anything. If any NBA Superstar needs to hear if there’s a problem, they’ll hear it, whether they like it or not. What these two say is the truth.’
Languishing the opposite end of the Power List, however, is Skip Bayless, who received the lowest rating in four of the seven categories and finished in the bottom three for every other.
See the full Power List sports analyst rankings in our interactive tool
He is seen as particularly unlikeable and untruthful by sports fans. He was also the least likely to get a party invite from them.
Bayless, who has always been something of a divisive figure, abruptly left his Fox Sports show Undisputed in 2024 after almost eight years. He has since launched his own show on YouTube.
Earlier this year, he was named in a bombshell lawsuit by a former Fox Sports hairstylist who accuses him of offering her $1.5million for sex.
Bayless denies the allegation and did not respond to a request for comment.
As for his dismal Power List ranking, one ex-colleague said: ‘We used to banter on-air and he’d say some real a**hole things. He’s always wrong.
‘I thought that was just about being on TV. But if you spend time with him off-screen, it’s the same. If you say the sky is blue, he tells you it’s yellow. It can be funny at first but it gets old, fast.’
Also named in that shock lawsuit was Joy Taylor, who stands accused in the suit of sleeping with colleagues to enhance her career, and who was herself recently ousted from Fox Sports after a nine-year stint as a host.
Taylor, 38, also denies the allegations against her, and didn’t respond to a request of comment – but, like Bayless, she also suffered in our Power List, ranking third from last in the overall standings. On perceived knowledgeability, she came dead last.
Click below to see how sports analysts ranked in each category
Shaquille O’Neal is a clear winner in our Power List after coming out on top in every category
Back at the top of the leaderboard, meanwhile, is another ESPN star: former quarterback and host of Monday Night Football, Troy Aikman ranks as America’s third favorite pundit.
The ex-Dallas Cowboys star, 58, is recognized for his deep knowledge of football, as well as his sense of fun and truthfulness.
However, and perhaps thanks to his loyalty to his former team, his ranking suffered when it came to how biased viewers think he is.
As our ESPN mole put it: ‘With Troy, he also tells it like it is. He’s knowledgeable and not a dumb jock.’
Michael Strahan, the New York Giants star who recently announced his retirement as a longtime host on ABC’s Good Morning America, comes in fourth place.
While another ex-Cowboys quarterback, CBS’ Tony Romo, is behind him in fifth.
In sixth place, is Erin Andrews – the highest-ranking woman on our Power List.
The 47-year-old Fox pundit is seen as likeable, truthful and knowledgeable. But performed best in the category of which sportscasters viewers would most like to invite to a party. She placed third behind O’Neal and Barkley.
A surprisingly weak ranking came in the form of NFL titan Tom Brady.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner – and perhaps the most famous entrant on the Power List – was only voted America’s eighth favorite analyst.
Indeed, despite his widely accepted status as the greatest quarterback of all time, 47-year-old Brady suffered when it came to perceived bias, ranking second last.
In all other categories, Brady – who has a reported $375 million deal as a commentator for Fox – struggled to make it out from the middle of the pack.
A source said: ‘People either love or hate Tom Brady because he is the GOAT [Greatest of All Time]. But, he always seems to succeed whether you like him or not.’
Former Fox Sports personality Skip Bayless was voted as America’s least favorite analyst
Joy Taylor, who is out at Fox after failing to earn a new contract, was the the third least popular
Tom Brady’s legendary status as a quarterback hasn’t followed him to the broadcasting booth, with the seven-time Super Bowl winner down in eighth
The only person to beat Brady to the position of most biased host was Stephen A. Smith.
The 57-year-old ESPN analyst struggled across the board. And, in a blow for somebody who has made career out of sports commentary, he also ranked as the least fun and the least likeable pundit
Smith has flirted with the possibility of running for president in recent months after emerging as a shock candidate for the Democratic Party.
Though he may want to reconsider his popular appeal after seeing these results.
One former staff said: ‘He’s just negative. The stuff he says on-air is really negative, and that’s literally who he is. People think he’s playing a character, that he’s somehow a nice guy off camera. He’s not. He’s sour and unpleasant.’
Stephen A. Smith was deemed the nation’s second least popular sports analyst in our list
Neither Smith nor Brady responded to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, like Brady, Jason Kelce – brother of Travis and Philadelphia Eagles star turned Monday Night Football pundit – earned a surprisingly lukewarm reception.
Kelce only retired last year before pivoting to commentary, which perhaps explains why he failed to rank highly in any Power List category.
Finally, ex-NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe was voted America’s ninth favorite sports analyst.
The former Denver Bronco stepped away from ESPN First Take earlier this year after being hit by a shock rape lawsuit, which has since been settled.
His fellow ESPN star and former punter Pat McAfee completed the top 10.
Last week we launched the DailyMail+ Power List by revealing the best-loved (and most loathed) morning-show hosts and news media stars.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll bring you our power list rankings for more figures in the world of media, US politics, fashion and sport.
