Shannon Sharpe Pulls the Plug on Nightcap Tour Amid $50M Assault Lawsuit

Shannon Sharpe is pressing pause on his 2025 Nightcap NSFW Tour with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, which has been postponed until 2026.

The announcement comes as Sharpe fights a $50 million sexual assault lawsuit that has sent shockwaves through sports and media circles.

“We’ve decided to postpone the Nightcap tour,” Sharpe said on the May 23rd episode of their podcast. “We look forward to seeing you guys in the summer of 2026…But Ocho and I have come to the conclusion that this is the best thing as of right now.”

The original eight-city tour was slated to begin June 13th in Baltimore with stops in Philadelphia, Charlotte, Detroit, and Los Angeles. But serious legal issues are now taking center stage.

Filed in Nevada on April 20th, the lawsuit accuses Sharpe of sexual battery, emotional abuse, and rape during a two-year “rocky consensual relationship.” Jane Doe claims Sharpe secretly recorded intimate encounters and once threatened her life. She alleges two separate rapes, including one in January without protection. Sharpe has denied all allegations. His attorney, Lanny J. Davis, slammed the suit as “filled with lies” and called it a “cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe.”

Sharpe has also taken a break from ESPN’s First Take, saying, “I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations.”

Fans are being told to hold onto their tickets for the tour’s 2026 return.