American Idol: Should Ryan Seacrest Stay or Go?

Ahead of the January 18 premiere of American Idol, speculation has it that host Ryan Seacrest may not return when his contract expires after Season 11.

Whether Ryan Seacrest returns to American Idol or not, there’s no debating that Seacrest has done well for himself since the debut of Idol in 2002. Ryan Seacrest not only filled the shoes of longtime radio host and music personality Dick Clark (not to mention Casey Kasem and Rick Dees) but Seacrest has also become a force in the industry as an executive producer.

Although Ryan Seacrest reportedly makes $15 million per year from his American Idol contract, which is set to expire after this season, Seacrest also has a $45 million multi-year contract with E! (he currently executive produces Keeping Up with the Kardashians) and other producing ventures in film and television.

As well, recent rumors have Ryan Seacrest as a possible replacement for Matt Lauer on the Today show if Lauer decides to leave when his contract expires this year.

So, since Ryan Seacrest has so much going on professionally, does it make sense for Seacrest to remain on American Idol?

Should he stay?

American idol without Ryan Seacrest as host may be risky for the network. When something’s not broken, why try to fix it? Although American Idol has survived the exits of both Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell with Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, Seacrest is still one of the major faces of Idol.

If anything, the importance of Seacrest on the show became all the more evident in the post Paula/Simon years. From a brand standpoint, Ryan Seacrest is safe to both viewers and the network. He’s a popular face on American Idol and he’s part of a recipe that works.

From a Ryan Seacrest standpoint, when you’re making $15 million a year, there’s a good chance you’re going to miss that type of money when it’s gone. That is, of course, unless you land a higher paying hosting gig.

Should he go?

Well, we know one thing: Ryan Seacrest won’t be hurting for work if he leaves American Idol. But with a contract that pays $15 million, Fox may be looking to free up some money for another big name on the show.

With The X Factor coming back for another season, The Voice about to hit the airwaves again, and America’s Got Talent landing Howard Stern, American Idol needs to keep pace with the competition and changing times. Interestingly, the closest personality similar to Ryan Seacrest currently on the air is The Voice host Carson Daly. So, don’t count on Carson to fill any potentially vacant Idol seat if Seacrest doesn’t return.

From a network business standpoint, the financial numbers may not make sense enough for Ryan Seacrest to stay, even if he wants to remain on the show.

What do you guys think? Should Fox renew Ryan Secrest as host of American Idol when his contract expires, or is it time for Ryan to go?