ESPN doesn’t want one of the sports giant’s biggest personalities to leave.
The network offered “First Take” commentator Stephen A. Smith a five-year, $90 million contract ($18 million annually) to remain with ESPN when his contract expires in 2025. According to PacNews.
ESPN has reportedly pitched Smith’s rep, William Morris Endeavor (WME), the idea that he could become the highest-paid talent at Worldwide Leaderboard.
Still, Pack said Smith is asking for about $25 million a year.
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman have signed blockbuster contracts with ESPN ahead of the start of the 2022 NFL season, with Aikman signing a five-year contract worth roughly $90 million, The Washington Post reported at the time.
The news was reported by journalist and reporter James Andrew Miller. Appeared on “SI Media with Jimmy Traina” podcast He spoke about the early stages of contract negotiations and how Smith is hoping for a “very big number.”
“We’re close to a deal with Stephen A.,” Miller said on his show last week. “In fact, I think we’re already in preliminary discussions. He’s asking for a very large amount of money,” Miller said. “And I think, given the content world, he probably doesn’t even need to get offers from other companies to get that large amount of money.”
“I think what ESPN is facing is the possibility that WME could go out and create a structure where Stephen A. has a podcast and a deal with this and a deal with that and so on, and it ends up being $20 million a year.”
Smith joined ESPN in 2003 and has served in a variety of roles, including hosting his own show, “Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith,” on ESPN2 from 2005 to 2007.
Now a 56-year-old former newspaper columnist, Smith is best known for his outspoken appearances on “First Take” and “NBA Countdown,” where his opinions on a variety of topics seem to make the rounds on a daily basis.
Outside of ESPN, he has his own podcast called “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” where he discusses all sorts of topics that go far beyond the realm of sports.
Miller added on the Sports Illustrated podcast that Smith could potentially leave ESPN if push comes to shove.
“I believe there’s a good chance that Stephen A. could do something that would make him very happy and very wealthy outside of ESPN, or even an exclusive deal with another network,” Miller said.
