The Big Lead

Stephen A. Smith gets $100 million contract from ESPN: report

By J.P. Hoornstra

Dec 21, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Stephen A. Smith , American sports television personality, waves to the crowd while walking the field before the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.
Dec 21, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Stephen A. Smith , American sports television personality, waves to the crowd while walking the field before the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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Versatile talk-show panelist Stephen A. Smith is re-signing with ESPN for a reported nine-figure salary.

Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported Thursday that Smith's new contract with ESPN is worth at least $100 million for five years, and will see him continue to appear on “First Take” while scaling back some of his other required appearances on the network.

Marchand notes the new deal frees up Smith to talk even more about politics, a domain in which he's increasingly shared his opinion on current events.

Smith, 57, has only tangentially referenced sports in his eponymous podcast/YouTube show. His ESPN appearances are typically limited to sports-talk, but his ambitions beyond that sphere have grown.

"The Democratic Party looks so pathetic after this election; I might entertain running. I just might change my mind one day. I doubt it, but I might. Because how much would it take to beat y’all? And Trump can’t run again," he said in a February episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show.

In an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon this week, Smith wouldn't rule out running for President of the United States but also said he did not want the position.

After rising the ranks as a sports writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer (and briefly ESPN), Smith's relationship with the paper hit the rocks when he was reprimanded for commenting about politics in cable news and radio appearances. Now, it appears Smith — who's hosted First Take since 2012 — will get to have his cake and eat it too.

Since 2021, ESPN has also deployed Smith as a regular analyst on NBA Countdown, and host ofNBA in Stephen A’s World, an alternate presentation to accompany select ESPN NBA games since 2022.

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