• Loading stock data...
Thursday, September 4, 2025
Fox Analyst and Media Entrepreneur Greg Olsen to Speak at Tuned In Get your ticket now!
opinion
Tuned In

Stephen A. Smith Entitled to His Share Amid ESPN Negotiations

  • Stephen A. Smith wants to be ESPN’s highest-paid talent once again.
  • “If it’s aligned, we’ll work it out. If it’s not, then decisions have to be made,” he said at our “Tuned In” sports media summit.
Feb 16, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Team Stephen A coach Stephen A. Smith looks on against Team Shannon during the All Star Celebrity Game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Stephen A. Smith addressed his ongoing contract negotiations with me Tuesday. Before our interview, ESPN’s Magnus and chairman Jimmy Pitaro unequivocally told me they want to re-up the face and voice of ESPN. Magnus added he’s open to Smith’s desire to more directly cover the NFL à la his childhood idol Howard Cosell. “Stephen A. is a bona fide superstar. He’s so versatile. He’s so hardworking. He brings a built-in audience that’s very, very loyal. And he’s created a real juggernaut in First Take,” he said.

But after interviewing Smith, my take is this negotiation might not be quick or easy. Smith told our audience ESPN made an offer, and he counteroffered, as he seeks to become the highest-paid talent at ESPN. (That title is currently held by Aikman at $18 million annually.) But consider his accomplishments. He’s been No. 1 in his time slot for an eye-popping 12 years in a row. First Take just ran off 23 consecutive months of year-over-year growth. As executive producer of the show, Smith personally recruited Shannon Sharpe and has nurtured emerging talents like Monica McNutt, Marcus Spears, Dan Orlovsky, and Kimberley A. Martin. He also gave Chris “Mad Dog” Russo a late-career jolt.

Yes, Smith loves ESPN and Disney. He has great relationships with Pitaro and Disney boss Bob Iger, and is now working closely with Magnus. But he spoke enthusiastically about the business potential of his eponymous YouTube show/podcast as well as his owned and operated production company, which has several projects ongoing in Hollywood. 

Stephen A.’s Alternatives

After ably filling in for Jimmy Kimmel, Smith could take over the comedian’s late night show on ABC. Or pursue further acting opportunities on top of his role as Brick on General Hospital. Don’t forget, NBC Sports and Amazon Prime Video will begin their NBA coverage with the 2025–2026 season. I could see either, or both, backing up the Brink’s truck to try to hire Smith for their new hoops coverage. He also told the Los Angeles Times he’s been approached by several mainstream news outlets about on-air contributor roles. In other words, Stephen A. has options—lots of them. ESPN may have to overwhelm him with an offer he can’t refuse. 

“They have their vision—and I have mine,” Smith said. “If it’s aligned, we’ll work it out. If it’s not, then decisions have to be made. I’m a big boy and I accept the fact that sometimes you don’t get what you want. You certainly sometimes don’t get it from whom you want to get it from. If it comes to a decision where I have to move on, I’ve prepared myself mentally and emotionally to be able to do that. I don’t want it to come to that. Because I am very happy at ESPN doing what I do. I love doing First Take every weekday at 10 a.m. I love the other opportunities that can potentially present itself at the Worldwide Leader. But I’m a human being. And everybody wants to be wanted.”

Smith has helped drive tenfold growth in First Take’s revenue over the past 12 years. He feels entitled to his share. “This is the United States of America. I’m not going to apologize for being a capitalist. I expect to get paid,” said Smith. “I’m not apologizing for that to anybody. I’m going to work my tail off. I will strive to be the best that I can be. I will put in the hours. I will produce results to the best of my ability. And those results are what I’m going to look at to define my worth.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Eagles

The Death of Streameast Has Been Greatly Exaggerated

Mirror sites began popping up Thursday, the day the NFL season begins.
Scott Hanson

NFL Says ‘RedZone’ Will Have ‘Incredibly Small Ad Load’ Amid Furor

Ads on “RedZone” will match the two-box format of last December’s test.

3 ABC Games Top 10M Viewers Each in ESPN’s Record CFB Weekend

Miami–Notre Dame led the way with 10.8 million viewers.

Bill Belichick’s UNC Debut Draws More Than 6M Viewers on ESPN

TCU-UNC was the fifth-most-watched college football game of Week 1.

Featured Today

Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrate their touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.

TV Ratings Just Changed Again. The NFL Will Be the Big Winner

Nielsen’s new viewership system will have a big impact on sports.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
August 30, 2025

The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History

The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole.
August 26, 2025

‘You’re Going to Get Beat Up’: The Liberty’s All-Male Practice Squad

A select group suits up weekly to take on the defending champs.
August 24, 2025

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.
exclusive

ESPN Signs NFL, Golf Reporter Jeff Darlington to Multi-Year Extension

Darlington will cover the NFL, Masters, PGA Championship, and Wimbledon
September 3, 2025

Frontloaded NFL Schedule Makes TV Ratings Surge Very Likely

The season’s first month is filled with high-profile national games.
September 3, 2025

Charles Barkley Says NBA Doesn’t Care About Fans, Slams TNT Execs

Barkley said he nearly signed with NBC.
Sponsored

Trailblazer Cal Calamia Is Racing for ‘Advocacy, Storytelling, and Performance’

The marathoner wants excellence—not just inclusion—to be the goal for non-binary athletes.
opinion
September 3, 2025

Bill and Jordon’s Excellent Adventure Already Unraveling

Belichick’s debut was a humiliation rather than a coronation.
exclusive
September 3, 2025

The Volume Replaces DraftKings With Hard Rock in Multimillion-Dollar Deal

The Volume was previously partnered with DraftKings.
Stan Verrett and Neil Everett
September 2, 2025

Stan Verrett and Neil Everett Have Uphill Climb to Succeed on Twitch

The former ESPN anchors’ new show will also be distributed on YouTube.
Aug 21, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Former Panthers wide receiver and now commentator Steve Smith Sr. before the game between the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium.
exclusive
September 2, 2025

Steve Smith Moves His Podcast, ‘The 89 Show,’ to Blue Wire

The show is co-hosted by Smith and NFL insider James Palmer.