Stephen A. Smith is set to make an even bigger splash at ESPN with a jaw-dropping new contract reportedly worth $120 million over six years.
The Money Game
According to Variety, the sports media giant is getting closer to locking down its star commentator with a deal that will not only extend his iconic morning show, “First Take,” but also elevate his role within Disney’s broader entertainment empire. With his current contract set to expire in 2025, this game-changing agreement promises even more visibility and power for Smith across various Disney platforms. It’s a bold move for both Smith and ESPN, signaling his continued dominance in the sports media world.
The implications of this for the sports personality are unclear. However, the report from Variety states that while mainstream media is struggling to generate revenue from traditional broadcasts and streaming poses its own challenges, Disney continues to hire high-profile personalities.
Smith has expressed his desire to be the highest-paid person at ESPN, surpassing “Monday Night Football” commentators Troy Aikman and Joe Buck.
“First Take” remains one of ESPN’s most-watched programs and continues to attract a growing audience.
According to a report from The Athletic, a publication of The New York Times, while his contract has not been finalized, its sources indicate that the terms being hammered out are for a $120 million deal over six years.
When the outlet contacted Smith, he denied the report, telling The Athletic via text, “False.”
“Here’s my quote, ‘I was born AT NIGHT, not last night. I don’t talk about my contract negotiations. Never have. Never will,” he added.
As Finurah previously reported, Stephen A. Smith’s prior annual salary was $12 million, which he signed in 2019. This included an $8 million base salary and a $4 million production contract. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal last summer, a rumored renegotiation suggested his salary could rise to $18 million annually, totaling $90 million over five years.
Compared to others on the network, Pat McAfee’s daily show is licensed to ESPN where he makes $17 million but splits the salary with the production crew, and he hosts “College GameDay” which he make a separate fee from.
As for the “Monday Night Football” duo, Aikman makes $18 million per year and Buck makes $15 million per year through pure salaries.
Even if Smith receives a $20 million a year deal, that would not make him the highest-paid person in all of sports commentary across all networks. That title goes to Tom Brady, who has the highest known salary at $37.5 million per season for calling NFL games for Fox.
Fellow former NFL champion and legend Peyton Manning’s precise pay from ESPN, a nine-year extension through 2034 as a host of “The Manningcast,” is linked to his production company, Omaha Productions, and is believed to be in a similar range as Brady’s. Peyton and brother Eli have shows on ESPN+, accroding to Sports Illustrated.
