Stephen A. Smith is an ESPN analyst. People widely regard him as the face of the channel because of his sharp and insightful analysis. He hosts “First Take,” but prior to that, he hosted “The Stephen A. Smith Show” on ESPN Radio from 2005 to 2008.
In 2011, he started hosting a weekday local show on ESPN Radio 98.7FM in New York, NY, and a local show on ESPN LA 710AM in Los Angeles, CA. Despite his success at ESPN, his journey at the prestigious media institution was not without challenges, according to AfroTech.
In 2009, he lost his job at ESPN due to a contract that didn’t match his expectations. Speaking on the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast, he shared that he felt he deserved more than what the channel was offering him.
But now, when he thinks about what happened, he realizes he made a mistake and that he wasn’t in his prime just yet.
“All I had was radio, which was expendable, and SportsCenter appearances,” he said, according to AfroTech. “You didn’t have a definitive place where you knew you were going to catch me. So what did they do under the old regime? They signed me to a contract in 2008. They gave me $600,000 less than what I had turned down, and less than what their initial offer was. Then, on top of it all, they kept me out of the air. All of a sudden, y’all didn’t see me. You didn’t hear me.”
With no new contract in 2009 and being stripped of any leverage, SportsCenter no longer welcomed him. He had been without a job for nearly a year and was now living off his savings.
At the time, he was also a new father. His precarious condition made him reflect on the ins and outs of the business instead of paying attention to his popularity. When ESPN gave him a second chance, he was able to come in with the dollar value his ratings brought in to back up his renegotiations.
Today, he reportedly earns around $12 million, including an $8 million yearly salary and a $4 million-per-year production contract. He inked a deal with ESPN in 2019, making him the highest-paid ESPN personality with a corresponding net worth of $20 million, according to figures.
His contract will be up in 2025 and already, there are talks that he is negotiating for a $100 million contract to remain with the network for an additional five years. He recently addressed the rumors when he appeared on “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace” on Max.
Asked whether he is negotiating for a new contract in the range of $100 million for five years, Smith did not confirm or deny it. He only said he knows his wealth.
“I’m not getting specific as it pertains to numbers, because only a fool discusses his own negotiations while negotiating,” he mentioned. “I would ask, respectfully, pay attention to the industry, see what people are getting paid. See how much money they’re making and what they’re bringing to the table. Dak Prescott just signed a contract for $240 million. He’s making $60 million a year… Has won two playoff games in eight years. I’ve been No. 1 for 12 years. I’m sorry, in our respective industries I win, and I’m fully aware of what I’m worth, and I will never apologize to that for anybody.”
