Stephen A. Smith—one of the most recognizable figures in sports media—has agreed to a new deal to remain with ESPN for at least the next five years.
According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Smith has agreed to a new lucrative deal with ESPN that will pay him at least $100 million over the next five years.
As part of the 57-year-old's new contract, he'll reportedly be continuing as the face of the popular debate show First Take, while also "scaling back" on some of his appearances on other programs on the network. Per Marchand, that would enable him to talk more about politics, having been floated as a potential presidential candidate in the future.
Smith has been at ESPN since 2003 and has risen to prominence with the network. According to Marchand, Smith's $20 million annual salary is the most ESPN has ever paid to an on-air personality without ties to a licensing deal. He'll receive an annual raise of around $8 million, as he's currently making a reported $12 million per year.
In addition to his work on First Take, Smith has appeared regularly on ESPN's NBA Countdown and made occasional appearances on Monday Night Football's pregame coverage. It's unclear to what degree his appearances on those programs will be reduced as part of his new contract.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Stephen A. Smith Reportedly Agrees to New Nine-Figure Deal With ESPN.
