Stephen A. Smith will reportedly get extra free reign to discover matters past sports activities along with his new ESPN contract.
Whereas Smith and ESPN haven’t finalized a deal, the sports activities character and the community are nearing a brand new contract price $120 million for six years.
With that large deal, Smith could have the chance to “pitch non-sports ideas to the parentco” since Disney shall be footing a few of the invoice for the contract, in response to a report by Puck.
Reportedly included within the deal is the truth that it’s non-exclusive outdoors of sports activities content material, opening the door for Smith to additional enterprise into the cultural zeitgeist by means of tasks that don’t revolve round sports activities.
The Puck report pointed to at least one instance of rumors that SiriusXM had been making an attempt to entice Smith to return to the satellite tv for pc radio large to host a program that will be much like the one which he at the moment does and is streamed on YouTube.
Smith has not been shy about venturing into matters past sports activities on his personal platforms, together with “The Stephen A. Smith Show” and numerous appearances on reveals like “The Sean Hannity Show” and on political radio reveals comparable to “The Mark Levin Show.”
The brand new report additionally indicated that a part of the cash from the deal would come from ESPN Wager and that Smith would offer content material for the community’s betting arm.
Smith will proceed on “First Take” and the community will discover alternatives for him to look on ESPN’s protection of the NBA and NFL.
Smith declined to debate his contract negotiations after The Athletic initially reported on the deal earlier this month.
“Here’s my quote, ‘I was born AT NIGHT, not last night. I don’t talk about my contract negotiations. Never have. Never will,” Smith advised the outlet whereas calling it “false” that he was closing in on a deal.
