If ESPN goes to maintain its most precious worker, the worldwide chief in sports activities should pay Stephen A. Smith like he simply gained the Tremendous Bowl.
Smith signed a five-year contract with ESPN in 2019, which was later revealed to be value $12 million yearly.
He is due for an extension – or a sizeable contract elsewhere – within the close to future, and Entrance Workplace Sports activities reported on Monday that he may command a contract value $20 million per yr.
With out “a suggestion of at the least $20 million… they might threat shedding the face and voice of the community,” wrote FOS senior author Michael McCarthy.
That is the identical sum of money the Payments gave edge-rusher Von Miller after he gained Tremendous Bowl LVI with the Rams.
Based mostly on Smith’s significance to the community, it is arduous to argue his worth. Amongst ESPN workers, he trails “Monday Night time Soccer”‘s Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, in addition to Pat McAfee by way of annual wage.
Earlier this month, “First Take” set a document for viewership with 1.5 million folks tuning into the Monday, Jan. 15 telecast following the Cowboys’ 48-32 loss to the Packers throughout Tremendous Wild Card Weekend.
Per the press launch saying the numbers, ESPN additionally famous the present has “17 consecutive months of year-over-year viewership development.” In December, FOS reported the present crushed its competitors – FS1’s “Undisputed” – within the rankings from September by November, with a median of 554,000 viewers in comparison with 120,000 for the Skip Bayless-led program.
His worth is well-known, however ESPN re-upping on the tune of $20 million per yr after present process substantial layoffs final yr can be a shock. Nonetheless, FOS famous in November that “Disney reported ESPN’s working revenue surged 16 p.c” throughout the fourth quarter, so it should not must look far to seek out the cash to finish the deal.
With Smith’s success on the community, he is put monumental strain on ESPN to get an extension achieved. Possibly he is not so completely different from Miller, in any case.
