"First Take" host Stephen A. Smith and ESPN are reportedly close to a contract renewal that will see him stay at the network.
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Per a report in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year, Smith’s current deal nets him about $12 million annually. ESPN offered Smith a multi-year deal that would’ve represented about a 50% raise this summer, which he did not immediately accept.
Steinberg suggests that negotiations for the new deal have been ongoing for several months, which would make sense given the WSJ report earlier this year. The two sides are supposedly “just weeks away from finalizing a deal,” per the Variety report.
The new deal will reportedly include what is known as “first-look” rights that would give ESPN/Disney the first opportunity to develop any Smith-backed content. This will include “concepts across Disney’s general entertainment properties.”
In the past, Smith has mulled various other entertainment gigs outside of sports including political commentary, and a late-night show. Recently, Smith has done several cable news appearances and hosts his own podcast
The Stephen A. Smith Show, where he dives into a wide variety of topics outside of sports.
