Stephen A. Smith has become a fixture on ESPN’s airwaves, and that won’t be changing anytime soon.
Smith, a former newspaper beat reporter who rose to fame by pioneering the art of the sports debate show, has agreed with ESPN on a new five-year, $100 million contract, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to CNBC.
ESPN declined to comment to NBC News on the contract deal, which was first reported by The Athletic.
As one of the network’s most well-known and most-used on-air talents, Smith has wide-reaching influence and leeway to opine on a variety of topics including the NBA, as part of ESPN’s pregame show.
He will continue to appear on “First Take,” the morning debate show, but according to The Athletic, will no longer be a figurehead of the NBA pregame show next season, and will be allowed to scale back other ESPN appearances, too. CNBC has not confirmed any changes in his role at ESPN.
That could mean more opportunities for Smith to appear on shows not on ESPN and to discuss topics away from sports even more frequently. In recent years Smith has regularly expanded his scope to politics on his own show, and even appeared on Fox News. He has been floated as a possible presidential candidate in 2028.
He downplayed the suggestion on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” on Wednesday.
“I’m saying, wait a minute now, I don’t want to do this,” Smith told host Jimmy Fallon. “But the fact that they’re talking about me this way, I must say, I approve this message.”
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