When you hear a $20 million-a-year salary, the first thought should gravitate toward an athlete getting paid. But not in 2024. Even analysts, who aren’t actually on the field but are off it, talking about a game, are about to reset the market by a margin that’s never been done before. Yes, we are talking about Stephen A. Smith, who is set to be paid more than the current highest-paid NFL running back.
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After months of negotiations between WME (Smith’s agency) and ESPN (Smith’s employer), the bar has been set at a $20 million-a-year contract. This deal is structured for multiple years — at least five but possibly up to six. This adds up to a $120 million contract, which is not even being earned by several quarterbacks.
Notably, highest-paid running back Christian McCaffrey ($17.2 million), highest-paid tight end Travis Kelce ($17.1 million), and highest-paid center Creed Humphrey ($18 million) will neither make as much money (per year) as Stephen A. Smith, nor have contracts as long. And wait till you hear how much Smith’s analyst peers are getting paid.
While there is no clear information about how much Shannon Sharpe is making at ESPN, estimated reports suggest that he earns about $3 million per year. Despite having a playing background and two decades of broadcasting experience, he is getting paid significantly less. The former tight end has arguably become the soul of First Take, the face of which is Stephen A., yet a $17 million gap doesn’t make sense.
Even Pat McAfee is making less than Stephen A. He signed a five-year, $85 million contract with ESPN, which comes down to $17 million per year. Troy Aikman, too, is making less, with a $18.5 million salary per year.
So, why is ESPN paying Stephen A. this much money? Well, the truth is, the leading analyst is delivering the results that the media giant would expect from someone earning $20 million a year.
Stephen A. has turned First Take into a household staple, especially in the morning. While cable TV is losing business, losing customers, and shifting to digital, Stephen A. hasn’t lost his viewers; he’s doubled them instead, maybe more.
Per episode, First Take is averaging over 500k viewers, something no other show can rack up. The one show that could — the Undisputed — is no longer relevant.
It’s the Stephen A. Smith effect. His charisma has always played a key role in attracting viewers. His engaging conversations, too, are fun to listen to, even when answering the silliest queries.
He has also spread his spider’s web on social media, often interacting with fans. His own YouTube shows and side gigs are very successful as well. And last but not least, he’s so famous that even team owners and player agents are watching him, trying to gauge the audience’s feelings and what a leading analyst like Smith has to say.
If that doesn’t impress you or ESPN, nothing will.
