“No way he’s earning more than MJ in his prime” – Reports of Stephen A Smith commanding $20 million to renew with ESPN enrages fans on social media

Stephen A. Smith has been the face of ESPN for a very long time, and will soon be eligible for a contract extension.

“No way he’s earning more than MJ in his prime” – Reports of Stephen A Smith commanding $20 million to renew with ESPN enrages fans on social media

Stephen A. Smith is rumored to demand $20 million for his next contract (image via Open Source, X)

Stephen A. Smith is up for a contract renewal in less than 18 months. The ESPN First Take lead has been the face of ESPN for almost his whole career. But his potential salary demand has taken fans by surprise. The 56-year-old broadcasting legend has all the negotiating space to command a hefty premium on his current salary.

ESPN currently pays Stephen A. Smith $12 million a year for his services. At the time of the current contract negotiations, Smith was the highest-paid presenter on ESPN’s roster. Now, others have leapfrogged Smith in the money ranks. According to reports, Smith could demand up to $20 million a year. His leverage comes from the fact that he has been at the top of the viewership rankings throughout his career at the network.

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Smith has more than just the ratings as leverage. He has his own production company, a successful podcast, and has shown interest in covering topics other than sports as well. Smith bringing over Shannon Sharpe to his show First Take has taken the ratings to new levels. He has also been influential in bringing Pat McAfee and his highly successful show onto the channel.

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With such varied leverage at his disposal, he could easily justify his demands. After all, he is still undoubtedly the face of the network. A hard-working individual, Smith has brought better success to the network through his presentation and the recruitment of faces who can add to the company’s growth.

Fans shocked as Stephen A. Smith could earn more than sports stars

Stephen A. Smith could end up with the biggest sports presenting contract in history. In his own words, he is rightly deserving of it as he has been the number one presenter for a long time. But basketball fans were not happy. According to many, Smith could end up earning more from presenting than basketball superstars do for playing.

Fans cannot seem to digest that Stephen A. Smith could earn more than players in their prime
Fans cannot seem to digest that Stephen A. Smith could earn more than some players in their prime (image via Open Source, X)

Fans were quick to voice their opinion the moment the news broke. The absurdly high number caught many off-guard. They could not wrap their heads around the fact that Smith could earn so much by sitting in a chair and talking, whereas players have to toil through hard preparations to earn similar amounts. Check out some of their reactions below;

The fans have spoken. They cannot seem to fathom such an astronomical figure. At the same time, it cannot be denied that Smith has earned every penny of it.

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