Stephen A. Smith – Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Whispers in the rumor mill suggest Stephen A. Smith is finalizing a new deal with ESPN & Disney worth $120M.
Stephen A. Smith is almost as recognizable as the ESPN logo making him the unofficial face of ESPN. Throughout the year questions have loomed about his future with ESPN with his contract ending. SAS recently went on offense and publicity shared he is seeking around $100M.
After publicly naming a price SAS even assured everyone he “knows his worth” knowing ESPN executives would hear his message.
According to the New York Times, Smith’s message was heard loud and clear with news he is nearing a historic $20M per year deal. Stephen A. denied the deal rumors when questioned avoiding a vital business mistake.
“False.” After a brief back-and-forth about the particulars, Smith added, “Here’s my quote, ‘I was born AT NIGHT, not last night. I don’t talk about my contract negotiations. Never have. Never will.”
Nothing will ruin negotiations like discussing the deal before you sign the paperwork. SAS has been around too long to fall for a trap that would decimate his payday. Allegedly ESPN offered $15M per year with a strong NO from SAS but it seems both sides could agree on $20M per year for five years.
The only thing that seems certain is the deal will be somewhere near $100M. Get paid Stephen A, get paid.
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