Stephen A. Smith updates the status of his negotiations with ESPN: The Devil is in the details

For years, Stephen A. Smith has been one of the most recognizable and influential voices on ESPN, dominating sports talk with his passionate takes and unfiltered opinions.

Despite reports in December 2023 that he had already reached a new agreement with ESPN, Smith later clarified that a deal had not yet been finalized.

However, in an interview with Front Office Sports, he expressed confidence that an official contract will be signed soon.

Smith's optimism stems from his strong relationships with ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro and Disney CEO Bob Iger, reinforcing his belief that a long-term deal with the network is only a matter of time.

The negotiation process

According to Smith, money is not the issue in these negotiations. He revealed that the financial terms were settled months ago, with both sides reaching an agreement as early as October 2023. Instead, the remaining details center around language in the contract regarding his future projects and responsibilities.

"Everything that I want to do, you gotta make sure all of that is there and it's in the language," Smith explained.

"The Devil is in the details because from a numbers perspective, we've agreed months ago. Like, literally months ago. It's not about the money at this point because the money was agreed to back in October. The issue is all the things that I just finished talking to you about and what I want to do - working out that language. Because lawyers get involved and all of that other stuff."

While Smith did not provide a definitive timeline for when the deal will be signed, his tone suggests that it's only a matter of time before everything is finalized.

"But I work at a great place," he said. "We're the Worldwide Leader, we're No. 1. I've got great colleagues and friends. I love working there and I'm anticipating that hopefully we'll reach a deal very, very soon and I'll march forward with ESPN for the foreseeable future."

Smith's continued presence at ESPN is a major priority for the network. As one of the most high-profile analysts in sports media, his role extends beyond just First Take-he contributes to NBA coverage, exclusive interviews, and other major ESPN programming.