ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has no intentions of pursuing a political career, but he is eager to discuss politics. Smith and ESPN have agreed on a new five-year contract worth at least $100 million, allowing him to explore the political media landscape. Under the terms of the deal, Smith will continue his role on the morning sports talk show “First Take,” which he has been a part of since 2012. However, he will reduce his other network commitments to focus on political commentary.
Although Smith’s name has been suggested as a possible Democratic presidential candidate for 2028, he dismissed the idea, saying he has no interest in holding the office. Instead, Smith expressed his desire to hold politicians accountable and stated that he would relish the chance to engage in debates with political candidates, similar to how he spars with guests on his sports shows.
“I know the one thing I want more than the presidency is to be on a debate stage, facing off against presidential candidates,” Smith said in early February. “I want to be on that stage, challenging politicians who are trying to convince America that they have the best interests of the people at heart.”
Smith will have the chance to discuss politics on other networks as part of his new contract. As a result, he is expected to reduce his role on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown,” the network’s premier NBA pregame show, following ESPN’s licensing agreement with TNT Sports for “Inside The NBA.” However, Smith will still appear as a guest on the show when needed.
Smith revealed that he voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election but has been critical of both major political parties lately. He has expressed his political opinions during appearances on various networks, such as ABC’s “The View,” Fox News’ “Hannity,” and HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher.”