Stephen A. Smith’s name has long been tied to loud takes and big ratings, and now his paycheck matches the noise. Smith is now earning nearly $40 million a year via his work across ESPN, YouTube, and now SiriusXM. On Wednesday, September 17, Smith will launch a two-hour weekly political show on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel, a move that takes his voice out of pure sports and into national debate. That shift comes with serious money and new audience reach.

The cash math is plain on paper and has been widely reported. Sources tell The Athletic that Smith’s ESPN deal is a five-year, $105 million agreement, while his SiriusXM deal runs three years for $36 million, and those two contracts plus YouTube and podcast revenue push him toward a near $40 million yearly haul. The Associated Press reported

See Full Page