5 min readPublished On: June 2, 2023By

Stephen A. Smith has an estimated net worth of $20 million. Stephen A. Smith is a well-known and influential American sports journalist, television personality, and radio host. Smith started his career in the mid-1990s as a sports reporter for various newspapers, including the New York Daily News and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

What has increased Stephen A. Smith’s popularity is his appearance on various ESPN programs. In addition to being a sports journalist, Talk Radio is one of the critical milestones in his career. He has also acted in various movies.

Full Name Stephen Anthony Smith
Net Worth $20 million
Age 55
Date of Birth and Place October 14, 1967 /  The Bronx, New York City
Occupation(s) Sports Journalist, Radio Host, Presenter
Nationality and Hometown American / New York
Marital Status Single

Who is Stephen A. Smith?

Born in 1967 in Neywork, the Bronx, his father was one of Stephen A. Smith’s most significant role models. Besides being a well-known basketball and baseball player then, he was running a hardware store. Stephen A. Smith had a keen interest in Basketball in his childhood and early teens, earning him a basketball scholarship from Winston-Salem State University.

Image- Stephen A. Smith Visits SiriusXM’s ‘The Howard Stern Show’ (Source: Getty Image)

Stephen A. Smith Visits SiriusXM's 'The Howard Stern Show'
Stephen A. Smith Visits SiriusXM’s ‘The Howard Stern Show’ (Source: Getty Image)

In 2003, Smith started hosting his sports talk radio show, “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” aired on ESPN Radio. He gained further prominence as a guest commentator on ESPN’s popular shows, “Pardon the Interruption” and “First Take.” In 2012, he joined ESPN as a full-time analyst and commentator, solidifying his position as one of the network’s leading personalities.

His ESPN career has contributed significantly to Stephen A. Smith’s net worth. By 2019, he was making an annual salary of $5 million. Then, in mid-April 2019, he signed a new contract with ESPN that increased his salary to $8 million per year, making him the highest-paid person at ESPN.

Education Winston Salem College
Hobbies Basketball, Football
Height 6 ft 1 inches (185 cm)
Weight 195 lbs (88 kg)
Zodiac Sign Libra

What is Stephen A. Smith’s net worth in 2023?

The net worth of Stephen A. Smith is around $20 million in 2023. While his early journalism and Philadelphia Inquirer days were just the beginning of his career, he made his fortune during the ESPN era. In his ESPN career, which began in 2003, his salary increased with each contract renewal period.

  • ESPN 2014 contract: $3 million
  • ESPN 2015 contract: $5 million
  • ESPN 2019 contract: $8 million ($4 million per year in incentives)

While most TV Celebrities can make advertising deals as they wish, those with a journalism career, unfortunately, stay away from these deals. The primary source of Stephen A. Smith’s net worth is sports journalism, radio host, sports commentator, television personality, and actor.

Since he is always in the spotlight as a journalist, he does not take kindly to sources of income such as brand representation and embassies. However, he has a formal agreement with the sausage company Oberto. He also appeared in many advertisements for meat snack brands.

Stephen A. Smith's on 2021 NBA Finals
2021 NBA Finals (Source: Getty Image)

Main income sources for the $20 million net worth

Stephen Anthony Smith, who owns a net worth of 20 million dollars, came to this fortune by working hard in different branches of his profession.

He has worked in five different areas throughout his career.

  • Sports Television Personality: He has been America’s foremost sports television personality throughout his career. He has acted as an analyst for ESPN on SportsCenter, NBA Countdown, and many of the NBA broadcasts. These programs can also be considered additional income outside the ESPN contract.
  • Sports Radio Host: Sports radio hosting has also played an important role in Stephen Smith’s career. He started presenting a radio show on WEPN in New York in 2005 and later hosted it on Fox Sports Radio. He has a two-hour daily program on WEPN in New York, KSPN in Los Angeles, and Sirius XM’s ESPN channel.
  • Sports Journalist: Smith also has a print media background. In his early career years, he was a columnist for sports pages of newspapers such as the Philadelphia Inquirer. He has also written for ESPN.com as a columnist. Sports journalism has also contributed to his net worth over the past years.
  • Television Personality: Besides working as a sports commentator and analyst, he filled ESPN’s screens with his program “Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith.” He also earns money from this TV show he runs personally.
  • Acting: Smith has made appearances and recurring roles in television shows and films, including the soap opera ”General Hospital” and the movie ”I Think I Love My Wife”. He may receive income from his acting endeavors.

The Bottom Line: Brilliant Career in the Sports Industry

Stephen A. Smith, the influential sports journalist, and television personality, has created a thriving career in the world of sports media, with an estimated net worth of $20 million. Smith has made significant contributions to the industry, from his early career as a newspaper sports reporter to his current role as one of ESPN’s leading personalities.

This career triumph of Stephen Anthony Smith demonstrates his dedication to the sports industry and clearly shows the source of his wealth today. From his early beginnings to his current position as a leading sports journalist, Smith’s contributions to the industry have solidified his place in the spotlight.You may also be interested in the story of American stand-up star and comedian Dane Cook’s career journey and fortune of $35 million.

About the Author: Nathan Rivers

Nathan Rivers
With a keen interest in cryptocurrencies, stocks, forex, and personal finance, Nathan dedicates his expertise to educate and empower readers seeking reliable information in the ever-evolving world of investments.

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