Earlier this month, Stephen A. Smith and Jemele Hill waged a war of words over journalistic credibility. Though Hill had a bone to pick with the “First Take” personality, she made it clear that she respected Smith’s body of work.
That respect was on full display when Hill went on Threads to defend Smith, who has drawn flak for his sizable contract with ESPN. According to Hill, a podcaster and contributing writer at The Athletic, Smith is a media juggernaut who helps his network pay the bills.
“Stephen A Smith commands the salary he does because he’s the most recognizable face at ESPN. You know why you see him in so many ads? Because advertisers request him. They love him. He generates a lot of money for ESPN. He can draw an audience, whether you love him or hate him.”
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Hill also pointed out that critics highlighting ESPN’s “decline” might not be looking at the right indicators. According to Hill, ESPN’s ratings “don’t point to any sort of decline,” as the network continues to have a strong presence in live sports.
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These comments present an interesting contrast with Hill’s remarks on “The Draymond Green Show” earlier this month. In that episode, Hill appeared to echo Green’s observations about Smith no longer frequenting locker rooms to get firsthand information from NBA players.
Smith fired back on his own show “Straight Shooter,” claiming that he’d earned the right to no longer be a locker room fixture by putting in the hard work earlier in his career.
“I Said We Have to Keep Him”: Stephen A. Smith Opens Up on Consultations With ESPN Prior to Ryan Clark’s Firing
Meanwhile, another ESPN personality made headlines this week when Ryan Clark was informed of his dismissal midway through a broadcast on Monday.
Addressing this situation on “Straight Shooter,” Stephen A. Smith revealed that the network had consulted him before making the decision to let go of Clark.
“Of course I said we have to keep him…I don’t get to make those decisions and I don’t get to ignore the fiscal and financial circumstances and ultimate ramifications that come with the job.”
Smith also pointed out that ESPN could no longer afford to “just hire and hire and hire some more, without having to let go or lay off anybody.”
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