(Bloomberg) — In a fascinating analysis of the sports scene, renowned ESPN journalist Stephen A. Smith lists his favorite and least favorite sports, comparing them to stocks in a financial portfolio. During his appearance at the Bloomberg Screentime conference on Thursday, Smith indicated that he was interested in investing in baseball and women’s basketball, while he suggested selling golf and boxing stocks.
Smith praised the new changes in baseball, saying, “The new rules that make the game easier make it more fun for the fans,” which has led to more visibility. He also highlighted the growing popularity of women’s basketball, attributing its success to stars like Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever.
However, boxing is in the crosshairs of Smith, who lamented: “The promoters are ruining the sport. It’s time to have someone like Dana White in the UFC at the helm to make the fights that the fans want, instead of to leave the boxers from each other to protect their records.”
Golf also falls into Smith’s sales category, despite the illustrious history of Tiger Woods, a game-changing figure historically known for his exclusivity. “There’s nothing about golf that makes me feel welcome. It’s an expensive sport, it costs a lot just to join a club, let alone buy the equipment,” Smith said. “Usually the only time you see black people at a country club is when they’re serving.”
At the age of 56, Stephen A. Smith remains one of ESPN’s most popular figures, known for his role as lead commentator and executive producer of the morning show First Take, along with his analytical contributions to NBA Countdown. He also hosts his own show on the ESPN Radio Network.
However, the network, part of the Disney and Hearst conglomerate, faces challenges like many other traditional broadcasters, as audiences shift to streaming services, leading to a decline in cable subscriptions. . This change forced ESPN to become a cost-cutting trend, which led to the departure of many prominent figures.
Despite this, last month the NBA reporter and one of the biggest earners of ESPN, Adrian Wojnarowski, announced his retirement.
Smith is reportedly eyeing a contract worth up to $25 million annually as he looks for new deals, double his current salary. Despite his requests, he expressed a strong desire to remain at ESPN, hoping for a fruitful negotiation.
“There is an ongoing negotiation, and I hope that the two sides will find common ground. Otherwise, so it is; business is business,” he concluded.