The interview between legendary TV host Stephen A. Smith and Outkicks Clay Travis for star power dough is still generating news.
Smith was taking to Travis earlier this week and emphasized his point with force.
“Yes. I’m not stuttering. Hell, yes, that’s absolutely true,” Smith said. “I’ve mastered my own business in the world of sports television.
“Clay Travis, I’ve been number one for 12 years. April 1st will mark 12 consecutive years I’ve been number one. Not only have I been number one every year, I’ve been number one every week and every month of every year for the last 12 years.”
Smith is the ninth highest paid anchor and he wants to be number one, kicking the likes of Tony Romo down the pecking order.
“You don’t get to say that about too many people. I look at whether it’s Pat McAfee, it’s Mike Greenberg, it’s Scott Van Pelt, it’s Troy Aikman, it’s Joe Buck, it’s Kirk Herbstreit. The list goes on and on. I’m so honored to have the colleagues that I have that I work with at ESPN every day. And at the end of the day, it would be nice, one day, for this man to stand before everyone and be like, ‘I’m number one and this says I’m number one.’”
He is in the fourth year of a five-year contract that sees him earn $12 million annually, but he has been usurped by Troy Aikman, Joe Buck and Pat McAfee.
He continued, “I’m not just a talent. I’m a business.
“I’ve got my own production company. I’ve got my own YouTube channel. I’ve got my own show. It’s not even just a podcast. It’s a show with a fully loaded television studio. That’s what I built for myself, that could go linear or digital. The list goes on and on. I’m doing all of these things. I’m not doing all of that to be in second place. I’m not doing all of that to look up at somebody else and see that they’re making more than me when I’m producing superior ratings and revenue.”
Smith may be overplayed his hand but there is no doubt he is not happy.
