Stephen A. Smith's expiring contract and aspirations to become even more ubiquitous in the content game has been a major sports media story for months now and Tuesday brought a new development in the process as Variety's Brian Steinberg reported that the two sides are nearing a deal. That would not be a surprise resolution as ESPN has been the leader in the clubhouse to retain his services the whole time. What is newsworthy, though, is the idea that Smith could emerge with a "first look" deal across Disney's general entertainment properties.
The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reached Smith after the news broke and the high-profile pundit pushed back on the idea that an agreement was imminent.
