WME is close to a deal to represent ESPN broadcaster
Stephen A. Smith for all work other than broadcasting, sources said.
If the deal is completed, as expected, Smith will be represented by a team of agents across WME and IMG, led by Aimee Leone. The Hollywood agency will look for marketing, literary, speaking engagements and other work for Smith, co-host of ESPN’s morning show “First Take.”
WME declined to comment. Smith could not be reached for comment.
Smith continues to be represented by Lou Oppenheim, CEO of Headline Media Management, for broadcasting work. Earlier this year, Oppenheim negotiated a multiyear extension for Smith for “First Take,” according to media reports. In 2014, Oppenheim negotiated a deal for him to host “The Stephen A. Smith Show” on Sirius XM Radio.
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Stephen A. Smith on the set of “First Take”
Photo by: ESPN IMAGES
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Oppenheim declined to comment on those deals but said he still represents Smith for broadcasting work. Oppenheim said the deal with WME-IMG came about because Smith is friends with IMG content officer
Mark Shapiro. Shapiro was responsible for programming at ESPN for 12 years in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. He joined IMG last year.
“Because of his friendship with Mark Shapiro, they want to see if they can dig up more marketing for him,” Oppenheim said. “I love Stephen, so if he wants to be there [for marketing], I am fine with it.”
Headline Media specializes in representing broadcasters across sports, news and entertainment and counts Meredith Vieira, Chris Berman and Wolf Blitzer among its clients.
> TIGHT END/AUTHOR: New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson gained international attention for something he did off the field last year when a Facebook post he wrote about the Ferguson, Mo., grand jury verdict and the resulting protests went viral.
Now Watson has written a book about it that will be published in November by Tyndale House titled “Under Our Skin: Getting Real About Race — And Getting Free From the Fears and Frustrations That Divide Us.”
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WATSON
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The deal was negotiated by literary agent
D.J. Snell of Winter Park, Fla.-based
Legacy LLC in collaboration with
Mark Lepselter, CEO of
Maxx Sports & Entertainment, who represents Watson for broadcast work.
Watson, in an email, wrote that multiple people approached him and asked him to write a book after his Ferguson post was shared more than 470,000 times and liked more than 850,000 times. Both his post and the book are about race in America.
“My hope is that we all be honest with ourselves when it comes to this topic, discovering some of the fears, biases and frustrations we all have,” Watson said.
“I am hopeful this book will challenge people to have serious, healthy discussions about that topic. I’m hopeful that this book will encourage people of all races to discuss these important issues without fear of saying the wrong thing or insulting someone who doesn’t agree with you.”
> ELEMENT COACHES UP: Element Sports Group, an NFL representation firm that launched last year, has acquired Solomon Sports Management, a coaches representation practice headed by Myles Solomon.
Solomon Sports Management represents coaches as well as other management, such as college athletic directors, across college football and basketball. Clients include Wichita State basketball coach Gregg Marshall and University of Massachusetts Athletic Director Ryan Bamford.
Solomon began his career working for pioneer coaches agent Craig Kelly, who died of cancer in 2003 at age 56.
Element Sports Group was launched last year by NFL agents Michael Perrett and Kevin McGuire, who began their careers at SportsTrust Advisors, a firm owned by prominent NFL agent Pat Dye Jr.
> CAA SIGNS POMERANZ: CAA Baseball has signed Oakland Athletics left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz for representation.
Pomeranz, who is both a starting and relief pitcher, was picked No. 5 overall by the A’s in the 2010 draft. He’ll be represented by a team of agents led by Jeff Berry, Matt Ricatto and Mark O’Brien.
He was formerly represented by Steve Rath, who left Beverly Hills Sports Council in July to join Ballengee Group.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
