Smith still has two years left on his current deal, and he and ESPN have not yet begun serious talksESPN IMAGES
In N.Y., Andrew Marchand cites sources as saying that Stephen A. Smith is "in line to become the highest paid on-air person at ESPN by potentially boosting his salary" to $10M per year. By comparison, ESPN's "highest publicly known salary" is Mike Greenberg's at $6.5M. Sources said that Smith's current contract pays him in the $5M range, but since he still has two years left on that deal, the two sides have "not yet begun serious talks." This comes as ESPN "tightens its budget for some of its personnel" (N.Y. POST, 4/4).
YOUNG & OLD: In Tennessee, Allen Gregory writes NASCAR analyst Darrell Waltrip's long run on Fox Sports "should end soon," as he "seems out of touch with the youthful trends in the sport and his comedic stylings are best suited for the glory days of Hee Haw." NASCAR fans "cherish their traditions and legends." But there is a "big difference between the work" of Dale Earnhardt Jr. on NBC Sports and the "efforts of Waltrip at Fox." Earnhardt has a "crossover appeal among old-school and new-school stock car followers," as he is "hip, engaging and humble." Waltrip "brings passion," but he "rarely if ever strays from the party line" (BRISTOL HERALD COURIER, 4/4).
TOP OF THE CLASS: TALKERS magazine released its seventh annual Heavy Hundred of Sports Talk this week. Radio ratings and revenue are "two of the major factors" in the rankings, but they also take into account "other qualities that help create a list that is reflective of the industry's diversity and total flavor." Topping the list is Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd, followed by CBS' Jim Rome, DirecTV's Dan Patrick, ESPN's Dan Le Batard/Jon Weiner (a.k.a. Stugotz) and Boston-based WBZ-AM's Mike Felger/Tony Massarotti (TALKERS.com, 4/3).
NOTES: Boston media personality John Tomase is "leaving WEEI to join NBC Sports Boston." Tomase joined WEEI as a "columnist and senior writer on its website" in December '14 after nine years at the Boston Herald. He will write for NBCSportsBoston.com and appear on the RSN's studio shows (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/3)....ESPN has signed senior writer Bill Barnwell to a multiyear extension. Barnwell will continue to write his column for ESPN.com and host the "The Bill Barnwell Show" podcast (ESPN).
