In this compelling episode of Earn Your Leisure, Stephen A. Smith shares invaluable insights from his extensive career in sports journalism:

🏈 **Stephen A. Smith on College Sports:** Discussing the evolution of college sports, Stephen appreciates the changes, noting the historical exploitation of athletes by the NCAA.

🏀 **Coaching Challenges:** Stephen reveals why many college coaches are leaving due to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) complications.

📰 **Media Relations:** Exploring the dynamics between current players and the media, Stephen explains the lack of close relationships.

🌟 **Impactful Presence:** Annually bringing in 2 billion views for ESPN, Stephen A. Smith discusses his significant impact on sports broadcasting.

🔄 **Life-Changing Moments and Mistakes:** From a mistake that nearly cost him $600K and his career, to the firing that taught him crucial business lessons, Stephen opens up about his journey.

🔑 **Corporate Strategies:** Stephen offers advice on navigating corporate environments and shares how Black individuals can strategically advance in their careers.

🏀 **Basketball Legends:** Was LeBron's journey tougher than Jordan's? Plus, Stephen reflects on his close relationship with Allen Iverson during his time as a beat writer in Philly.

🎙️ **Journalistic Integrity and Influence:** From not being able to use his name initially for his podcast to emphasizing the importance of integrity in journalism, Stephen covers it all.

🤝 **Supporting Others:** Hear how Stephen prioritized elevating others and gave Shannon Sharpe a platform on First Take after Sharpe's departure from Fox Sports.

Don’t miss out on these powerful insights! Premiering today at 1 PM EST on the Earn Your Leisure YouTube channel and all podcast platforms. Subscribe and tune in for a deep dive into the business side of sports and media with Stephen A. Smith.

#StephenASmith #EarnYourLeisure #SportsJournalism #CollegeSports #MediaRelations #CorporateStrategy #JournalisticIntegrity #NCAA #NIL #ESPN #FirstTake #LeBronJames #MichaelJordan #AllenIverson #Podcasting


0:00 Intro
4:33 Why Stephen A Smith Supports NIL Collectives
10:57 UConn’s “Blue Blood” Explained
14:21 Kobe Bryant / Charlotte Hornets Draft Situation Explained
21:48 How Social Media Runs Modern Sports
26:00 Did Stephen A Smith Criticize Kyrie Irving Too Much?
35:30 Stephen’s Journey Journey to Success in Journalism
42:51 How Media and Television is Pivoting Overnight
48:42 Single Handedly Generating 2 Billion Views for ESPN
54:08 Losing Leverage and History of Dealing with Bad Contracts
1:06:44 Are Black Sports Analysts Underpaid?
1:17:05 The Importance of Journalistic Integrity and Knowing When You’re Wrong
1:21:14 Giving Back to Those Who Helped You at the Start
1:26:19 Outro