ESPN has announced that they have re-signed NFL and NBA insiders Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski to new multi-year deals. According to Bobby Burack of OutKick, both men are getting "Stephen A. Smith money" to remain with the network.
The worldwide leader in sports keeps both Woj and Schefty after rumors surfaced that certain sports gambling companies were interested in snagging both reporters once their contracts expired. Burack reports that Woj and Schfety's new deals are worth $10 million a year.
"Adam and Woj are difference-makers that solidify our long-term position as the definitive source for everything NFL and NBA,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement."
“When you combine today’s news about Adam and Woj with Jeff Passan’s signing, we are making a deliberate statement about ESPN’s commitment to serving fans with the most in-depth reporting, storytelling and around-the-clock news."
With their new deals, Schefty and Woj become two of the network's highest-paid personalities, falling behind Smith ($12 million/year) and in front of Mike Greenberg ($6 million/year). Schefter, who has been with ESPN since 2009, released a statement thanking Pitaro and said he feels "blessed" to continue his work with the network.
“Covering the most popular sport in the United States for the leading sports media company has been a dream combination,” Schefter said in the release. “Every day, at each show and event, I am surrounded by the best teammates – producers, directors, researchers, production staff, and so many more – who elevate everyone around them. I love my job, feel blessed to continue and thank ESPN and Jimmy Pitaro for their consistent faith in me.”
With their new deals, the two reporters will remain at the forefront of their leagues for ESPN, while continuing to appear as analysts for studio shows and breaking news across the leagues they cover. Another interesting wrinkle in their new deal includes some opportunities to create content for ESPN+, the network's streaming service that houses additional content like the "30 for 30" series.
This is the latest media move by ESPN in the midst of a massive shift in sports media/broadcasting. The network seems to be doing everything it can to keep and add new talent to its roster, staving off sportsbooks like Caesars in the process.
ESPN poached Fox's No. 1 NFL duo in Joe Buck and Troy Aikman to call Monday Night Football. For their services, Disney is forking up $165 million for the commentators' contracts combined.
Wojnarowski has been with ESPN since 2017 after making his name with Yahoo! Sports as the go-to guy for breaking NBA news. In fact, fans on social media have aptly called those breaking updates "Woj bombs."
“I’m eager to continue working with a remarkable group of colleagues and grateful for ESPN’s relentless commitment to newsgathering and reporting, Woj said via a statement. "My profound appreciation to Jimmy Pitaro, Cristina Daglas, Norby Williamson, Dave Roberts, Lauren Reynolds, Greg Dowling, David Kraft and the entire universal news desk for the support, vision and leadership that makes ESPN such a remarkable place to do my job. Also, a thank you to my representative Matt Kramer for helping to bring and keep me at ESPN.”
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