Who doesn’t like talking sports?
By Mo Hussain, Sports Reporter
When talking about who makes the big money in the sporting world, many people just point to the athletes competing in front of millions of people. However, the voices that present these contests are also getting a significant chunk of the pie. All four of the following sports media personalities make an estimated $48 million a year combined. Here are some of those names that make a decent living analyzing sports:
Tony Romo: $17 million
Tony Romo is really good at making money. As if making an estimated $127 million from playing football with the Dallas Cowboys wasn’t enough, Romo also managed to secure a pretty lucrative contract as a sports broadcaster. In early February, the 40-year old reached a multi-year contract extension with CBS that would pay him approximately $17 million annually. Many people have praised Romo for his analysis as a commentator for NFL games, and CBS is looking to keep his expertise for the foreseeable future.
Jim Rome: $15 million
As you will see, CBS is not afraid of compensating its talent. Sports radio host Jim Rome makes approximately $15 million annually for hosting The Jim Rome Show every weekday on CBS sports radio. The 56-year old also works as a commentator on the NFL on CBS and provides his analysis for CBS sports and the company’s website.
Stephen A. Smith: $8 million
When people think of ESPN, the first person that comes to almost everyone’s mind is Stephen A. Smith. The face of ESPN is the highest paid analyst on the network as he’s reportedly making $8 million annually. Smith is the co-host of one of ESPN’s biggest weekday morning shows First Take alongside Max Kellerman and a new show on the network’s streaming platform (ESPN+) called Stephen A’s World.
Skip Bayless: $8 million
One of the most polarizing sports debaters is also one of the highest paid in his industry. Skip Bayless recently extended his stay at Fox Sports One in early March; he signed a four year $32 million deal with the network. Bayless is the co-host of a weekday morning sports debate show on Fox Sports One called Skip and Shannon: Undisputed alongside Shannon Sharpe. As for whether we will see any notable mentions from Canadian networks is still to be determined, but as of now the money for sports commentary is clearly in the United States.
