Stephen A. Smith Tells Clay Travis He Expects To Be ESPN's Highest Paid Personality

Stephen A. Smith believes he's the best and wants to be paid for it.

The longtime ESPN personality spoke with Clay Travis earlier today in a wide-ranging interview about everything including Smith's upcoming contract negotiations. Smith's current ESPN deal ends in 2025 and he expects to be handsomely rewarded for being the voice of the network.

Stephen A. Smith's most recent contract reportedly pays him at $12 million per year, however Joe Buck, Pat McAfee and Troy Aikman make more than him with their recent contracts. Smith made no question about it - he wants to be the top contract at ESPN and expects the network to open the bank for him.

"Is it important to you - based on the first way it went at ESPN, that you are the highest paid person at ESPN based on the work you are giving for them? Do you think that should be the case?" Travis asked Smith.

"Yes. I'm not stuttering... hell yes, that's absolutely true" Smith responded without skipping a beat.

"I've mastered my own business. In the world of sports television, Clay Travis, I've been number 1 for 12 years. Come April 1st, for more than 12 consecutive years I've been number 1. Not only have I been number 1 every year, I've been number 1 for every week, every month of every year for the last 12 years. You don't get to say that about too many," the First Take host continued.

SMITH FIRST JOINED ESPN IN 2003

You can understand why Stephen A. believes he's the best - because for the network (and many viewers), he absolutely is.

Smith is ESPN's go-to on anything and everything it needs an opinion on. It's not just the NBA anymore with Smith - First Take has shown that he's going to give his for lack of better word - Take, and he's going to voice it whether right or wrong.

Stephen A. is rewriting the rules. To use a sports analogy, a baseball utility player is usually an important asset for a team but not highly paid. Smith has shown that he is capable of doing everything and will get his money for it as well.

THOUGHTS ON PAT MCAFEE

After years of the ESPN brand taking a hit and struggling to find its identity, current CEO James Pitaro is trying to right the ship. One of his first major moves was signing Pat McAfee to a five-year, $85 million deal. The network believes it will financially recoup the costs via advertising revenue for McAfee's daily simulcasted show.

"I look at whether it's Pat McAfee, Mike Greenberg, Scott Van Pelt, Troy Aikman, Joe Buck, Kirk Herbstreit the list goes on and on... I'm so honored to have the colleagues that I have and work with at ESPN every day. But at the end of the day, it would be nice one day for this man to stand before everyone and say I am number 1, and this says I'm number 1," Smith continued.

And if McAfee is getting big money, and Smith's First Take co-panelist Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo is reportedly getting $10,000 an episode - ESPN is going to have to pay - and pay big to retain Smith.

Stephen A. Smith told Clay Travis that he expects to be paid for being the voice and face of ESPN. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

SMITH'S CONTRACT ENDS IN 2025

"I'm not just a talent, I'm a business. I have my own production company... I have my own show that I've built myself that can go linear or digital. I'm not doing all of that to be in second place. I'm ont doing all of that to look up to someone else and see they're making more than me when I'm producing superior ratings and revenue. No, I'm not doing that and I'm not apologizing to anyone for it."

Smith then made sure to not totally anger the powers-that-be.

"I've been treated incredibly well by ESPN. I expect to continue to be well treated by ESPN... but this is a business and Disney has a right to run its business the way it sees fit, ESPN does as well - but if they do - so do I."

SMITH HAS BUILT A MULTI-FACTED, LINEAR BRAND

So is this Smith playing hardball with his longtime employee? Not so much Smith says as he ends his thoughts of the matter in a positive light.

"I hope that we're able to work out and I'm confident that we will because I'm incredibly happy there, but we'll see."

Whether you love him or hate him, Smith has been consistent in his desire to never back down to a fight, a confrontation or have an opinion - sometimes to his own detriment. Some on the Left hate him while at the same time others on the Right are frustrated with him at times. Above all else though, you can be sure that Dallas Cowboys fans will ALWAYS not be able to stand him.

You can watch Smith's entire interview with Clay Travis here.

THOUGHTS? OPINIONS ON STEPHEN A. SMITH? Tweet me: @TheGunzShow