Michael Smith will end his fifteen year run with ESPN as his contract expires this fall. His next move will involve an up and coming sports media startup by the name of (Co)laboratory. Smith will step into the role of VP and chief content officer. In this role, Smith will develop original sports content featuring athletes as storytellers.
After announcing the move publicly, Smith told Variety, “This is an opportunity to tap into my entrepreneur side, my deal maker and producer side.”
He added, “What we’re doing is empowering athletes and creators in general. I think we’re going to be able to make some really impactful content and tell some new stories.”
By leaving ESPN, Smith will join his former SportsCenter co-anchor in California. In 2018, Hill and Smith hosted the network’s signature program before Hill was suspended following her highly publicized back and forth with Donald Trump. Since then, Hill has signed on to work with The Atlantic, inked a podcast deal with Spotify and co-founded a production company with her best friend, Kelley Carter. Now, Smith will have the same opportunity to venture out on his own in the world of sports media.
