Stephen A. Smith nears deal to broadcast HBCU basketball

Stephen A. Smith has been the focal point for most of his Straight Shooter Media projects, but that might be changing.

Smith currently finds himself at odds with the National Association of Black Journalists after they gave him their Thumbs Down award last weekend. The NABJ cited his “pattern of disparaging commentary directed at prominent Black women” in media, which Smith disputed in a 45-minute video on his YouTube channel Monday afternoon.

During his rebuttal, Smith credited the NABJ for helping to jumpstart his career, while noting he’s attempted to pay it forward. And according to Smith, he’ll soon have several jobs to fill as he nears a deal to broadcast HBCU basketball games.

“Got something coming down the pike, by the way,” Smith said near the end of his 45-minute retort to the NABJ. “I’m about to ink a deal where we’re broadcasting HBCU basketball games. I’m gonna need some Black folks working for me. As talent and producers and beyond.”

Smith did not state whether the games would air on his YouTube channel, but it’s fair to assume his Straight Shooter Media would be producing the broadcasts. Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group operates the free streaming service HBCU GO. And just last month, BET President Louis Carr claimed HBCU basketball would be part of the network’s content plans this fall.

Currently, Smith’s SiriusXM shows on Mad Dog Sports Radio and POTUS Politics provide most of the content for Straight Shooter Media. But Smith’s production company did team up with Religion of Sports to produce Up for Debate on ESPN+ two years ago. And Smith teased more content coming for Straight Shooter Media, claiming he has “a couple of projects that’s been greenlit,” noting he’s looking for talent, producers, and beyond.

Earlier this year, Smith told Graham Bensinger he has one pilot greenlit for ABC, and another for Amazon. HBCU basketball will apparently be joining those unnamed projects as Smith continues his goal of producing scripted and unscripted content under Straight Shooter Media.