Let’s be real: sports fans either love or hate Stephen A. Smith. But one thing’s undeniable: The man’s a powerhouse. His takes are fiery, sure, but behind the rants lies a shrewd media strategist. As it turns out, we might have baseball legend Alex Rodriguez to partially thank (or to blame?) for Stephen A.’s omnipresence.

A recent Bloomberg Originals interview revealed a fascinating nugget—A-Rod was instrumental in Smith’s career shift. Smith recounted their conversation: “Listen, man, you gonna do baseball?” he asked Rodriguez. A-Rod’s enthusiastic “Mmhmm!” confirmed his passion for the game. That’s when it hit Smith: live games are where the real action is.

“This is a beautiful thing,” Smith explained to Alex Rodriguez, “because obviously this man is a savant when it comes to… the diamond.” That’s the thing, isn’t it? Contributing to sports centers is great, but as Smith put it, “if you ain’t hosting… nobody knows when you’re coming on!” It’s not ‘appointment viewing,’ and without that consistency, even the best analysis gets diluted.

That’s where the Smith strategy kicks in. “They could deduce what the number is,” he said, referring to viewership metrics, “but they don’t necessarily have to attribute it to you.” Without consistency, your impact—and therefore, your worth in the eyes of network executives—gets downplayed.

When Skip Bayless offered Smith a daily, dedicated show, Alex Rodriguez’s words resonated. “That’s five days a week, every day, 10:00 AM,” Smith emphasized. “That means the audience knows exactly where to find me.” There’s no denying the impact: “First Take” surged to the top of ESPN2, even beating main shows in the ratings.

Of course, Bayless, Max Kellerman, and various co-hosts came and went. Stephen A. was the constant. His calculated transition to ESPN 1, and his relentless presence—it’s media mastery, folks. Love him or hate him, you’ve got to respect the hustle, and maybe give A-Rod a little credit for lighting that fire. After all, it takes a “savant” to recognize another. Smith’s rise wasn’t about playing it safe, though.

From hot seat to boardroom: Stephen’s media mastery revealed to Alex Rodriguez

It was calculated audacity—a gamble that paid off. Leaving a comfortable ESPN gig for Skip Bayless’ new, unproven show? That takes guts. “One of the things that I had to pay attention to and ultimately had to heed,” Smith recounted, “was that, that’s five days a week… which means that if these ratings jump up, there’s no way they can deny the impact that I had because I’m right there!” It’s a lesson for anyone trying to build their brand: sometimes visibility means stepping out of your comfort zone.

The early days of “First Take” weren’t without their critics. As Smith put it, “the elder statesmen in the business were swearing we would never be able to do [it].” But beating those odds is what fueled his fire. Success is sweeter when you’ve proven the doubters wrong.

Smith’s not one to rest on his laurels, though. As he explained to Alex Rodriguez, this wasn’t about a cushy gig; it’s about evolving. His ambition drove the push from ESPN2 to ESPN1: “ESPN1 always has more viewers… grasping a larger audience, as those larger numbers come in all of a sudden. Here we are.” It’s not about ego; it’s about using your platform to reach the widest audience possible.

This strategy is a masterclass in brand building. Smith’s focus extends beyond the camera, pointing out having that one single analyst you can blindly look forward to, amidst a plethora of changing faces. “Who’s the constant?” he asks, “Stephen A.; be that one constant.” It’s a reminder that, beneath the fiery personality, there’s a sharp business mind. This is a guy in control of his own narrative.