This week’s newsletter is on the three time Super Bowl Champion and Hall of Famer, Shannon Sharpe who’s been taking the sports media world by storm. He is widely known for being one of the greatest football tight ends in NFL history but is now building a huge and successful media empire, Shay Shay media. Sharpe launched his podcast ‘Club Shay Shay’ in September 2020 and has nearly 3 million Youtube subscribers.
Beyond his on-field achievements, Sharpe had a charismatic personality and articulate demeanour which made him a natural fit for a career in sports media. Following his retirement from the NFL in 2003, he seamlessly transitioned into broadcasting, quickly becoming one of the most recognisable faces in sports journalism. His unparalleled knowledge of the game, coupled with his engaging presence, led to numerous opportunities in the media industry.
Sharpe joined CBS Sports as an NFL analyst, where he provided insightful commentary and analysis on various football-related programs, including “The NFL Today.” In addition to his role at CBS, he expanded his presence in the media landscape with the launch of his own sports talk show, “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed,” alongside co-host Skip Bayless. Premiering on Fox network in 2016, the show quickly gained a loyal following thanks to the dynamic chemistry between Sharpe and Bayless, as well as their candid and spirited debates on a wide range of sports topics.
“Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” became a must-watch program for sports fans, offering a unique blend of entertainment and insightful commentary. The show’s success solidified his status as one of the most influential voices in sports media. In 2023, Shannon had Skip had a fall out which led to Shannon leaving to build his own platform.
Shannon’s media empire is growing exceedingly well, Club Shay Shay has welcomed high profile guests such as Floyd Mayweather, Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Kevin Hart and most recently Katt Williams. His interview with Katt Williams went viral and Shannon earned a payout bigger than any of his yearly NFL salaries. The viral Club Shay Shay interview with Katt Williams is currently sitting on 62 Million views.
“If you think I made $2 million, 3x it. I made more money on Katt Williams alone than I made in any year that I played the NFL”.
Shannon played in the NFL for 14 seasons for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens. His highest base salary for a single season was $2.25 million with the Broncos in 1999 but the most Shannon earned in a season was $5 million in 2000 when he signed with the Baltimore Ravens. In today’s game players in his position have a base salary of at least $5 million for the 2024 season alone.
Shannon had a successful career as a professional football player and has transitioned perfectly into a successful career after football. Shannon is a great example of how to leverage your time on the field to build a career off the field. Professional athletes have so many interesting stories and see all the things fans can’t see, so when they get the chance to give an insight fans are always happy to get that insight. With his access and relationships he’s able to bring some of the biggest celebs, entertainers, and athletes to have a conversation sharing insights every fan wants to hear.
The media space for athletes is growing, athletes are not just restricted to punditry or guest appearances, they can now have their own shows and their own platforms to share their thoughts and interests. They are able to build media empires where they can produce or fund shows that fans want to see. It’s great to see what Shannon has done with ‘Club Shay Shay’, Lebron with ‘The Shop’, Draymond Green with ‘The Draymond Green Show’. As long as these athletes keep expressing themselves and not limiting their value to their performance on the field or court, there are numerous opportunities for them.
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