Marty Smith is returning to NASCAR coverage. The ESPN personality will host TNT Sports’ studio coverage for its five-cup series races this summer.
What We Know: According to reporting by Sports Business Journal, Smith will serve as studio host when TNT’s NASCAR slate kicks off June 28 at Sonoma. The run also includes Chicago, Atlanta, North Wilkesboro, and Indianapolis. Notably, Smith recently signed an extension with ESPN last month. His TNT deal is a side arrangement, allowing him to fulfill both commitments simultaneously.
What’s At Stake: Smith recently signed a multi-year extension to continue as a key contributor on college football, golf and NFL Draft coverage. He will also continue co-hosting Marty & McGee alongside Ryan McGee on SEC Network. The arrangement with TNT is separate from his agreement with ESPN. According to SBJ he will be able to fulfill both commitments.
What Remains Unclear: The specific terms of Smith’s TNT deal have not been disclosed officially by the network. It’s also unclear how the growing ESPN-TNT relationship factored into Smith’s selection specifically. The broader partnership between the two networks — spanning Inside the NBA, the Big 12, and the College Football Playoff — suggests this could be part of a larger arrangement. Whether Smith’s role could expand beyond this summer’s five races remains an open question.
What It Means: For Marty Smith, this is an absolute home run. A familiar face from a larger network joining coverage of NASCAR is a huge plus for viewers across the country. This move is a homecoming for Smith. He first joined ESPN in 2006 to cover NASCAR, later becoming the network’s lead NASCAR reporter through 2014. Before ESPN, he worked at NASCAR.com, Speed Channel, and FSN. With the sport continuing to struggle in viewership, it’s apparent that networks are attempting anything they can do to draw more eyeballs to the sport. Smith is a fine addition to that effort.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
