Few ESPN talents have had as diverse an experience with the network as Marty Smith. From NASCAR to golf, radio to television, and exclusive profile pieces in between, Smith has carved out his own lane at the worldwide leader in sports. Earlier this year, he received another opportunity to continue his journey with the network, signing a multi-year agreement to remain with ESPN.
“I’ve surpassed every dream I’ve ever had. I say that with humility. This wasn’t even part of my plan,” says Smith, who celebrates his 20th anniversary with the network this year. “I’ve always been fearless to dream, but all of this just seemed unattainable. It seemed too big to even be a fault.”
Even as Smith jokes that 20 years with ESPN feels like 100, he considers every opportunity a blessing to this day. What began as a media career born at The Roanoke Times in southwestern Virginia has become one of the most compelling storylines in the network’s recent history.
From Pit Stops To Pigskin
When Smith arrived at ESPN in 2006 as a reporter covering NASCAR, his goal was to maximize the opportunity he had been given. Over six years, Smith’s presence became synonymous with the sport he began covering while working for the Times during college. But in 2014, change was in the air, and NASCAR was shifting away from ESPN, leading to a moment when Smith was unsure about his future with the network.
“I decided then that I’m going to stay at ESPN. After talking with my family and my agent, we knew I established myself with NASCAR here. But I wanted that challenge in seeing what I might be able to do,” said Smith. “I was asked randomly in the food line at ESPN what I wanted to do with my life. I said I’d love to do college football. The next thing I know, I get an email from Lee Fitting following Miami [Homestead] saying start studying dude.”
2014 was an enormous year for ESPN as the network was the home of the inaugural College Football Playoff. Fitting oversaw aligning talent for coverage of the teams likely to be involved. According to Smith, Fitting saw something in Smith’s approach to NASCAR that belonged in the network’s coverage of college football.
While he admitted to a slight sense of imposter syndrome, Smith got to work in a sport where he had no contacts and was assigned to Ohio State and its rabid fan base.
“You don’t just get moved to the College Football Playoff. There’s been a myriad of high-level executives who saw something and gave me opportunities,” noted Smith. “Now that I look back on that experience with the knowledge of what it really is, I just can’t believe that I got that opportunity. As a NASCAR reporter that is covering Ohio State football on this massive stage, you must look at it and say, ‘Damn. Can’t believe that worked.’”
Since 2014, Smith has continued to add new experiences with ESPN. His work has since expanded to cover The Masters, the Kentucky Derby and the NFL Draft. He remains involved in covering college football while adding roles with the SEC Network and TGL.
Love With NASCAR
He approaches each role with the same work ethic he developed so many years ago while working locally for The Roanoke Times and NASCAR.com. That approach is rooted in study, relationship building and humility, with a goal of having the people he covers feel seen and their stories told not just correctly, but with resonance.
While NASCAR was the sport where Smith’s work caught the attention of ESPN, it’s also a sport he initially didn’t want to cover at all.
“When the Roanoke Times assigned me to cover the New River Valley Speedway beat, I didn’t have any desire to cover NASCAR racing. None,” explained Smith. “I wanted my summers off. Reluctantly, I went on a Saturday afternoon and it only took two laps of the race where I realized this is awesome.”
That initial feeling led to a growing passion for Smith. Through his work, he found community and connection while traveling the world covering a sport that was growing in popularity.
“It’s the authenticity of the sport that drew the attention it did back then. As I started to think this might be pretty good and could be the fastest route to something bigger,” said Smith. “I hitched my wagon to NASCAR to see what happens. From there, people gave me opportunity and I don’t know why.”
Earlier this year, Smith returned to covering NASCAR races on television, but not for ESPN. Following his extension announcement, Smith signed with TNT Sports to host a slate of five races this year in a multi-year agreement.
“I love what I’m doing so much at ESPN. That was my only focus in continuing my career. When Turner reached out to my agent to inquire about me hosting their NASCAR shows, it wasn’t an open and shut decision at all,” noted Smith. “I want to be a present husband and father way more than anything else in my life. There was a lot of back and forth with the amazing and patient team at TNT Sports. Ultimately, my wife and I decided it was the right decision to do it.”
In the added role, Smith joins those he once covered at the desk of TNT Sports’ NASCAR Nation. He joined Dale Earnhardt Jr., Steve Letarte, Jamie McMurray and either Jimmie Johnson or Jeff Burton at the desk. Smith says the reunion with old friends on the program has been more fun than he could have imagined and is thankful for the opportunity.
Marty & McGee Shift
That’s not the only change this year for Smith. His longtime ESPN Radio program is also making a shift this coming football season. Barrett Media reported Monday that Marty & McGee will shift to a noon Eastern airing on the SEC Network as part of an expansion of SEC Nation moving to three hours.
“That’s a shift from what we’ve been the last few years. Awesome,” said Smith. “Our bosses believe [that we’re] going to flourish here. Okay, badass man. Strike the field. Let’s go.”
Despite Smith’s excitement, the shift does present an interesting dilemma for the approach to content. While the show previously led into SEC Nation at 9 a.m., the shift now means the radio program will go head-to-head against the early college football slate every Saturday.
However, it’s a challenge that Smith says he’s ready for.
“I’m not concerned. We know we’re going against games. But you can look at it six ways to Sunday,” said Smith. “For the last couple of years, we’ve been going against the first hour of College GameDay. Everything is contextual. We have an opportunity to extend our property in a way that maybe SEC fans flip back and forth. Maybe we can convince people our content is worth checking into a game during the second quarter… We’re malleable broadcasters. Let’s go win.”
For Smith, that willingness to embrace the unknown has become the defining theme of a two-decade journey at ESPN. NASCAR opened the door, but curiosity, preparation and a willingness to say yes to the next opportunity kept him walking through it.
Twenty years after arriving at ESPN, Smith is still chasing the next challenge. Whether it’s standing on the sideline of a college football game, telling stories from The Masters, sitting alongside familiar faces at a NASCAR desk or helping build the next chapter of Marty & McGee, he remains driven by the same philosophy that guided him from a small Virginia newspaper to the biggest stages in sports.
“I want to grow where I’m planted,” said Smith. “My bosses have given me these opportunities. And whatever that is, I want to try to dominate that box. Whatever that box is, I want to maximize it. I want to make it grow and bloom and flourish with resonance that far surpasses what I had maybe hoped for.”
Smith never planned for any of this. In many ways, that’s what makes the journey so remarkable.
Smith simply kept saying yes. And after 20 years, with no shortage of opportunities still ahead, he has no intention of stopping now.
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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.