ESPN locks down Philly native Ryan Smith, who will remain on ‘SportsCenter’ and ‘Outside the Lines’

Ryan Smith, a Mount Airy native who grew up rooting for the Phillies, will be sticking around ESPN after signing a new multiyear deal with the popular sports network. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Smith, who has worked for ESPN and ABC in a variety of roles since 2013, is probably most well-known for his association with Outside the Lines, the celebrated sports news program that now airs weekly and is hosted by Jeremy Schaap following the retirement of ESPN icon Bob Ley. Smith will continue to appear on Saturday mornings as a panelist on the show, but he’ll also create a daily Outside the Lines segment that will air every weekday during the noon edition of SportsCenter.

“We really wanted to continue the legacy of the brand,” Smith said. “There’s really no place in television where you can find a deeper dive on important sports issues … I just felt the need to be involved in it. Bob Ley took it this far. I want to be a part of the group that brings it even farther.”

ESPN is certainly getting their money’s worth with Smith, who will wear multiple hats as part of his new deal. In addition to the daily Outside the Lines segments, he will remain one of the network’s legal analysts, a role he’s uniquely suited to fill thanks to his background as a practicing lawyer, which includes a stint working for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“When something of a legal nature happens, my phone starts ringing. They all want Ryan,” David Sarosi, coordinating producer of Outside the Lines and E: 60, told the Inquirer last year. “I’ve had to play gatekeeper, and sort-of tell people, ‘I know he’s great at giving you legal analysis, but we’ve got a show to do’ "

Smith will also keep his role as a correspondent on E: 60 and continue to act as a rotating host on SportsCenter, a role he began a few months ago and never really considered for himself, despite watching the popular highlights show growing up.

Smith was obsessed with the Phillies growing up, spending countless summer afternoons scoring games at Veterans Stadium. He “worshipped” famed Phillies announcer Harry Kalas, even taking his advice by going to Syracuse to pursue his dream of becoming a sports broadcaster. And he’s not the only Philadelphia native ESPN has locked down recently — last month, the network signed SportsCenter host Kevin Negandhi to a new multiyear deal.

“It’s really satisfying," Smith said of his contract negotiations being over. “It’s good to be … done."