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Always held during a bit of a dead period on the sports calendar, the ESPYs aim to celebrate everything that is great from the past year in sports. Playing host is no easy task.
ESPN has turned to plenty of notable names for hosting duties over the years, from legendary athletes, to respected actors, to comedians who refuse to take themselves too seriously.
Ultimately, the ESPYs are about the athletes and their teams — but the show can't go on the same way without an entertaining host to tie it all together.
Here's a complete list of ESPY Awards hosts by year, including athletes and comedians who have taken the stage.
MORE: Full ESPYs award history
ESPY Awards hosts by year
The ESPY Awards have been hosted by 29 different individuals over 33 years. Some shows featured a repeat host from earlier years, while others featured multiple hosts.
Only the 2023 edition did not have a host, with Pat McAfee delivering the opening monologue during the Writers Guild of America strike.
Here's the complete list of ESPYs hosts from each year:
| Year | Edition | Host | Venue |
| 2025 | 33rd | Shane Gillis | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2024 | 32nd | Serena Williams | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2023 | 31st | No host (writers' strike) | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2022 | 30th | Stephen Curry | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2021 | 29th | Anthony Mackie | The Rooftop at Pier 17, New York, N.Y. |
| 2020 | 28th | Russell Wilson, Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird | Virtual |
| 2019 | 27th | Tracy Morgan | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2018 | 26th | Danica Patrick | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2017 | 25th | Peyton Manning | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2016 | 24th | John Cena | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2015 | 23rd | Joel McHale | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2014 | 22nd | Drake | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2013 | 21st | Jon Hamm | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2012 | 20th | Rob Riggle | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2011 | 19th | Seth Meyers (2) | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2010 | 18th | Seth Meyers | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2009 | 17th | Samuel L. Jackson (4) | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2008 | 16th | Justin Timberlake | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2007 | 15th | Jimmy Kimmel and LeBron James | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2006 | 14th | Lance Armstrong | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2005 | 13th | Matthew Perry | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2004 | 12th | Jamie Foxx (2) | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2003 | 11th | Jamie Foxx | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2002 | 10th | Samuel L. Jackson (3) | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2001 | 9th | Samuel L. Jackson (2) | MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nev. |
| 2000 | 8th | Jimmy Smits | MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nev. |
| 1999 | 7th | Samuel L. Jackson | Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y. |
| 1998 | 6th | Norm Macdonald | Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y. |
| 1997 | 5th | Jeff Foxworthy | Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y. |
| 1996 | 4th | Tony Danza | Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y. |
| 1995 | 3rd | John Goodman | Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y. |
| 1994 | 2nd | Dennis Miller (2) | Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y. |
| 1993 | 1st | Dennis Miller | Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y. |
MORE: Inside Jimmy V's iconic ESPYs speech
Comedians to host the ESPYs
Despite a recent trend of athletes hosting the ESPY Awards, comedians or comedic actors have been regular hosts of the show since its inception in 1993.
Here's the full list:
| Year | Edition | Host | Venue |
| 2025 | 33rd | Shane Gillis | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2019 | 27th | Tracy Morgan | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2015 | 23rd | Joel McHale | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2013 | 21st | Jon Hamm | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2012 | 20th | Rob Riggle | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2011 | 19th | Seth Meyers (2) | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2010 | 18th | Seth Meyers | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2007 | 15th | Jimmy Kimmel (with LeBron James) | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2005 | 13th | Matthew Perry | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2004 | 12th | Jamie Foxx (2) | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2003 | 11th | Jamie Foxx | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 1998 | 6th | Norm Macdonald | Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y. |
| 1997 | 5th | Jeff Foxworthy | Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y. |
| 1995 | 3rd | John Goodman | Radio City Music Hall, New York, N.Y. |
| 1994 | 2nd | Dennis Miller (2) | Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y. |
| 1993 | 1st | Dennis Miller | Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y. |
MORE: What is the Jimmy V Award?
Athletes to host the ESPYs
Only eight ESPY Awards have been hosted by athletes. Lance Armstrong became the first athlete to host the ESPYs in 2006, followed by a young LeBron James alongside late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel in 2007.
Since 2016, athletes have hosted the ESPYs more than half of the time, most recently in 2024. Here's the full list:
| Year | Edition | Host | Venue |
| 2024 | 32nd | Serena Williams | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2022 | 30th | Stephen Curry | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2020 | 28th | Russell Wilson, Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird | Virtual |
| 2018 | 26th | Danica Patrick | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2017 | 25th | Peyton Manning | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2016 | 24th | John Cena | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2007 | 15th | LeBron James (with Jimmy Kimmel) | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| 2006 | 14th | Lance Armstrong | Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, Calif. |
MORE: What does ESPY stand for?
Who has hosted the most ESPY Awards shows?
Samuel L. Jackson hosted the ESPYs four times, taking the stage in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2009. His run as host in the late 1990s and early 2000s was interrupted only by Jimmy Smits in 2000, and Jackson would return for a fourth time in 2009.
MORE: How tennis star inspired prestigious ESPY award
Who has hosted multiple ESPY Awards shows?
No one other than Jackson has hosted the ESPY Awards more than twice, but three other individuals have hosted the ESPYs multiple times. Seth Meyers (2010, 2011), Jamie Foxx (2003, 2004) and Dennis Miller (1993, 1994) each hosted the ESPYs twice, with Miller hosting the first two shows.
ESPN has since settled into a pattern of choosing a different host each year, so it's been quite some time since Meyers became the most recent repeat host in 2011.
MORE: 16 NFL stars who you didn't know were also drafted by MLB teams
Who was the first ESPY Awards host?
Actor and comedian Dennis Miller hosted the first two ESPY Awards shows in 1993 and 1994. While Miller dabbled in sports reporting at the start of his career, he made his name as a "Saturday Night Live" cast member between 1985 and 1991.
Miller brought some comedy to the stage in the early days of the ESPYs, though he would take on a more serious role in sports media just a few years later when he was surprisingly chosen to join the "Monday Night Football" broadcast booth in 2000.
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