The 2017 ESPYS Presented by Capital One will be hosted by five-time NFL MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning. The former NFL quarterback will be joined by top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 25th annual ESPYS will be broadcast live on ABC Wednesday, July 12, at 8 p.m. ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
“It’s an honor to be asked to host The ESPYS, and it’s even more meaningful that it’s the 25th year for this incredible event,” said Manning. “The ESPYS have been a part of my life during my entire career—I can still remember attending my very first show back in 1998 before my rookie season in the NFL. Over the years, The ESPYS have celebrated some of my favorite athletes and sports moments. In addition to recognizing a special year in sports, the 25th ESPYS will allow us to go down memory lane and pay tribute to those who have played such a huge part in this program’s success.”
Manning retired from the NFL after the 2015 season, finishing his 18-year NFL career as a two-time Super Bowl champion and the all-time winningest quarterback in league history. Following his record-setting career at the University of Tennessee, Manning was selected by the Colts with the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft and went on to set numerous league records in Indianapolis while leading the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2006. He spent his final four seasons in Denver, becoming the only five-time Most Valuable Player in league history and helping the Broncos to a Super Bowl win in 2015. A 14-time Pro Bowl selection, Manning finished his career as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdown passes and 4,000-yard passing seasons.
Manning continued, “Most of all, I’m looking forward to celebrating the winners of the Arthur Ashe Award, the Pat Tillman Award and the Jimmy V Award, which headlines The ESPYS’ great tradition of raising money and awareness for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. That’s what has always stood out to me about The ESPYS—it honors great athletes and great teams while serving a larger purpose supporting a very important cause.”
In addition to his successful football accomplishments on the field, Manning is well-known for his contributions off the field for his work with the PeyBack Foundation, the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, IN, and The Pat Summitt Foundation. In 2016, Manning was honored with the Icon Award at The ESPYS, alongside fellow athletes Kobe Bryant and Abby Wambach. He presented the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Pat Summitt in 2012, and won a total of nine ESPY awards during his career.
“Though Peyton’s tremendous success in the NFL is the prism through which most sports fans know him, his warm sense of humor and ability to connect with an audience have been highlighted in his commercial work and when he hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’ to critical acclaim,” said ESPYS executive producer Maura Mandt. “Those qualities will make him a wonderful host for this year’s show.”
Added Connor Schell, ESPN senior vice president and executive producer, Original Content, who oversees The ESPYS: “The ESPYS has continued to grow in reach, impact and meaning since its inception, most importantly raising well over $31 million through ESPYS-related events for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. This year’s 25th ESPYS show will commemorate not only the last year in sports, but also the athletes and moments that have had an effect on sports fans over the last 25 years.”
The ESPYS raise more than $1 million annually for The V Foundation, the charity founded by ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano to promote cancer research. Tickets are available for public purchase at AXS.com. For additional ESPYS news and information, please follow the official Twitter handle: @ESPYS.
The ESPYS
The ESPYS gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2017 ESPYS will recognize achievements in categories such as “Best MLB Player,” “Best Team,” “Best Female Athlete” and “Best Upset.” Inspiring human stories are showcased through three pillar awards – the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, the Jimmy V Perseverance Award and the Pat Tillman Award for Service. The ESPYS support ESPN’s ongoing commitment to the V Foundation for Cancer Research, launched by ESPN with the late Jim Valvano in 1993.
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