The 26th annual ESPYS will air on July 18, and a female will be hosting the awards show for the first time in the history of the event.
ESPN announced on Tuesday that Danica Patrick will host the ESPYs this year.
“My first ESPYS was 2005, and I have been a fan, coming back every year since,” Patrick said. “It is the biggest night of the year for sports. Every year, I leave feeling so inspired! I am excited to be able to help celebrate, laugh and cry about the past year in sports with everyone. It’s going to be a great night and one full of more than a few surprises.”
Patrick recently announced that she is retiring from auto racing, and her final race will be the Indy 500 on Sunday. The 36-year-old has broken numerous gender barriers in the sport, including being the first female driver to lead laps and score a top-five finish at the Indianapolis 500, the first woman to win a NASCAR Cup Series pole and the first female driver to win a major league open-wheel race in a North American series.
Earlier this year, Patrick confirmed that she is dating Aaron Rodgers. Patrick told SiriusXM Radio on Tuesday that she originally met the Packers quarterback at the ESPYs.
“We met at the ESPYS back in 2012. We remember meeting each other, it was quick,” she said. “I got his email address. … It wasn’t until, obviously, recently that we actually had phone numbers. We referred to each other as Chicago and Green Bay. It was very cute.”
We have seen women shine while hosting pre-ESPYs coverage, but Patrick is the first to be in charge of the main event. Expect her to be up to the challenge.
