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Showing posts with label ESPN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ESPN. Show all posts

January 25, 2021

ESPN Is Reportedly Finished With WWE

ESPN has reportedly made the decision to stop airing all WWE content

Dave Meltzer indicated that there are issues between WWE and ESPN as it’s believed that ESPN was a significant part of the WWE Network talks before WWE decided on a deal with NBCU for Peacock. Disney is the parent company of ESPN, and there were rumors at one point of Disney/ESPN potentially being interest in buying WWE. Apparently ESPN found out three weeks ago that they were not getting the WWE Network deal. Meltzer then reported that ESPN has “pretty much shut down” any WWE coverage, and right now no more WWE content is to air on ESPN.

ESPN started airing classic WWE content back in 2020, and often covers significant stories for the company. ESPN launched a WWE subsite in 2016, but it looks like that site is no longer being regularly updated. It was also reported back in February 2020 that WWE and ESPN had talks about potentially moving WWE pay-per-view events to the ESPN+ platform.

March 20, 2020

ESPN To Air Classic WWE WrestleMania Events

ESPN is set to air classic WWE WrestleMania events to build to WrestleMania 36, according to Variety.

ESPN will air classic WrestleMania events over the next three Sundays, on their flagship cable network, and then on their mobile app.

The first showing will be this Sunday at 7pm ET as ESPN airs WrestleMania XXX from 2014.
Variety noted that this is the latest example of ESPN working to fill its schedule with "unorthodox content" in the wake of the nation's coronavirus pandemic, which has put a stop to many sporting events.

"This unique opportunity is a byproduct of the terrific working relationship we've enjoyed with WWE over the years and the unprecedented circumstances we all find ourselves in," said Burke Magnus, ESPN's Executive Vice President of Programming. "WrestleMania is one of the most popular global events in sports and entertainment and the spectacular content it provides will be a treat for fans."

February 21, 2020

WWE Reportedly Negotiating With ESPN For Content Streaming On ESPN+

WWE is reportedly having talks with ESPN.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the talks would be in regards to WWE content airing on the ESPN+ service. The deal that WWE is likely trying to broker would be similar to the deal UFC has with ESPN, where WWE would sell their rights to air pay-per-views, which would pay more money for the content than WWE could make on its own by selling the content directly to viewers with the WWE Network. The ESPN+ model with UFC is reportedly what opened WWE's eyes to the idea.

The ESPN+ deal could potentially bring more mainstream exposure to WWE's big events and their biggest Superstars. ESPN has proved that when they own rights to a product, they use their various shows to heavily market that product. There's no word yet on how far the talks with ESPN are, but The Observer noted that it looks like the deal has not been agreed on as of this week.

As noted earlier this month at this link, there was no truth to the rumors on WWE possibly talking to Amazon about selling content rights to them. While Amazon might not be interested in WWE, the company has been talking with other potential partners, which would include DAZN, and NBC's Peacock service. ESPN+ was also included in the original report on potential content partners.

The belief was that NBC's Peacock service, which is set to launch later this year, would be the best bet for WWE. TV industry sources recently reported to The Observer that Peacock would look at WWE to be its key initial programming to draw subscribers from the launch moving forward, which would be very similar to how ESPN+ did with UFC. With such a deal with one of these larger streaming services, WWE would be able to get significantly guaranteed money for their big money events, instead of being forced to rely on declining subscription money from the WWE Network.

July 11, 2019

Roman Reigns Wins First-Ever WWE Award At ESPN's ESPYS, Reigns Comments, Top WWE Stars In Attendance

Roman Reigns just won the first-ever Best WWE Moment award at the 2019 ESPN ESPYS from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Reigns won the award for his "triumphant return to Monday Night RAW" earlier this year following his second battle with leukemia.

The other nominees were Becky Lynch for winning the RAW Women's Title and SmackDown Women's Title at WrestleMania 35, Kofi Kingston for winning the WWE Title at WrestleMania 35, and Ronda Rousey for winning her first RAW Women's Title at SummerSlam 2018.

As we've noted, this was the first time that WWE had an award category at the ESPYS, under the Best Performance category.

"For to me just to be able to be healthy was the only award I needed. This is just so flattering for everyone to kind of lift me up and show me that support system and love from everybody," Reigns said in WWE's announcement on the award. "It was never about awards or anything like that. It was just about awareness, it was just about sharing my story and hopefully someone could use it for a little bit of hope."

WWE noted that Reigns was congratulated during during the red carpet special by Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, the RAW Women's Champion Lynch, and WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins.

July 9, 2019

Becky Lynch Becomes First WWE Star To Land ESPN The Magazine Cover

As seen below, Lynch and actress Alison Brie of Netflix's GLOW series are gracing the cover of the "Blockbuster Issue" from ESPN The Magazine. The issue hits newsstands this Friday.

Below is WWE's announcement on the cover, along with the cover photo:



Becky Lynch and Alison Brie to be featured on cover of ESPN The Magazine's "Blockbuster" issue

Becky Lynch has taken over the sports-entertainment scene in the last year, and this Friday, you can find the Raw Women's Champion with actress Alison Brie on the cover of ESPN The Magazine's "Blockbuster" issue.

The new issue focuses on the intersection between Hollywood and sports. Lynch and Brie, who is the star of Netflix's hit comedy show "GLOW" on the 1980s Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling promotion, got together for an interview about the obstacles they face in their respective industries, the toughness of women, and much more.

The Man is the first WWE Superstar to ever appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine. Get your hands on the issue when it hits newsstands this Friday.

June 19, 2019

WWE Receives Its Own Category At This Year's ESPYS

For the first time, WWE is getting a "Best WWE Moment" under the Best Performance category at this year's ESPYS, which will be hosted by Tracy Morgan on July 10 at 8 pm ET on ABC.

The nominees for the award are: Roman Reigns' return after his battle with Leukemia, Becky Lynch wins the WWE RAW and SmackDown Women's Championships at WrestleMania 35Kofi Kingston wins his first WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35, and Ronda Rousey becomes WWE RAW Women's Champion.

Voting is done by the fans via ESPN's site, which you can do by clicking here.

January 26, 2019

ESPN Reveals The Concussion Tests Daniel Bryan Has To Undergo After Each Match

ESPN Reveals The Concussion Tests Daniel Bryan Has To Undergo After Each Match
WWE Champion Daniel Bryan recently spoke with ESPN to promote Sunday's WWE Royal Rumble match with AJ Styles. The piece reveals the concussion tests that Bryan undergoes after each match.

Bryan returns to the backstage area after each match and has to go through a series of tests, ending with a math problem. According to ESPN, Bryan must multiply 8 by 3, then multiply that number by 3, and dive it all by 4. If Bryan can't come up with the correct answer, he's not cleared to continue wrestling.

WWE doctors perform these tests on Bryan following any physical activity in the ring. The tests begin with Bryan getting his eyes checked. He then goes through several balance tests, then ends with the math equation. Doctors use the simple tests to make sure Bryan's brain is functioning properly. These show how WWE is not taking any chances with Bryan, who has suffered 10 documented concussions.

"The big concern with concussions is that, this has happened to me in the past, you don't know you had a concussion and your instinct as an athlete is to say, 'Hey, I'm fine, What we do now ensures that doesn't happen."

ESPN notes that WWE put this very specific concussion protocol in place after Bryan was cleared to return to the ring by an independent group of concussion experts, neurologists and neurosurgeons, and WWE medical director Joseph Maroon.

December 1, 2018

Becky Lynch Becomes The First Woman To Top ESPN's WWE Power Rankings, Lynch Reacts

ESPN announced today that SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch is the first woman to ever top their monthly WWE Power Rankings.

The Man of WWE easily topped the list by nearly sweeping the first-place votes, according to ESPN's Tim Fiorvanti. Lynch ranked #4 on the last set of rankings that was released. ESPN notes that "rankings are based upon the perceived value of a superstar to the on-screen product of WWE, which is determined by the voting of a panel of WWE on ESPN contributors. Number in parentheses indicates first-place votes."

ESPN's Matt Wilansky wrote the following on Lynch for this month's #1 spot: "When you step back and think of Becky's ascent, it's astonishing. We all assumed Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey would take the women's evolution to the next level, but it's the SmackDown champ who has the most ardent and passion fan base in the WWE today, and that includes the men. Her beeline to the top of the summit is one of the best wrestling stories of 2018."

This month's rankings saw WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins come in second. Others on the list are WWE Champion Daniel Bryan at #3, Drew McIntyre, RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair, AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, Randy Orton and WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at #10.

Lynch took to Twitter and wrote the following on topping the list:

The first woman ever to top the ESPN Power Rankings? You’re damn right I am, and we’re only getting warmed up. #IamTheMan

July 9, 2018

Why Fox Was Attracted To WWE, What Happened With The ESPN - WWE Negotiations, More On TV Deals

Sports Business Daily has a new article looking at how WWE's new deal with Fox marked the end of more than two years of negotiations among TV networks looking to land deals with WWE and the UFC. The article also looks at how two of the top entertainment agencies went head-to-head for their clients - Endeavor worked the five-year $1.5 billion deal between UFC & ESPN while Creative Artists Agency (CAA) crafted the $2.34 billion deal between WWE and NBCUniversal & Fox. Below are a few notes from the piece:

* While considering a future with or without UFC, Fox started looking at other sports content to fill nights on its broadcast network as part of a new strategy that focused on live programming in primetime. It sounds like Fox first started looking at WWE some time in 2017 and Fox insiders were attracted to the consistently high ratings & passionate fanbase that WWE has.

* WWE's negotiation period with NBCU ran until mid-May of this year but officials had already been making the rounds to get to know other TV executives through a series of "get-to-know-you meetings. The networks had one significant issue - Endeavor owns UFC and Endeavor's Ari Emanuel is friends with Vince McMahon, who asked Ari to represent WWE during media talks. Networks did not feel comfortable negotiating with the same person who was working on behalf of two competing sports brands. This was seen as a conflict of interest and networks made it clear to WWE officials. WWE hired CAA, a top rival of Endeavor, soon after a WWE show in Los Angeles during the spring of 2017 where Fox Sports President Eric Shanks pulled Vince to the side to point out the conflict of interest. Fox pushing for the change annoyed Ari and indicated that UFC & Fox would have trouble coming to a deal.

* Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, Co-President George Barrios and Co-President Michelle Wilson met with ESPN executives 4 times from December 2017 through the spring. ESPN had upped their coverage of WWE and was receptive to talks but it was soon clear that a deal was not going to be reached. The issue between ESPN and WWE came down to scheduling as RAW & SmackDown are produced every week and ESPN can't afford to give any sport 52 weeks in a year.

* ESPN did consider WWE programming for their ESPN+ streaming service but that would have directly competed with the WWE Network.

* WWE soon targeted Fox and made it clear they were interested. Fox did the same. Shanks and other Fox executives were shown on camera during a May 2017 RAW show from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. WWE was still in the exclusive window with NBCU, which ran until mid-May, but Stephanie, Triple H and other WWE executives made a point to visit the Fox lot for an informal meet & greet. WWE told Fox executives then that they could not discuss terms of a potential deal until NBC's exclusive window closed but both sides were interested.

* Bonnie Hammer, a longtime friend of WWE's and chairman of the NBCU cable entertainment group, was leading the renewal talks with WWE. Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBC Broadcasting & Sports, oversees all major sports rights negotiations for NBCU but they view WWE as an entertainment property so Hammer led the talks while he was on hand to participate in strategy sessions and offer advice. NBCU officials knew Fox was interested in WWE but they believed WWE ultimately wanted to stay on the USA Network. They also believed WWE fans wanted consistency as they knew where they could go to see RAW on Mondays and SmackDown on Tuesdays.

* WWE had been averaging $130 million per year for each show in previous deals and that figure was considered well below the market value by network executives. WWE officials knew they were negotiating from a strong position and decided to split their TV package in two. CAA told Hammer they wanted $265 million per year for RAW and $200 million per year for SmackDown - a 358% increase. NBCU's exclusive window closed on May 16th and they informed WWE they would take RAW for $265 million but they would not renew SmackDown. The next day WWE executives visited the Fox offices in New York City for the meeting that included Rupert Murdoch. The $205 million per year deal that would move the blue brand back to Fridays was settled on that day as both sides quickly realized they were close to an agreement. WWE signed the five-year SmackDown deal with Fox and renewed a five-year RAW deal with NBCU for USA.

June 19, 2018

Charlotte Flair To Appear In ESPN's Annual Body Issue

SmackDown Live superstar Charlotte Flair will appear in ESPN's 10th annual Body issue, celebrating the athletic form when it hits newsstands June 29. 

Flair will appear with fellow athletes from various sports, celebrating athletics and healthy bodies by posing in tastefully naked poses. 

Taking to Twitter, the former Women's Champion said it was a huge honour to be selected.

RAW superstar Ronda Rousey posed for the magazine in 2012, during her time with UFC.

The announced athletes taking part will be:

Charlotte Flair (WWE superstar)Saquon Barkley (American Footballer, NY Giants)Adam Rippon (Olympic Figure Skater)Megan Rapinoe (American Soccer Player, Seattle Reign)Breanna Stewart (Basketball Player, Seattle Storm)Sue Bird (Basketball Player, Seattle Storm)Jerry Rice (Retired American Footballer)Greg Norman (Golfer)Jessie Diggins (Cross Country Skier)Tori Bowie (Track and field Athlete)Karl-Anthony Towns (Basketball Player, Minnesota Timberwolves)Dallas Keuchel (Baseball player, Houston Astros)Yasiel Puig (Baseball player, Los Angeles Dodgers)Laura Chamberlain (Softball player)Crystal Dunn (American Soccer Player)Zlatan Ibrahimovic (European Football player, LA Galaxy)

November 17, 2017

Ric Flair Suing Former Manager Over "30 For 30" Money

Ric Flair claims he was supposed to pocket $25,000 for the ESPN "30 for 30"special on his life -- but his manager stole the money ... and now he's out for legal justice. 

Nature Boy is suing Legacy Talent and Entertainment -- the management company he used from 2009 until October 2017. 

Flair says he had a feeling something fishy was going down behind the scenes so he hired a lawyer to investigate his finances ... and realized he was missing huge amounts of cash. 

Among the missing money ... Flair says he learned Legacy Talent had received $25,000 from First Row Films, the production company behind Flair's "30 for 30" special. Flair claims he was never informed of the payment nor was given his cut. 

He also noticed a $12,000 royalty advance from Jake's Fireworks -- a company he signed an endorsement deal with earlier this year. 

Flair says he reached out to Legacy to find out why he never got the money and was told they were using the funds to pay legal bills. Flair is calling BS, saying he never authorized Legacy to do that. 

Flair says he's owed at least $46,000 -- and he wants his money back, asap. 

September 1, 2017

Triple H On Ronda Rousey Being Interested In WWE, What WWE Can Learn From Mayweather Vs. McGre

WWE's Triple H recently made an appearance on ESPN's First Take to promote the Mae Young Classic Tournament. You can check out the highlights from "The Game's" interview here below:

What WWE can learn from the promotion behind Mayweather vs. McGregor:
"I think from a promotional standpoint they did a lot of things right. They found two personalities and that's really what this is all about. Floyd will be the first guy to tell you that it's personalities that sells fights, it's what he does, he changed himself from 'Pretty Boy Floyd' to 'Money Mayweather' and that was based around WWE and the culture of changing Hulk Hogan to 'Hollywood Hulk Hogan,' and reinventing yourself. He invented that persona. McGregor created a persona, a lot of it having to do around what, kind of, WWE does and also what Mayweather does.

"When you have personalities like that and you put them in a ring with that type of conflict - it's what we do no a daily basis. But they did it very well. It was a moment in time that I don't think you can replicate. The great things is, I think what people where afraid of was that it wouldn't deliver. I think it did deliver. I think people got an entertaining 10 round fight, it ended up where the educated person would imagine that it'd end up, but I think it was entertaining and it delivered on a lot of levels."

Who he thinks would have the biggest potential for WWE Superstardom: LaVar Ball or Rob Gronkowski:

"LaVar Ball certainly has a pension for winding people up and wanting to see people beat him. I think that's an important factor, but you never know what's going to connect to people. Those personalities - when you look at McGregor, you look at Ronda Rousey, you look at Gronk, you look at LaVar Ball - all those people, what connects them is personalities. Whether you love them or hate them, those personalities drive people. They create a connection and that's really what people pay to see. They're a very few pure boxing fans in the world, there are very few pure MMA aficionados in the world, there are very few pure WWE or NBA or NFL that really admire the intricacies of all that stuff. The personalities drive them, whether that be the team or the individuals."

What are the chances Ronda Rousey could end up in WWE and what could she bring to the table:

"Ronda has been a huge fan of WWE her whole life, she has been very adamant about that. She has done plenty of stuff with us before, I think you're watching a clip of her throwing me that I don't know why you're showing, but yeah she tends to throw me around when I see her - but she's a huge fan. I think she's a huge fan and I think it's something she's definitely interested - I'll throw it out right now, if she's interested I'll give her the opportunity. But we're all about personalities and that's what she brings to the table. I think she has shown it, and you have seen, she has shown it in Hollywood, she has shown it everywhere. Her personality would drive fan interest."

June 14, 2017

Stephanie McMahon named Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Honoree



ESPN will honor individuals and teams for their contributions to humanitarian causes at a ceremony July 11 at L.A. Live.

Laila Ali will host the Sports Humanitarian Awards, which will now have one of its honors named after her father, Muhammad Ali. Golfer Ernie Els, Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Flames defenseman Mark Giordano and Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson have been nominated for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.

There will also be a humanitarian team of the year, a corporate community impact award, a league award, and, finally, an award in the name of the late ESPN anchor Stuart Scott.

The Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award will honor WWE chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon for her corporate social responsibility efforts, the Orlando City Soccer Club for its initiatives after the Pulse nightclub shooting last year and the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) for its work to foster better race relations.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation. ESPN will also grant another $1 million to the charities of the nominees and winners. More than $1.7 million was distributed from last year's event.

February 4, 2017

Viewership For XFL Doc


Thursday's "This Was The XFL" ESPN 30 For 30 documentary drew 917,000 viewers for the premiere. The show ranked #8 for the night behind on cable. In comparison, a July 2016 30 For 30 on former MLB players Dwight Gooden & Darryl Strawberry drew 1.196 million viewers while a May 2016 30 For 30 on Cleveland sports drew 844,000 viewers and an April 2016 30 For 30 on the NBA's Orlando Magic teams of the mid-1990s drew 1.509 million viewers.

December 20, 2016

Triple H Talks UK Championship Possibly Leading To Weekly Show


As noted, Triple H last week announced the United Kingdom Championship tournament at London's O2 Arena. ESPN caught up with The Game to discuss the tournament and what's next, below are some highlights:

The goal of the U.K. Championship tournament:

"That's the goal, is to become a weekly show. Hopefully we can make that work out, a weekly show that can feature the best of the U.K. talent and put that out there in a way that gives talent here a clear path into the WWE. Starting here and moving up the line and going through things. I think that's a huge opportunity and will help everybody down the line."

December 12, 2016

Trailer Released For ESPN's “This Was The XFL” Documentary


ESPN has released a trailer for the upcoming 30 for 30 documentary “This Was the XFL” which will air on February 2nd at 9 p.m. ET.

XFL was a professional American football league founded by WWE owner Vince McMahon in 1999. It launched in 2001 with eight teams with the intention of being a major professional sports league complement to the offseason of the National Football League. It was unable to find an audience and ceased operation after its debut season in 2001. The XFL was widely viewed as a "colossal failure".

Below is the documentary trailer:

November 10, 2016

ESPN Films’ 30 for 30 “This Was the XFL” to Premiere in February


Three days before Super Bowl LI, ESPN Films will premiere the 30 for 30 documentary “This Was the XFL,” directed by Charlie Ebersol, chronicling the short-lived, ill-fated pro football league. The documentary, airing on February 2 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, tells the story in fascinating, candid, and often rollicking fashion featuring fellow television legends and close friends – Dick Ebersol and Vince McMahon.

A bold challenge, a fearless experiment and ultimately, a spectacular failure. In 2001, sports entertainment titans Ebersol and McMahon launched the XFL. It was hardly the first time a league had tried to compete with the NFL, but the brash audacity of the bid, combined with the personalities and charisma of Ebersol and McMahon and the marketing behemoths of their respective companies — NBC and WWE — captured headlines and a sense of undeniable anticipation about what was to come.

Bringing together a cast of characters ranging from the boardrooms of General Electric to the practice fields of Las Vegas, “This Was the XFL” is the tale of — yes — all that went wrong, but also, how the XFL ended up influencing the way professional team sports are broadcast today. And at the center of it all – a decades long friendship between one of the most significant television executives in media history and the one-of-a-kind WWE impresario. This film will explore how Ebersol and McMahon brought the XFL to life, and why they had to let it go.

“I grew up on the sidelines watching my father and Vince enjoy incredible success with just about everything they touched, and then, along came the XFL,” said director Charlie Ebersol. “I saw them take bold creative risks, face unparalleled success and failure with dignity, but most importantly they maintained and celebrated a friendship where most would have cut and run. I learned more about integrity and character in those 18 months than just about any other time in my life, so when ESPN Films asked if I wanted to tell the story of the XFL, I jumped at the opportunity because I knew that the real story was that of an unbreakable friendship.”

John Dahl, Vice President and Executive Producer, ESPN Films said: “We felt that the colorful personalities and storylines featured throughout the rise and fall of the XFL deserved a more detailed examination, and as Dick Ebersol’s son, Charlie provided a personal understanding of it all. The XFL was a gamble, and even though the league didn’t ultimately succeed, we think audiences will really enjoy this tale of risk and ambition.”

“This Was the XFL” will have its world premiere tomorrow at the DOC NYC film festival in Manhattan. Additional details and ticket information can be found here: http://www.docnyc.net/film/this-was-the-xfl/

source: espnmediazone.com

September 8, 2016

ESPN wrestling with fiction/non-fiction in deciding to 'cover' WWE

August 11, 2016

ESPN Launches New WWE Vertical Dedicated to Pro Wrestling


The Worldwide Leader In Sports is jumping into the wrestling ring.

ESPN.com has launched a new vertical dedicated to delivering comprehensive coverage of WWE and the world of professional wrestling, the network announced Thursday.

The portal will serve as a one-stop destination for content including match results, features, wrestler profiles, rankings, international wrestling and videos.

The announcement comes less than a month after WWE Superstar and “Trainwreck” actor John Cena hosted the 2016 ESPYs, earning rave reviews from viewers and athletes alike.

“I was sitting in the audience at the ESPYs and watching John Cena do his thing and he was incredible,” Chad Millman, ESPN Vice President, Editorial Director, Domestic Digital Content, told TheWrap. “Seeing some of the sketches that were done, I turned to my boss and said: ‘We could clip each of these things and throw them on the website right now if we had the site up at that moment.’

“It did speak to the relationship between sports fandom and wrestling fandom — and where the intersection is, which is why we are doing this right now,” he continued. “We see every day how passionate wrestling fans are and how often they are also sports fans. The way that they perceive wrestling and pro wrestlers is not that different to how we perceive other professional sports stars.

“We want to cover it like we do with any other sport such as the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NBA and everything else that we cover — with credibility and authenticity.”

May 19, 2016

15-time World Champion to host July 13 ceremony, live on ABC


15-time World Champion John Cena can now add awards-show host to his ever-expanding list of multi-hyphenates: The Cenation leader has been officially tapped as the host of the 2016 ESPYS, which will be broadcast live on ABC Wednesday, July 13, at 8 p.m. ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, and will be presented by Capital One.

Cena — who hosts the reality TV competition series “American Grit” on FOX — will be joined by top athletes and celebrities to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major achievements, reliving unforgettable moments, and saluting the leading performers and performances. 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. In 2016, WWE partnered with The V Foundation to expand Connor’s Cure, a fund dedicated to pediatric cancer research.

"It is truly an honor to be named host of the 2016 ESPYS," said Cena. "Not only will the biggest names in sports and entertainment come together to recognize some of the most spectacular athletic performances of the year, but we'll also raise funds for The V Foundation to further much-needed cancer research."

Since being sidelined with an injury in late 2015, Cena has kept busy by co-hosting “TODAY,” appearing on “Good Morning America,” “Ellen,” “The Tonight Show,” “Conan” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” and appearing in the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler hit comedy “Sisters.” He has also continued to dedicate his time to numerous charitable causes including Susan G. Komen and Make-A-Wish, where he is the most requested wish-granter of all time and the only celebrity to grant 500 wishes. Cena is also a longtime supporter of the U.S. military, recently recognized by USO-Metro as the recipient of their 2016 Legacy of Achievement Award.

“John is not only a superstar athlete and entertainer, but also a motivational force who inspires fans across the globe,” executive producer Maura Mandt said. “John approaches all of his endeavors with energy, enthusiasm and passion so we expect him to bring a new level of excitement to the night’s celebration."

The celebration of the best moments from the year in sports kicks off with The ESPYS Countdown Show Presented by Capital One, airing from 5-6 p.m. ET, “SportsCenter at The ESPYS” from 6-7 p.m. ET, then another hour of The ESPYS Countdown Presented by Capital One from 7-8 p.m. ET on ESPN prior to the start of the awards. Tickets are available for public purchase at AXS.com. For additional ESPYS news and information, follow the official Twitter handle @ESPYS.

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