Marcello Hernández is getting a new live stage, and this one comes with athletes, celebrities, and a return to New York.
The Saturday Night Live cast member will host the 2026 ESPYS, ESPN announced Wednesday, June 3. The ceremony will air live from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on Wednesday, July 15, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
ESPN said Hernández will host the awards show as it honors the year’s biggest achievements and moments in sports.
The ESPYS Will Air From Lincoln Center
The 2026 ESPYS will air live on ABC and stream on ESPN+ through the ESPN app in pattern with ABC airings across time zones.
ESPN said the show will be available the next day on Hulu, Disney+, the ESPN app, and ABC Video on Demand.
The location is part of the announcement. Good Morning America reported that the ESPYS are returning to New York City after last year’s Los Angeles ceremony.
Hernández Called the New York Gig “Crazy”
Hernández tied the hosting job to his early comedy years.
“I started doing comedy 10 years ago, in Cleveland, Ohio, and I would take the train 12 hours to New York to sell comedy tickets on the street in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time,” Hernández said in ESPN’s announcement.
He added, “It is an honor, and frankly feels crazy to be hosting the ESPYS this year in New York. I’m sure the energy is going to be great.”
ESPN Pointed to His Comedy and Sports Background
Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and executive producer of the ESPYS, called Hernández “one of the most electric young comedians” working today.
Lazarus also said Hernández’s sports interest and New York ties made him a natural fit for this year’s show.
ESPN noted that Hernández played college soccer at John Carroll University. That gives the choice a sports connection beyond his comedy work.
The Job Comes After a Bigger SNL Run
Hernández joined Saturday Night Live in 2022 and has become one of the show’s most visible younger cast members.
ESPN pointed to his SNL work in sketches including “Protective Mom,” “Immigrant Dad Talk Show,” the “Domingo” series, and appearances on “Weekend Update.”
The announcement also noted that his Netflix special, Marcello Hernández: American Boy, premiered in January 2026 and reached the platform’s global Top 10.
The ESPYS Still Support the V Foundation
The ESPYS began in 1993 and have long been tied to the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which ESPN founded with the late Jim Valvano.
ESPN said the show has helped raise more than $292 million for the foundation over more than 30 years.
Hernández follows Shane Gillis, who hosted the 2025 ESPYS from Los Angeles. This year, the show moves back to New York with Hernández leading the July 15 broadcast from Lincoln Center.