Mina Kimes, an NFL analyst for ESPN, will host the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the first time. The bee will take place in Washington, D.C., with 247 spellers competing in the 98th edition. Kimes won $1 million for charity on Celebrity Jeopardy prior to this role.
Event Details
- Preliminary round: Tuesday
- Quarterfinals: Wednesday morning
- Semifinals: Wednesday evening (hosted by Kimes)
- Finals: Thursday evening (hosted by Kimes)
- Broadcast on ION starting at 8 p.m. ET for semifinals and finals.
Kimes' Background
- Graduated from Yale with an English degree in 2007.
- Has worked at ESPN since 2014 as a lead analyst on NFL Live and host of The Mina Kimes Show.
- Competed in local spelling bees during elementary school, winning city-level contests.
The Hosting Opportunity
Kimes was approached by Michael Davies, head of Embassy Row, the production company behind Jeopardy, which is producing the bee this year. Davies became aware of Kimes' interest in spelling through her participation in Celebrity Jeopardy.
Preparation and Approach
- Kimes will not pronounce words; that role belongs to head pronouncer Jacques Bailly.
- She will introduce competitors and aims to highlight the competitors' skills and the competition's intensity.
- She compares the bee's competitiveness to the NFL, citing last year's champion Faizan Zaki's confident final spelling as an example.
- Kimes intends to educate viewers on spelling techniques, similar to sports broadcasting analysis.
Comparisons to Football
"Spelling champions are like quarterbacks due to their ability to analyze and solve problems under pressure."
- Kimes likens spelling champions to quarterbacks due to their ability to analyze and solve problems under pressure.
- She suggests NFL player Myles Garrett and coach Ben Johnson might excel in a spelling bee.