In one of those sliding doors moments, sports radio host Dan Patrick almost hosted The Price Is Right and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Dan Patrick Talks The Price Is Right
.@dpshow turned down hosting the price is right and was almost the host of who wants to be a millionaire pic.twitter.com/wd2ba4e67t
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) July 9, 2025
Patrick almost went from calling highlights on SportsCenter to showcasing cars on The Price Is Right.
In 1999, Patrick was one of ESPN’s top anchors on SportsCenter. Patrick and Keith Olbermann formed one of the best tandems at the company.
Patrick’s popularity was still rising at the time when he received an interesting opportunity.
“It’s 1999, and I get a call out of the blue, and [Price Is Right producers] said, ‘Hey. Are you interested in Price Is Right?’ I thought they were selling me something. I didn’t know what it was,” Patrick told Pardon My Take.
The show’s legendary host, Bob Barker, was reaching the end of his run and needed a replacement. Barker and the people at The Price Is Right believed Patrick should be the next person to host the show.
“We’re interested in having you host Price Is Right. And we checked with Bob Barker, and he signed off on you hosting Price Is Right,” Patrick explained. “We want to build a set in San Antonio, where the NBA Finals were, and we want to see you onstage, and we’re going to build the set.”
A stunned Patrick could not believe what was going on. Despite feeling like he wasn’t ready for a game show, Patrick inquired about the salary for hosting The Price Is Right. A later conversation with his wife eventually led him to pass on the gig.
“I just remember hanging up the phone and going, ‘I don’t know what that was.’ For sh— and giggles, I go, ‘What’s it pay?’ And they said, ‘If you take the job, we’ll tell you,'” Patrick said. “So I go home, and I say to my wife, ‘Hey. I got offered the job at Price Is Right.’ She goes, ‘Well, you turned it down.’ I go, ‘Not exactly. I just wanted to know what it paid.’ And she goes, ‘What’s it pay?’ They said, ‘If I take the job.’ And she goes, ‘You’re turning it down, right?’ And I said, ‘Well, I will, but it’s not because of that. I just didn’t think I could do it well enough.'”
Barker eventually retired in 2007 and was replaced by comedian Drew Carey.
Dan Patrick Nearly Hosted Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Patrick had another close call hosting another famous game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
“I was up for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? So, I meet with the guy who started the show, Michael Davies. Century City,” Patrick said. “He [Davies] flies me out and said, “I want to talk to you about hosting a game show.'”
Patrick said he and Davies watched Japanese game shows for 90 minutes before talking about Millionaire.
“He [Davies] goes, ‘Alright, we’re gonna do the show. God damn it, Regis [Philbin] won’t leave me alone,’” Patrick said. “He goes, ‘Alright, hold on. I got to get a game show for Regis Philbin, okay? Do you want to host Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”
Patrick left the meeting confused, believing his chances of hosting hinged on Philbin getting a game show. As fate would have it, Patrick found out about Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? when the show aired with Philbin as the host.
“As God is my witness, I did not hear back from Michael Davies until I saw on TV Guide, Regis Philbin was going to host Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” Patrick said.
Patrick eventually hosted a game show, Sports Jeopardy!
