Where: Televised on ABC live from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles
There was another exciting award ceremony when sports stars came out to play at the 2025 ESPY Awards, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at 8PM ET live from Los Angeles on ABC and and streamed live on ESPN+.
Hosting this year's ceremony was Shane Gillis, the star of Netflix’s hit comedy series Tires.
2025 ESPY nominations (also see winners below) included NFL champs Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley, WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, Tennis star Coco Gauff, and Olympic gymnast Simone Biles.
Caitlin Clark, Josh Allen, and Simon Biles were some of the top nominees at the 2025 ESPY Awards.
Recipients of this year's special awards included Oscar Robertson who received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, Katie Schumacher-Cawley was honored with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. David Walters and Erin Regan received the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
2025 ESPY Awards presenters and performers
The night also featured special musical performances from Grammy-nominated rapper Busta Rhymes, acclaimed hip-hop duo Clipse, and rising rap superstar GELO.
An all-star lineup of presenters included Angela Bassett Busta Rhymes Billie Jean King Leslie Jones, Russell Wilson. Lindsey Vonn and many more.
Just up ahead, check out more with related resources, fun facts and trivia, plus a complete list of winners at the 2025 ESPY Awards
As usual, major buzz about the "Oscars" of major athletic talent begins in June when voting opens online for all nominee categories at espn.com/espys.
Ballots are cast right up until awards night -- as millions of fans join in to pick their favorite athletes, sports teams, and the year's outstanding performances.
DID YOU KNOW? ESPY Award fun facts & trivia
• Although the ESPYs are always hosted by ESPN, the name actually stands for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award.
• A record 7 million viewers tuned in to see Caitlyn Jenner accept the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2015 ESPY Awards in her first public appearance since transitioning to a women. It was the ESPY Awards' highest rated telecast ever.
• Actor Samuel L. Jackson holds the record for hosting the ESPY Awards at four (1999, 2001, 2002, 2009) followed by by comedian Dennis Miller (1993 and 1994), actor and singer Jamie Foxx (2003 and 2004), and comedian Seth Meyers (2010 and 2011).
• The all-time record holder for most ESPY Award wins goes to golfing great Tiger Woods with 21, including multiple wins for Best Male Golfer and Best Male Athlete.
• For Best Record Breaking Performance, NFL football superstar Peyton Manning leads the pack with a total of three awards (in 2005, 2014 and 2015), followed by Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps with two (in 2009 and 2013).
• Sportswomen at the ESPYS with multiple wins for Best Female Athlete include soccer player Mia Hamm, (1998 and 2000) golfer Annika Sörenstam (2005 and 2006), alpine skier Lindsey Vonn (2010 and 2011), tennis player Serena Williams (2003 and 2013), and mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey (2014 and 2015).
2025 ESPY Award WINNERS
BEST ATHLETE – MEN’S SPORTS
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
BEST ATHLETE – WOMEN’S SPORTS
Simone Biles – Gymnast
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Ilona Maher – Rugby
BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
Alexander Ovechkin – Washington Capitals
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
Simone Biles – 2024 Olympics Women’s All-Around
BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
Suni Lee – Gymnast
BEST PLAY
Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle – NFL (11/3/24)
BEST TEAM
Philadelphia Eagles – NFL
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE – MEN’S SPORTS
Cooper Flagg – Duke Basketball
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE – WOMEN’S SPORTS
JuJu Watkins – USC Basketball
BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
Noah Elliott – Snowboard
BEST NFL PLAYER
Saquon Barkley – Philadelphia Eagles
BEST MLB PLAYER
Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers
BEST NHL PLAYER
Leon Draisaitl – Edmonton Oilers
BEST NBA PLAYER
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
BEST WNBA PLAYER
Caitlin Clark – Indiana Fever
BEST DRIVER
Max Verstappen – F1
BEST UFC FIGHTER
Merab Dvalishvili
BEST BOXER
Katie Taylor
BEST SOCCER PLAYER
Christian Pulisic – AC Milan, US
BEST GOLFER
Scottie Scheffler
BEST TENNIS PLAYER
Coco Gauff
ARTHUR ASHE AWARD FOR COURAGE
Oscar Robertson
ICON AWARD
Alex Morgan and Diana Taurasi
JIMMY V AWARD FOR PERSEVERANCE
Katie Schumacher-Cawley
BILLIE JEAN KING YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD
Rishin Tandon, Maegha Ramanathan, and Ian Waite
PAT TILLMAN AWARD FOR SERVICE
Los Angeles County firefighters David Walters and Erin Regan
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Jane Hedengren and Cameron Boozer
CAPITAL ONE CUP WINNER
UNC women and Ohio State men
More about the ESPYS
Begun by cable sports channel ESPN in 1993, the annual ESPY Awards allows sports fans worldwide to join in an online vote for their favorites in such categories as Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete,Best Coach/Manager, and Team of the Year.
Unlike most awards shows, the ESPYs are probably most noted for
its contribution to charity, as a portion of the proceeds is donated to The
V Foundation, named for its founder, Jim Valvano.
The Arthur Ashe Courage Award is another ESPY highlight, honoring
an individual for their personal courage or charitable works outside the sports arena, with past winners including such trailblazers
as Muhammad Ali and tennis legend Billie Jean King.
Around the Web, find out more about the awards ceremony with top sites featuring video highlights, photos and fun facts:
ESPY Awards around the Web:
2025 ESPYS - The official site featuring the complete list of this year's nominees, online voting, an archive of video highlights
and past winners.
ESPY Awards - Wikipedia entry with details on the awards' history, memorable moments, and lists of show hosts & major winners
dating back to 1993.
When: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at 8PM ET
