LOS ANGELES — The 11th annual ESPYS’ Sports Humanitarian Awards took place Tuesday in Hollywood, where athletes, teams, leagues, and sports industry members were celebrated for using the power of sport to positively impact society.
“As part of the ESPYS, we created a program highlighting achievements both on and off the field, and realized there was so much more to celebrate,” remarked Kevin Martinez, vice president of ESPN Corporate Citizenship.
“That’s what I love about this event. It provides a chance to pause and acknowledge the incredible work that athletes, teams, leagues, and sponsors do for their communities,” stated Bob Iger, the CEO of the Walt Disney Company. “It’s crucial. Athletes truly make a difference.”
The L.A. Kings and L.A. Clippers were among the teams nominated for Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year for their rapid response to reliefs efforts after the devastating Southern California wildfires in January.
“It’s remarkable what these athletes do, and I think about it in terms of our Angel City players – how much time they spend in the community, how much time they spend doing stuff for other folks that means so much to them,” said Willow Bay, who is Iger’s wife and the controlling owner of Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Iger and Bay presented the Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award to Michele Kang.
Kang, through her foundation Kynisca Sports International, is dedicated to the advancement of women’s sports, donating $1 million to the U.S. women’s rugby program immediately after they won bronze in Paris and promising $4 million overall over four years so they can pursue gold at the 2028 Olympics in L.A.
“Women’s sports have been sort of forgotten. It’s the best kept secret for a long time. There’s certainly a lot of talent, but the investment has not kept up,” Kang said. “This is about giving equal opportunity for all the young girls and young women.”
The Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award went to grand slam champion Sloane Stephens, while the Indianapolis Colts was honored as the Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year.
The 2025 ESPYS will be broadcast live on ABC on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET / PT from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
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