The Sports Humanitarian Awards presented by ESPN and sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, returns for its fifth year on Tuesday, July 9, at L.A. LIVE’s The Novo. The evening celebrates the impact made by athletes, teams and sports industry professionals who use the power of sports to make a difference in their communities and throughout the world.
New to this year’s program is the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award, which will celebrate the legendary sports icon’s commitment to leadership and service, and honor high school and college-aged students who, like Billie Jean King, use sports to improve their communities. Honorees will either receive a college scholarship or direct a grant to an eligible nonprofit aligned with their work.
“For decades, Billie Jean King has used her platform to champion equality and create change,” said Kevin Martinez, vice president of Corporate Citizenship at ESPN. “We’re thrilled to honor her incredible legacy and inspire and celebrate a new generation who will be taking on the role of leaders in their communities through sports.”
The event will also feature the Sports Sustainability Leadership Award to recognize an organization that is leveraging the power of sports to make a positive impact on the environment.
The complete award line-up includes:
- Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award
- Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year
- Corporate Community Impact Award
- League Humanitarian Leadership Award
- Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Awards
- Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award
- Sports Sustainability Leadership Award
Highlights of the evening will be showcased during a one-hour special on ESPN, July 18, at 7 p.m. ET.
All net proceeds of the event will benefit the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation. In support of the V Foundation and their commitment in funding research to stop cancer, Bristol Myers-Squibb will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Sports Humanitarian Awards for its third consecutive year.
Additionally, ESPN will make donations on behalf of all honorees. To date, $7.5 million has been donated to the community on behalf of the Sports Humanitarian Awards.
About ESPN Corporate Citizenship
ESPN believes that, at its very best, sports uplifts the human spirit. Its corporate citizenship programs use power of sport to positively address society’s needs through strategic community investments, cause marketing programs, collaboration with sports organizations and employee volunteerism, while also utilizing its diverse media assets. For more information go to www.espn.com/citizenship.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
