The ESPYS are coming home to New York City on July 15, more than 30 years after the sports awards show made its debut there. This year’s ceremony airs at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams through the ESPN App from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.
Comedian, actor, writer, and producer Marcello Hernández will host The 2026 ESPYS Presented by Capital One. It will be the show’s first full-scale New York production since 1999, placing athletes and celebrities inside a theater better known for ballet than sports awards.
That contrast should be fun to watch.
Why are The ESPYS returning to New York?
ESPN selected New York during a particularly busy sports week. Executive producer Craig Lazarus cited the World Cup finals, a Dodgers-Yankees series, a National Women’s Soccer League game, and Fanatics Fest among the events drawing attention to the city.
The location also reconnects The ESPYS with its earliest ceremonies. The awards began at Madison Square Garden in 1993, returned there in 1994, and moved to Radio City Music Hall from 1995 through 1999. Later productions traveled to Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
The David H. Koch Theater brings a different personality to the broadcast. Set designer Julio Himede described the production as two long-established worlds meeting inside the same room: Lincoln Center’s performing arts tradition and the energy of a live sports show. Viewers following Disney’s latest live entertainment news will get to see how that pairing translates on television.
What is new at The 2026 ESPYS?
The ceremony adds Best Single Game Performance, a category built around exceptional performances from professional and college athletes. Lazarus pointed to Bam Adebayo, Shohei Ohtani, and Hannah Hidalgo as examples of athletes whose standout nights could compete against one another in that format.
College athlete honors will also become part of the main broadcast for the first time. Nominees across the ceremony include Lionel Messi, Jalen Brunson, Mikaela Shiffrin, Lauren Betts, Macklin Celebrini, and Fernando Mendoza.
The changes give viewers something beyond the familiar end-of-season awards format. A single performance can now share the stage with accomplishments built across an entire year, while college athletes receive recognition during the primary show. Fans interested in ESPN programming and event coverage should expect both additions during the July 15 broadcast.
How can viewers watch The ESPYS?
The 2026 ESPYS begin July 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with streaming available through the ESPN App. The announcement does not provide ticket or public-access details for the Lincoln Center production.
If you want to catch the New York return live, the move is straightforward: be on ABC or inside the ESPN App by 8 p.m. ET.
The ceremony will also continue its connection to the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which ESPN and the late Jim Valvano founded alongside the awards show. Over more than three decades, The ESPYS have helped raise more than $292 million for cancer research.
Source: The Walt Disney Company
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