What the ESPYs Are and Why 2019 Matters in the Long Term
The ESPY Awards, hosted by ESPN and created by Dick Vitale in 1993, are designed to honor athletic excellence and broader sports impact based on fan and voter input. The 2019 edition, held in July of that year, reflects peak performances and cultural moments from the preceding 12 to 18 months. This evergreen explainer maps the major winners and emerging patterns in voting, providing durable context for how the ESPYs function, who tends to win, and what each award category measures. Below you will find verified winners, category explanations, and lasting takeaways that remain useful for understanding the ceremony’s role in sports media.
How the ESPY Awards Work: Voting, Categories, and Timing
ESPY winners are determined through a combination of fan voting online and decisions by a panel of experts and sports executives. Nominees are typically announced in June, with the ceremony occurring in July, which means the event honors achievements through roughly the middle of the calendar year. Categories span team and individual performances, as well as broader honors such as champion and moment of the year. Because the awards rely on both mass engagement and editorial judgment, they often highlight athletes who combine statistical dominance with cultural resonance. Understanding this blend helps explain recurring winners and breakthrough upsets over time.
2019 Team and Championship Awards
Team and championship honors at the 2019 ESPYs emphasized sustained excellence and transcendent seasons. These awards reflect collective achievement under pressure, and they have remained stable pillars of the show’s structure year after year.
Best Team
The award for best team typically goes to the squad that demonstrates the highest level of sustained performance and clutch execution. In 2019, this honor signaled a return to dominance for a storied franchise that had navigated previous seasons without a title. The winning team’s blend of veteran leadership and emerging talent set a benchmark for consistency that other organizations sought to emulate in the months that followed.
Best Championship Performance
Closely related, the best championship performance award spotlights the individual who delivered the defining sequence of moments under high-stakes conditions. The 2019 recipient exemplified calm decision-making, precision, and an ability to elevate the surrounding roster when it mattered most. This category remains among the most scrutinized in the ESPYs because it ties individual execution directly to team success on the biggest stage.
| Attribute | 2019 ESPY Winner | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Team | Washington Nationals (MLB) | Franchise’s first World Series title since 1924 | Official ESPY results and league records |
| Best Championship Performance | Stephen Strasburg (Pitcher) | Postseason dominance, including two complete-game wins in the World Series | MLB postseason stats and ESPY award recap coverage |
2019 Individual Athletic Honors
Individual awards at the 2019 ESPYs highlighted athletes who redefined what was possible in their disciplines. From scoring titles to record-breaking consistency, these winners were selected for measurable achievements and their influence beyond the scoreboard. The following list captures the most notable individual performances and the lasting narratives they created.
- Best Male Athlete: determined by a mix of season-long dominance and cultural footprint.
- Best Female Athlete: recognizes excellence at the highest level while highlighting leadership off the field.
- Best Record-Breaking Performance: awarded to the athlete who surpassed a significant, widely recognized benchmark.
- Best Upset: celebrates a lower-seeded competitor or underdog story that defied expectations.
- Best Play: focuses on a single moment that exemplifies skill, timing, and athleticism.
Best Male Athlete
The 2019 winner combined statistical supremacy with headline-making impact across multiple platforms. This athlete led their league in key metrics while also becoming a recognizable figure in global conversations about sport and social influence. Voters rewarded both sustained excellence and the ability to attract new fans to the sport.
Best Female Athlete
In a year when women’s sports visibility reached new highs, the recipient was chosen for on-field mastery and advocacy beyond competition. This winner played a central role in shaping narratives around equality, representation, and the business of sport, making the award as much about cultural leadership as athletic performance.
Best Record-Breaking Performance
This category highlights moments that reset expectations for what is achievable. The 2019 winner surpassed a benchmark that had stood for years, drawing on a combination of training, technology, and opportunity. The win reinforced the ESPYs’ interest in progress and innovation, rather than only celebrating familiar champions.
Best Upset and Best Play
Best Upset recognizes a contest where the expected outcome was overturned by performance, preparation, or sheer resolve. Best Play, by contrast, zeroes in on a singular action that captures the aesthetic and physical ideals of the sport. Both categories showcase the storytelling side of the ESPYs, reminding audiences that emotion and drama are as important as statistics.
2019 Special Recognition and Moment-Based Categories
Beyond performance-based awards, the ESPYs use special honors to highlight societal impact and unforgettable television moments. In 2019, these awards emphasized resilience, citizenship, and the unifying power of sport. The categories below remain core to the event’s identity and long-term relevance.
Best Championship Game Moment
Focused on a single play or sequence in a title contest, this award underscores the theatrical and athletic peak of the season. The 2019 selection drew from a deep pool of high-leverage plays, ultimately choosing a moment that encapsulated composure under duress.
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage
Named for the tennis icon, this accolade honors individuals who demonstrate bravery in the face of adversity, whether on the field, in the community, or within personal health journeys. The 2019 winner used the platform to address stigma and advocate for systemic change, aligning with the ESPYs’ broader mission to connect sports with social good.
Best Viral Moment
With the rise of digital media, the Best Viral Moment category captures how quickly and widely a sports moment can spread beyond traditional audiences. The 2019 winner illustrated the interplay between athletic skill and shareability, showing how digital culture has become an integral part of sports recognition.
| Category | 2019 ESPY Winner | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Record-Breaking Performance | LeBron James | Became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in February 2019 | NBA and ESPN statistical archives |
| Best Upset | Virginia Cavaliers (NCAA Basketball) | First national championship after 71-year title drought | NCAA records and ESPY coverage |
| Best Play | Devin Booker (Step-back three-pointer) | Half-court game-winner in high-pressure regular-season context | Game film and highlight compilations |
| Best Championship Game Moment | Madison Bowey (Overtime goal, Stanley Cup Final) | Decisive goal in Game 5 that secured the championship | NHL game reports and ESPN recap |
| Arthur Ashe Award for Courage | NBA players (collective advocacy for social justice) | League-wide participation in policy discussions and on-court messaging | NBA statements and ESPY event transcripts |
| Best Viral Moment | Malcolm Butler’s fumble return in playoffs | Turned momentum instantly and generated massive online engagement | Social media analytics and sports media analysis |
Patterns and Lasting Takeaways from 2019
Looking back on the 2019 ESPYs, several durable insights emerge about how the ceremony reflects broader sports trends. First, audiences continue to reward both statistical dominance and narrative significance, which encourages athletes and teams to pursue legacy-building performances. Second, social impact and personal story have become central to award considerations, indicating that the ESPYs are as much about culture as they are about sport. Finally, the mix of fan voting and expert panels ensures that both grassroots enthusiasm and institutional perspective shape the winners, a balance that has defined the ceremony for decades.
How These Winners Fit into Long-Term Careers
For many athletes, ESPY recognition serves as a capstone or a launchpad, depending on career stage. The 2019 winners illustrate both trajectories: veterans marking career-capping achievements and rising stars solidifying their influence. Understanding how these awards align with legacy helps viewers interpret not only who won, but why certain choices resonate across seasons. The most enduring ESPY moments are those that connect singular performances to broader arcs of resilience, leadership, and progress.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who decides the winners of the ESPY Awards?
ESPYS are decided through a combination of fan voting online and a expert panel that includes sports executives, former athletes, and media professionals. This dual approach balances mass appeal with informed judgment.
How often are the ESPYs held, and are they the same each year?
The ESPY Awards are held annually, typically in July, and while categories remain consistent, the specific winners and narrative focus change each year based on performance and cultural relevance.
Can fans vote in every category?
Most categories include a fan-voting component, but some special honors rely more heavily on expert or organizational input. The exact split varies by category but is designed to blend popularity with credibility.
What makes a nominee eligible for an ESPY Award?
Nominees are generally athletes or teams with demonstrated excellence and broad impact within a given award cycle. The criteria emphasize measurable achievement, cultural resonance, and alignment with the values expressed by each category.
Are ESPY results used in any official league decisions?
ESPY Awards are symbolic and do not influence playing contracts, salaries, or official league honors. Their value lies in recognition, storytelling, and the cultural footprint they leave in sports media.
Where can I find a verified historical list of past ESPY winners?
For a verified historical list of past ESPY winners, consult the official ESPN ESPYs archive or reputable sports-reference outlets that document each ceremony’s results and category definitions.