ESPY Awards 2015: Date, Host, TV Schedule, Awards List and More

John Shearer/Associated Press

The sports world gets the award ceremony treatment on July 15, when ESPN puts on the 2015 ESPY Awards, celebrating the best athletes, teams, moments and more from the preceding 12 months. 

Hosting the ESPYs from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles will be comedian/actor Joel McHale, best known for his role as Jeff Winger on the television series Community and as host of pop culture commentary program The Soup. His statement upon being revealed as the host gave a taste of the humor he'll bring to the awards ceremony.

"I'm thrilled to be hosting The ESPYS. Just ecstatic," he said, via CBS News' Amanda Mikelberg. "After my stunning victory in the Iditarod [dog sled race] this year by only using six Bichon Frises and a lamb, I think the sports world saw me as the logical host."

McHale joins a long line of comedians who have hosted the event, including Jimmy Kimmel, Rob Riggle and Seth Meyers. Expect a highly potent, hilarious roasting of some of the top athletes from McHale, whose clever verbal barbs sting with the best of them.

Viewing Info

The ESPYs will air for the first time on ABC this year, starting at 8 p.m. A countdown show for the ESPY Awards will air at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Live streams of the event can be found at WatchESPN. Some streams are subject to blackout based on region.

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Awards List

In addition to the fan voting awards, Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still and his daughter Leah will receive the Jimmy V Perseverance Award, while Caitlyn Jenner will take home the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.

Unlike other major award ceremonies like the Oscars or the Emmys, fans, not simply members of a select group, have a say in who gets to take home a trophy for their sporting accomplishments. Fans can vote on each of the main awards categories at ESPN.com, with voting set to end at the beginning of the first broadcast at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

The ESPYs aren't limited to achievements in the previous calendar year, so there could very well be wins for some teams or athletes who have done their best work recently. The U.S. women's soccer team would seem to have all the momentum in the "Best Team" category, after their scintillating championship run in the 2015 Women's World Cup. Another group putting in a team effort, but in multiple categories, is the Golden State Warriors.

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

NBA.com has a rundown of the numerous awards the franchise and the members of it are up for on Wednesday:

The Golden State Warriors are nominated in six categories for the 2015 ESPY Awards, taking place July 15 at 5:00 p.m. PST, the team announced today. The Warriors are nominated for Best Male Athlete (Stephen Curry), Best Coach/Manager (Steve Kerr), Best NBA Player (Stephen Curry), Best Record-Breaking Performance (Klay Thompson 37 Points In A Quarter), Best Play (Stephen Curry’s 3-Pointer) and Best Team.

Curry could be a one-man wrecking crew at the ESPYs, or he might even be shut out. LeBron James challenges him in both the "Best Male Athlete" and "Best NBA Player" categories. Even though his Cleveland Cavaliers lost to Curry's Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals, James put on a performance for the ages and could garner some sympathy from fans after losing out on the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

One of the more exciting votes comes in the "Best Play" category, which features a tournament-style bracket to determine the most outstanding single play of the year.

As of Monday, three of the four remaining plays come from the world of football. They include New York Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr.'s instantly famous one-handed touchdown grab, New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl-clinching interception against the Seattle Seahawks and Central Michigan's mind-melting, game-tying Hail Mary and multiple laterals in the 2015 Bahamas Bowl. Considering football reigns supreme in America, it would be quite the surprise if Lionel Messi's goal broke through with a win.

Beckham Jr.'s catch is perhaps also a big reason why he's considered for the "Best Breakthrough Athlete" award. As always, the ESPYs is sure to generate some enlivened debate among sports fans, while also providing laughs and emotional, cathartic moments in good measure.