What Time Does the 2025 ESPYS Start & End?

Are you ready to celebrate the top athletes this year? The 2025 ESPYS Presented by Capital One will air on July 16, and it’s going to be a memorable evening! But how long is it, and what can fans expect from the prestigious award ceremony?

How Long Is the 2025 ESPYS?

The 2025 ESPYS Presented by Capital One will kick off right from the red carpet. Ahead of the main ceremony, the 2025 ESPYS Preview Show will start at 7 p.m. ET. It will air on ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN’s YouTube and Facebook accounts.

This preview offers a perfect opportunity for fans to spot the celebrities and sporting heroes who will be attending the evening. It is also a great way to see their style choices and celebrate the best-dressed.

The main event will begin at 8 p.m. ET and will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It will air on ABC and ESPN+. So, how long will the show take? It will take a total of four hours, concluding at 11 p.m. ET, Forbes reports. This includes the one-hour preview show.

Why Is the 2025 ESPYS So Long?

Four hours may seem like a lot of time to set aside to watch an award show, but there’s a good reason for this: the exciting lineup means there is a lot to cover.

Audiences can expect to see musical performances by Tobe Nwigwe and David Michael Wyatt, Clipse, GELO, and Busta Rhymes. There are several awards on the evening, including Best Breakthrough Athlete, Best Athlete in Men’s Sports, Best Athlete in Women’s Sports, Best Record Breaking Performance, Best Championship Performance, Best Comeback Athlete, Best Play, Best Team, and Best College Athlete for Men and Women’s categories. There will also be numerous additional personalized nominations, including those for the Best NBA Player, Best NFL Player, and Best UFC Fighter categories.

Sporting fans will spot big stars! Nominees include Simone Biles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Gabby Thomas, A’ja Wilson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Shohei Ohtani. Other sporting legends who have been nominated include Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Katie Taylor, Dricus Du Plessis, Max Verstappen, and Lindsey Vonn.

There will also be icons who will be honored, including National Basketball Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, who will receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, and Penn State women’s volleyball coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, who will be honored with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.