How To Watch 2025 ESPYS Online Without Cable: Stream Free

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Simone Biles, Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson, Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, and more pros will compete for the best athlete of the year at tonight’s 2025 ESPYS. Hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, the annual ESPY Awards air live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

At a Glance: How to Watch ESPY Awards Online

“I’m excited to be at The ESPYS this year,” said Gillis ahead of hosting tonight’s show, per ESPN. “I like sports so this should be a good time.”

The ESPYS celebrate some of the most talked-about moments in sports over the last year, including the best plays (like nominee Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle back in November), breakthrough athletes, and even the year’s ultimate comeback performances. Here’s what to know about watching the ESPYS without cable so you don’t miss out on the action.

How to Watch 2025 ESPYS Online Without Cable

The 2025 ESPYS will broadcast live on ABC. But sports fans who’ve cut the cord still have a few easy ways to watch the show without cable. Read on for where to watch the ESPYs livestream, including free trial options.

The best live TV streaming service for watching the 2025 ESPYS without cable is DirecTV. The service offers access to watch ABC with all of its packages, including its Choice plan ($59.99/month after your five-day free trial). It comes with 125+ channels overall, and all the cloud DVR recording you could want (a.k.a, unlimited).

Another easy — and free — way to watch tonight’s ESPY Awards online is with a fuboTV subscription. The fuboTV Pro plan comes with local networks like ABC and 234 total channels. You’ll get a five-day free trial to start, and if you keep the subscription, plans cost $64.99/month for the first month of streaming.

Sling TV also gives you access to stream ABC if you’ve said goodbye to traditional cable. The Sling Blue plan is the one you want to watch the 2025 ESPYS tonight, which comes with 47 channels including ABC. Packages start at $25.50 for your first month, then go up to $50.99 a month.

We also recommend Hulu + Live TV for streaming the ESPYS online. The service comes with Disney+ and ESPN+, plus 100 channels including ABC. Plans come with a three-day free trial, then cost $82.99/month.

When Are the ESPYS Tonight?

The ESPY Awards air live tonight starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, and take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Gillis is hosting for the first time. “Shane is not only one of the top comedians today, but also a huge sports fan, which made him an easy choice to host The ESPYS,” says Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and executive producer of The ESPYS, in a statement. “We are thrilled to work with him to create an entertaining show celebrating this year’s best moments in sports and are excited to see what he’ll do on stage.”

2025 ESPYS Nominations

Here’s the complete list of ESPY Awards nominations for the 2025 show, according to ESPN, including the best athlete, breakthrough athlete, and best play categories.

BEST ATHLETE: MEN’S SPORTS‬
‬‭Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills‬
‬‭Saquon Barkley – Philadelphia Eagles‬
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder‬
‬‭Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers‬

BEST ATHLETE: WOMEN’S SPORTS‬
‭Simone Biles – Gymnast‬
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone – Track & Field‬
Gabby Thomas – Track & Field‬
‭A’ja Wilson – Las Vegas Aces‬

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE‬
‭Cooper Flagg – Duke Men’s Basketball‬
Chloe Humphrey – North Carolina Women’s Lacrosse‬
Ilona Maher – Rugby‬
‭Paul Skenes – Pittsburgh Pirates‬

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE‬
‭Geno Auriemma – UConn Huskies
‬Caitlin Clark – Indiana Fever
Kevin Durant – Olympic Basketball
Alexander Ovechkin – Washington Capitals

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE‬
‭Simone Biles – 2024 Olympics Women’s All-Around‬
Stephen Curry – US Men’s Olympic BB team‬
Freddie Freeman – LA Dodgers – World Series MVP‬
Rory McIlroy – Wins first Masters title, completing career Grand Slam‬

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE‬
‭Gabe Landeskog – Colorado Avalanche‬
Suni Lee – Gymnast‬
Mallory Swanson – USWNT/Chicago Red Stars‬
Lindsey Vonn – Skiing‬

BEST PLAY‬
‭Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle‬‭ – NFL (11/3/24)‬
Tyrese Haliburton Calls Game!!!‬‭ – NBA Game 1 NBA Finals‬‭ (6/5/25)‬
Sabrina Ionescu Logo 3 Game Winner‬‭ – WNBA Finals Game‬‭ 3‬
Trinity Rodman with the OT Goal to send USWNT to the semi-finals‬‭ – 2024‬‭ Olympics‬

BEST TEAM‬
‬‭Florida Panthers – NHL‬
Los Angeles Dodgers – MLB‬
New York Liberty – WNBA‬
Ohio State Buckeyes – NCAA Football‬
Oklahoma City Thunder – NBA‬
Philadelphia Eagles – NFL‬
North Carolina Tar Heels – NCAA Women’s Lacrosse‬
United States Women’s National Team – Soccer‬
University of Connecticut Huskies – Women’s Basketball‬

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE: MEN’S SPORTS‬
‭Cooper Flagg – Duke Basketball‬
Wyatt Hendrickson – Oklahoma State Wrestling‬
Travis Hunter – Colorado Football‬
CJ Kirst – Cornell Lacrosse‬

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE: WOMEN’S SPORTS‬
‭Olivia Babcock – University of Pittsburgh Volleyball‬
Kate Faasse – North Carolina Soccer‬
Gretchen Walsh – Virginia Swimming‬
JuJu Watkins – USC Basketball‬‭

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY‬
‭Noah Elliott – Snowboard‬
Ezra Frech – Track & Field‬
Tatyana McFadden – Track & Field‬
Grace Norman – Paratriathlete‬

BEST NFL PLAYER‬
‭Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills‬
Saquon Barkley – Philadelphia Eagles‬
Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens‬
Patrick Surtain II – Denver Broncos‬

BEST MLB PLAYER‬
‭Freddie Freeman – Los Angeles Dodgers‬
Aaron Judge – New York Yankees‬
Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers‬
Tarik Skubal – Detroit Tigers‬

BEST NHL PLAYER‬
‭Leon Draisaitl – Edmonton Oilers,‬
Connor Hellebuyck – Winnipeg Jets‬
Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning‬
Cale Makar – Colorado Avalanche‬

BEST NBA PLAYER‬
Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks‬
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder‬
Nikola Jokić – Denver Nuggets‬
Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics‬

BEST WNBA PLAYER‬‭
Caitlin Clark – Indiana Fever‬
Napheesa Collier – Minnesota Lynx‬
Breanna Stewart – New York Liberty‬
A’ja Wilson – Las Vegas Aces‬

BEST DRIVER‬
Joey Logano – NASCAR‬
Álex Palou – IndyCar‬
Oscar Piastri – F1‬
Max Verstappen – F1‬

BEST UFC FIGHTER‬
Dricus Du Plessis‬
Merab Dvalishvili‬
Kayla Harrison‬
Islam Makhachev‬

BEST BOXER‬
Naoya Inoue‬
Claressa Shields‬
Katie Taylor‬
Oleksandr Usyk‬

BEST SOCCER PLAYER‬
Aitana Bonmatí – FC Barcelona/Spain‬
Christian Pulisic – AC Milan, US‬
Alexia Putellas FC Barcelona/Spain‬
Lamine Yamal – FC Barcelona/Spain‬

BEST GOLFER‬
Nelly Korda‬
Rory Mcllroy‬
Scottie Scheffler‬
Maja Stark‬

BEST TENNIS PLAYER‬
Carlos Alcaraz‬
Coco Gauff‬
Aryna Sabalenka‬
Jannik Sinner‬