On the heels of debuting its highly anticipated 2020 Sportsperson of the Year issue, Sports Illustrated, in partnership with ABG Entertainment and Medium Rare, today announced the launch of “The Sports Illustrated Awards” (The SI Awards) and revealed that the show will welcome five Sportsperson of The Year honorees: LeBron James, Naomi Osaka, Patrick Mahomes, Breanna Stewart, and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. A reimagined format of the annual Sportsperson of the Year Awards, the new prime-time broadcast will spotlight some of the most disruptive and courageous athletes in the world with new awards including Player of the Year, Team of The Year, Breakout of The Year, and many more.
The primetime event will broadcast live from Las Vegas and will be hosted by Richard Jefferson, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Lindsey Vonn, and Cari Champion.
The show will feature musical performances by Steve Aoki and Gucci Mane. The General Insurance Virtual Fan Wall will give fans an exclusive front-row seat to “The SI Awards.“ The General Insurance will also present a special performance from Shaquille O’Neal aka DJ Diesel.
“The SI Awards” is a free global broadcast and will air on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 7:00 PM ET and will stream across on Facebook via the Sports Illustrated Facebook Page and shared by the Sports on Facebook page. The event will be simulcast by exclusive distribution partner LiveXLive across their O&O and social platforms plus 20-plus platforms including SportsIllustratedAwards.com, LiveXLive, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Twitter, and more.
Key Awards and Nominees as Chosen by the Editors of Sports Illustrated:
- Sportsperson of The Year (Winners): Brianna Stewart, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes
- Best Dressed Presented by JCPenney (Nominees): Deandre Hopkins, Odell Bekcham Jr, Russell Westbrook, Skylar Diggins
- Breakout of the Year Presented by Emsculpt Neo (Nominees): Donovan Mitchell, Jamal Murray, Myisha Hines-Allen, Shane Bieber
- Game of the Year Presented by Brooks Brothers (Nominees): NBA Finals Game 3, Stanley Cup Game 4, Super Bowl LIV, World Series Game 4
- Inspiration of the Year (Nominees): Chris Nikic, Jaylen Brown, Sarah Fuller, Maya Moore
- Muhammad Ali Legacy Award Presented by Wheaties (Winner): LeBron James
- Play of the Year (Nominees): Alec Mills ‘No Hitter’ on Sept. 13, Bam Adebayo Block in the NBA Finals Game 1, John Rahm’s 66-footer in the BMW Championship, Steven Stamkos Goal in Stanley Cup Game 3
- Player of the Year Presented by Yappa (Nominees): A’ja Wilson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mookie Betts, Novak Djokovic
- Sportskid of The Year (Winner): JuJu Watkins
- Team of the Year (Nominees): Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Bucks, Tampa Bay Lightning
Produced by ABG Entertainment and Medium Rare, “The SI Awards” will continue to honor Sports Illustrated’s legacy of hosting the inaugural event, while also celebrating this year’s honorees who not only dominated their respective sports but also made incredible strides with social activism in 2020.
“The institution of Sportsperson of the Year is central to Sports Illustrated’s legacy and we are excited to reach a wider audience and even more fans this year through this novel format,” said Corey Salter, COO and Group President of Entertainment, ABG.
“The all-new SI Awards live at the intersection of sports and entertainment giving viewers a unique opportunity to take part in the most exciting celebration in sports,” said Joe Silberzweig and Adam Richman, the founders of Medium Rare, 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Honorees.
The General Insurance will give clients and fans an exclusive front-row seat to “The SI Awards.” In addition, The General Insurance will present a performance from the one and only Shaquille O’Neal aka DJ Diesel. “At the intersection of sports and entertainment, the SI Awards is primed to be the biggest primetime event of the season. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be involved. This year’s virtual format gives The General the opportunity to bring the excitement of the night into viewers’ homes, making them part of the celebration via the Virtual Fan Wall and DJ set by our brand ambassador, Shaq.” – The General CFO, Elicia Azali
As a company that celebrates empowerment, and the process of becoming stronger and more confident, Emsculpt Neo is honored to present Breakout of the Year. Emsculpt Neo is committed to empowering individuals and strengthening their souls. It is a day and age where individuals might not be able to use the gym. If they need a kick start to rebuild muscle and burn fat, Emsculpt Neo is the answer. The Breakout of the Year Award Presented by Emsculpt recognizes an athlete who not only inspired us on the court but more importantly inspired the world off the court.
Logitech has partnered with Sports Illustrated to provide exemplary digital and streaming tools, making the virtual stream possible. As many of us have been working, playing, creating, and connecting from home, it’s important to have the right tools to be able to continue seamlessly doing the things we love. That’s why Logitech is thrilled to be able to support Sports Illustrated’s 2020 Sportsperson of the Year Awards by providing its world-class products for being your best over video – from webcams and conference cams to microphones and more. Logitech believes everyone, whether they’re in the office or at home, and should have access to the digital experiences they love.
Two American icons, Sports Illustrated and Brooks Brothers, will partner to honor this year’s with five custom jackets emblazoned with a custom Sports Person of the Year crest during the event. Brooks Brothers is also proud to present the Game of the Year Award to the single game or match that delivered the fiercest and most entertaining competition for fans around the world. Nominees span all major sports championships, as well as those games’ standout stars including Brett Philips, Jimmy Butler, Patrick Mahomes, and Kevin Shattenkirk.
Lonnie Ali, wife of legendary boxer and icon, Muhammad Ali will participate in one of the night’s most meaningful moments, presenting LeBron James with the prestigious Muhammad Ali Legacy Award Presented by Wheaties. “For 99 years, Wheaties has celebrated greatness in sports. We are dedicated to go beyond the game, championing individuals who use their sports platform to better the world. LeBron James’ ability to push ahead and inspire, on and off the court is indicative of that vision. Wheaties is proud to present the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award to Mr. James.” – Stephanie Steidl, Wheaties Brand Experience.
Sports Illustrated and Nautica are amplifying the newly inducted group of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models on the biggest stage in sports featuring a series of interviews. Additionally, Nautica is presenting the 2020 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Year in Review reel.
“The SI Awards” will celebrate the intersection of sports and fashion with the debut of the new award, Best Dressed Athlete of the Year, presented by JCPenney. “We are excited to partner with Sports Illustrated on the Sportsperson of the Year Awards and introduce the first-ever Best Dressed Athlete of the Year Awardto honor an athlete that embodies sports and fashion,” said Truett Horne, Chief Transformation Officer at JCPenney. “JCPenney offers stylish apparel for everyone who needs to get game-day ready, from the major leagues to the little leagues. We are thrilled to have our Big and Tall Style Ambassador, Shaquille O’Neal, announce the winning athlete.”
Yappa is an audio and video commenting tool and is embedded within the comments section of the “SI Awards” homepage. Fans from around the world are encouraged to post “yaps” leading up to and throughout “The SI Awards.” Yappa is also proud to present the Player of the Year award. Nominees include Mookie Betts, Giannis Antekounmpo, Novak Djokovic, and A’ja Wilson.
This year Sports Illustrated welcomes new sponsor Emovi, a medical company with the mission to transform the musculoskeletal health care landscape by developing products at the cutting edge of technology, in order to allow the population to age while remaining active and healthy.
“We are incredibly proud to support Laurent’s achievements both on and off the field,” said Michelle Laflamme, CEO, Emovi, Inc. “The opportunity to sponsor the SI Awards allows us to highlight the core message and purpose of our ambassador partnership with Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. Knee pain affects millions worldwide. The more insight clinicians have into the knee’s full function will allow them to accurately and objectively rehab and prevent knee pain and injuries. In sports, knee injury accounts for 41% of all sports injuries. Bringing awareness and new technologies, such as the KneeKG, to the market to address the millions faced with knee pain is more important now than ever before.”
