Nominees Announced for 2013 ESPYS Hosted by Jon Hamm; Fan Voting Begins

Drew Brees, Miguel Cabrera, Chicago Blackhawks, Gabby Douglas, Joe Flacco, Brittney Griner, LeBron James, Michael Phelps, Maria Sharapova, Mike Trout, Abby Wambach, Serena Williams are among the nominees for The 2013 ESPYS, hosted by Jon Hamm.

Nominees for The 2013 ESPYS presented by Capital One, hosted by Jon Hamm, are revealed and voting has begun. Pardon the Interruption hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon will host The ESPY Nomination Special on Monday, July 1, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Voting is underway and, aside from Best Team, all categories will close when the live show starts Wednesday, July 17, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPNHD.

Fans will determine the winners by voting online at ESPN.com/ESPYS up to the start of The 2013 ESPYS.

The Best Team category will shift to a Twitter exclusive vote at the beginning of the live show. Fans can vote on Twitter during the show using the hashtag #ESPYSBestTeam and their team's name. ESPYS.com and Twitter votes will be combined at the end of the show to determine the winner.

OTHER 2013 ESPYS FACTS & FIGURES:

· LeBron James, who won in "Best Male Athlete" and "Best Championship Performance" last year, is nominated in both categories for The 2013 ESPYS. James has tough competition as Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings, Olympic hero Michael Phelps and MLB triple crown-winner Miguel Cabrera are also nominated for "Best Male Athlete."

· In the "Best Championship Performance" category, James is up against Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski, and Giants third baseman and World Series hero Pablo Sandoval.

· James is also up for "Best NBA Player", which he has won three times (2007, 2009, 2012).

· Serena Williams is trying to earn her second "Best Female Athlete" award, having won it back in 2003. She is up against a pair of Olympians -- gymnast Gabby Douglas and swimmer Missy Franklin -- along with basketball star Brittney Griner.

· Williams is also up for "Best Female Tennis Player," which she has won on five previous occasions. She is up against rival Maria Sharapova, a four-time winner in the category.

· Drew Brees, who has won four ESPYS previously, is among the nominees for "Best Record-Breaking Performance," an award he also won last year. Brees broke Johnny Unitas' mark for consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass during the 2012 season. Another NFL star, Calvin Johnson, is also nominated in the category after breaking Jerry Rice's single-season reception yardage mark.

· Floyd Mayweather is going for his fourth "Best Fighter" ESPY in six years.

· Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, all former winners in "Best Male Tennis Player," are nominated in that category once again.

· The Miami Heat is up for "Best Team" along with Alabama Crimson Tide Football, Chicago Blackhawks, Baltimore Ravens, Oklahoma Sooners Softball, San Francisco Giants and the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team. The NBA has produced the last two winners, the Heat last year and the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.

· The "Best Breakthrough Athlete" category is loaded and figured to be one of the most competitive for the fans to decide. Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel and MLB stars Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels and Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers make up this exceptional group.

The ESPYS gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving Unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2013 ESPYS marks the show's 21st telecast and will recognize both sport-specific achievements, such as "Best MLB Player" and "Best WNBA Player," and best-in-sport winners, such as "Best Team" or "Best Female Athlete" that pit nominees from different sports against each other. The ESPYS honor ESPN's commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYS in 1993.

Sports fans can follow The 2013 ESPYS on Twitter @ESPYS and should tag @ESPYS each time they mention the 'ESPYS' to ensure their status updates are connected to the show.

A limited amount of ESPYs tickets are available for public purchase at www.axs.com.

The 2013 ESPYS are Presented by Capital One and associate sponsors include, in alphabetical order: 20th Century Fox, Asics, Beats(TM) by Dr. Dre, Depend, Gatorade, GMC, Hennessey V.S., Miller, Old Spice, Unilever Clear, VIZIO, and Xbox. GMC will serve as presenting sponsor of ESPN's Tuesday night BODY at ESPYS pre-party and Miller returns as presenting sponsor of the official ESPYS Post Party.

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