ESPN's 4th Annual ESPY Day Raises Over $5 Million for Cancer Research

ESPN's fourth annual ESPY Day to benefit the V Foundation raised $5.2 million for cancer research, including $2.6 million that will be directed to the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund, which encourages cutting-edge research for minority populations suffering from cancer. This year's fundraising total surpassed last year's total with an overall 32% increase. To date, ESPY-related fundraising efforts have totaled over $30 million.

ESPY Day - a day-long fundraising drive across multiple ESPN platforms - included the 13th annual ESPN Radio ESPY Day Auction, the 17th annual ESPY Celebrity Golf Outing and the third annual Sports Humanitarian Awards. During ESPY Day, ESPN highlighted heartfelt vignettes by talent discussing their experiences with cancer from Rod Gilmore, Holly Rowe, Lisa Kerney and David Lloyd. The ESPY Day Auction featured one-of-a-kind experiences, such as the chance to announce a pick at the 2018 NFL DRAFT and the chance to shadow Adam Schefter in Bristol for a day.

The 2017 Sports Humanitarian Awards increased its fundraising from last year by 50% to $1.75 million, which included a $500,000 presenting sponsorship from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Additionally, Bristol-Myers Squibb made a $2.5 million grant to the V Foundation that the organization plans to use for investment in the advancement of pediatric immuno-oncology research. Other contributions included $708,000 raised during the ESPY Celebrity Golf Outing, $571,900 by the ESPY Day Radio Auction, as well as donations made by the public and those directly from ESPN employees.

President of ESPN, John Skipper stated, "I'm grateful to Bristol-Myers Squibb, whose charitable contribution to the V Foundation, including support of the Sports Humanitarian Awards, helped push this year's fundraising efforts to be one of our best ever."

To post a comment, you must register and login.