ESPN Radio's V Foundation auction raises $810K

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The seventh annual “Don’t Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auction” raised $810,955 for The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a 61% increase over last year’s total of $504K and more than four times the inaugural event’s $201,000. The event has raised more than $4,900,000 in its seven years. The event offered more than 200 items and experiences via auction either online from July 3-13 or as part of an ESPN Radio 18-hour, on-air radiothon 7/13.


An ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) is presented by ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. From their inception in 1993 to 2004, ESPY Award winners were chosen only via fan voting. Since 2004, sportswriters, broadcasters, sports execs, and sportspersons, collectively experts; or ESPN personalities also vote. Award winners have been selected thereafter exclusively through online fan balloting conducted from amongst candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee.

Donations were also a big a part of the auction’s success, as listeners responded to show hosts’ on-air invitation: “If you don’t have the money to bid, every donation helps no matter what size.”

The radio auction coincided with the 11th annual ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic, which raised more than $1,050,000 in net proceeds for The V Foundation. When combined, more than $1,860,000 million was raised for cancer research during ESPYs Week.