On Wednesday night, July 16th, 2026, ESPN held its annual ESPY Awards, an event many Americans appeared unaware of this year. The Savannah Bananas, a popular baseball entertainment team, opened the show with a three-minute dance performance that drew harsh criticism across social media platforms.

Despite the ESPYs once being a highly anticipated summer event—remembered for moments like Jim Valvano's iconic "Don't give up, don't ever give up" speech—the ceremony seems to have lost much of its former prominence. One commentator noted, "I figured it died years ago given you literally never hear about it anymore, but I was wrong."

The Savannah Bananas performed onstage at the event held at David H., marking a notable moment in the ceremony's opening. This performance was described as "one of the worst performances you'll ever see," reflecting the widespread backlash it received online.

The ESPYs continue to evolve, with ESPN reportedly pursuing new broadcast talent like Steve Kerr, and previously featuring promotional content such as a minute-long segment on transgender swimmer Lia Thomas during Women's History Month.

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