ESPN and Marvel team up to celebrate Earth’s Mightiest Athletes
July 16, 2021
In a fun twist combining comic superheroes and sport, Beyond Sport partner ESPN and its Corporate Citizenship division teamed up with Marvel to celebrate the "super-powered spirit" of athletes who are making an impact. During Monday's 7th annual Sports Humanitarian Awards, ESPN honored the inaugural class of Marvel’s Earth’s Mightiest Athletes. This collective of inspiring athletes mirror Marvel heroes with their extraordinary abilities on the field and their commitment to making a positive impact off of it.
The 2021 recipients and the qualities they exhibit include: Seattle Seahawk's superstar Russell Wilson - Captain America, UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou - Black Panther, two-time World Cup Champion and Chicago Red Stars' Julie Ertz - Captain Marvel, and the Utah Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell - Spider-Man.
Media powerhouse, Marvel wanted to make the link that athletes can often be real life superheroes. In June, they launched a new collective of sports superstars that embody the positive characteristics of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, The Avengers. The campaign acknowledges and honors sports champions making positive change, recognizing their outstanding achievements on the playing field and their super-powered community service.
ESPN and Marvel have collaborated on sports content before. In May they debuted the first-ever Marvel-inspired NBA edition. The battle on the court between the Warriors and the Pelicans marked the beginning of their recruitment process, which included a series of contests where the winner earned the right to train and fight alongside the Avengers as Marvel’s Champion.
“Marvel and ESPN have brought the worlds of sports and Super Heroes together for years through comics, documentaries and other stories celebrating athletes and their extraordinary abilities,” said Mike Pasciullo, vice president, marketing and communications, Marvel Entertainment.
The role of the recently named Earth’s Mightiest Athletes is to continue their impactful social work and to continue being an inspiration and example for the next generation. Guided by the core principles of confidence, conviction, dedication, giving and respect, the goal is to provide a useful and practical lens for the athlete humanitarian, the athlete mentor and the athlete activist.
Not only do these honorees reflect the values of Muhammad Ali’s sports humanitarian shown in this year’s awards, but each has delivered for the community in a way that’s aligned with the super-powered spirit of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Here's more on each of the honorees:
The first to join the inaugural all-hero athlete team was Russell Wilson who was recognized for exhibiting Cap's qualities of compassion, leadership, agility, strength and the courage to help those most in need. Wilson founded the Why Not You Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to fighting poverty through education and empowering youth to lead with a confident 'why not you' attitude. He was selected as the NFL’s 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year for his outstanding community service and his athletic excellence. He has helped donate more than $9 million to support the battle against cancer, makes weekly trips to Seattle Children’s Hospital while in season to visit with patients getting treatment, and during the pandemic, Wilson stepped up to donate a million meals to families in need. This September, Wilson and his wife, Ciara, will celebrate the grand opening of Why Not You Academy, a tuition-free charter public school.
Marvel’s Black Panther is king of Wakanda and a powerful warrior committed to protecting all people. As the reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion, mixed martial artist Francis Ngannou is known for his strength in the octagon and power in supporting African kids in need. Hailing from Cameroon, he grew up extreme poverty and was unable to afford to go to school. Understanding the unique opportunity he had to compete in combat sports and the impact that sport can have on one’s outlook and outcome, he launched the Francis Ngannou Foundation to provide the children of Cameroon with the skills to expand their horizons and realize their dreams. He also built the first-ever fully equipped MMA gym in Cameroon for those in his hometown so they could pursue their dreams without having to move thousands of miles away from home.
Captain Marvel stands out as a hero committed to going “higher, further, faster” for those in need. Julie Ertz was hailed for her commitment to uplift communities and not being afraid to take on challenges to help those in need. She established the Ertz Family Foundation in 2018 with her husband which focuses on youth sports and education, while also supporting families. Through the foundation, she has helped build a sports complex in Haiti, providied safe after-school workouts for underserved athletes and delivering more than 600,000 meals to families in Philadelphia during the pandemic. The 2019 US Soccer Female Player of the Year continues to work to provide at-risk students with tools to reach their full potential. She is also an ambassador for water4Her, where she lends her support of empowering 100,000 East African women through clean water access.
A long-time Spidey fan, Donovan Mitchell was recognized for his efforts to help his community. His nonprofit, SPIDACARES, increases access to education for students and expands opportunities for young people to develop athletic skills, good sportsmanship and physical well-being. He recently renovated basketball courts at The Children’s Village Community Center in New York. He also donated $45,000 in proceeds from his new shoe to an education fund for the children of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot by a Wisconsin police officer and remains hospitalized. Mitchell wants to close the educational gap to eliminate racism, believing that people aren't born racist, but are rather taught to hate. As a member of the inaugural board of the NBA’s National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, Mitchell is teaming up with league players to leverage the game’s platform to raise awareness, educate and advocate for social justice and meaningful reform to inspire and create positive change.
The 2021 Sports Humanitarian Award also included:
- Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award Presented by Dove Men+Care: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Kansas City Chiefs
- Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year: Atlanta Dream
- Corporate Community Impact Award: Microsoft
- Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Adom Appiah, Tory Bailey, Gabriel Banuelos, Jacob Eusebio, Amani Shah, Holly Wilson
- Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb: Joe Torre; Frank Kipp, Blackfeet Boxing; Tom Walter & Kevin Jordan, Get In the Game
- Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award: Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United
- League Humanitarian Leadership Award: NBA