The ESPYs -- Sorry Kevin Love ... Get Behind Britney Spears!

There's ALWAYS seat politics at award shows -- and the ESPYs are not different ... with Britney Spears sitting SECOND ROW ... in front of a ton of ACTUAL ATHLETES!!

Check out the pics ... Brit's sitting 2nd row -- right behind LeBron James ... but in FRONT of Kevin Love, Iman Shumpert, Von Miller and ESPN's own Chris Berman.

Meanwhile, the entire Gronk family also got front row seats -- in front of Rob's actual Patriots teammates.

Also, how did Shemar Moore get in front of Von Miller?!