BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — ESPN has apologized to the group that administers the Sports Emmy Awards for submitting faux names in classes the place they weren’t eligible to win.
“Some members of our team were clearly wrong in submitting certain names that may go back to 1997 in Emmy categories where they were not eligible for recognition or statuettes,” the community stated in a press release Thursday.
The Emmy rip-off was first revealed by The Athletic, which reported that ESPN personalities like Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and Desmond Howard on “College GameDay” got awards they weren’t entitled to. There was no proof, the report stated, that any on-air winners knew what occurred.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which administers the Sports Emmy Awards, found the fraud by means of an investigation, which led to ESPN doing its personal probe.
“This was a misguided attempt to recognize on-air individuals who were important members of our production team,” ESPN stated in its assertion.
The Athletic report stated on-air expertise weren’t allowed to be included with these credited for the Emmy class of excellent weekly studio present. Hosts, analysts and reporters on the present might win particular person awards, however have been prohibited from what the academy calls “double dipping.”
So faux names have been submitted with the identical initials as on-air hosts and reporters like Kirk Henry (Kirk Herbstreit), Lee Clark (Lee Corso) and Dirk Howard (Desmond Howard) appeared on credit score lists as affiliate producers.
The Athletic reviewed credit score lists for the years “College GameDay” received for greatest weekly present (2010-11, 2014-18) and a number of other phony names have been on there.
The Athletic stated it was not identified who led the fraud, however Craig Lazarus, vice chairman and govt producer of unique content material and options; Lee Fitting, a senior vice chairman of manufacturing who oversaw “College GameDay” and different properties; and Drew Gallagher, a coordinating producer on “College GameDay,” have been among the many ESPN workers NATAS dominated ineligible from future participation within the Emmys.
An announcement from the academy stated it discovered a number of faux credit submitted by ESPN to a number of Sports Emmy competitions. Once ESPN senior administration was alerted, “the network took steps to take responsibility for the actions of its personnel, to investigate thoroughly, and to course correct.”
Those steps included returning statuettes issued to fictitious people, the academy stated.
ESPN introduced in outdoors counsel for a full investigation after it was made conscious of the rip-off.
“Individuals found to be responsible were disciplined by ESPN,” the community assertion stated.
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