ESPN has apologized to the Emmy organization and returned dozens of Emmy statuettes after it was found that the sports network had submitted fake names to the organization to try to win trophies for on-air personalities who had been ineligible to receive them.
The scheme, which dates back up to 30 years, was first reported by The Athletic. The website explained that fake names were submitted to the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) for Emmy awards under the category of outstanding weekly studio show. If the show won, the awards given to the fake show members went to on-air personalities.
“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 network said in a statement Thursday.
While the Emmys eventually went to on-air “College GameDay” personalities like Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and Desmond Howard, there was no evidence, according to The Athletic, that any on-air winners knew what was happening.
NATAS, which administers the Sports Emmy Awards, discovered the fraud through an investigation, according to The Athletic, which led to ESPN doing its own probe, ABC reported.
ABC is the majority owner of ESPN.
“This was a misguided attempt to recognize on-air individuals who were important members of our production team,” ESPN said in its statement. The company brought in outside counsel to conduct the investigation.
“Individuals found to be responsible were disciplined by ESPN,” the network statement said.
According to Emmy rules for sports awards, on-air talent is not allowed to be included with those credited for the Emmy category of outstanding weekly studio show. Hosts, analysts and reporters on the show could win individual awards, but were prohibited from what the academy calls “double dipping.”
So fake names were submitted with the same initials as on-air hosts and reporters like Kirk Henry (Kirk Herbstreit), Lee Clark (Lee Corso) and Dirk Howard (Desmond Howard) appeared on credit lists as associate producers, the report said.
A statement from the academy said it found several fake credits submitted by ESPN to multiple Sports Emmy competitions.
Adam Sharp of NATAS, said in an email to ABC: “NATAS identified a number of fictitious credits submitted by ESPN to multiple Sports Emmys competitions. When brought to the attention of ESPN senior management, the network took steps to take responsibility for the actions of its personnel, to investigate thoroughly, and to course correct. These steps have included the return by ESPN of statuettes issued to fictitious individuals and commitments to implement further internal accountability and procedural changes at the network.”