In March 2023, Shelley Smith, who labored 26 years as an on-air reporter for ESPN, acquired a name from Stephanie Druley, then the community’s head of studio and occasion manufacturing. Druley mentioned she wished to speak about one thing “critical” that wanted to remain between the 2 of them, Smith recalled. She then advised Smith that Smith wanted to return two sports activities Emmy statuettes that she had been given greater than a decade earlier.
That request was one in all many ESPN manufactured from a few of its greatest stars final 12 months after the Nationwide Academy of Tv Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the group that administers the Emmys, uncovered a scheme that the community used to accumulate greater than 30 of the coveted statuettes for on-air expertise ineligible to obtain them. Since no less than 2010, ESPN inserted faux names in Emmy entries, then took the awards received by a few of these imaginary people, had them re-engraved and gave them to on-air personalities.
Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Chris Fowler, Desmond Howard and Samantha Ponder, amongst others, got the ill-gotten Emmys, in response to a supply briefed on the matter, who was granted anonymity as a result of the person isn’t licensed to debate it publicly. There isn’t any proof that the on-air people have been conscious the Emmys given to them have been improperly obtained.
“I feel it was actually crummy what they did to me and others,” mentioned Smith, who labored at ESPN from 1997 till her contract expired final July.
The fraud was found by NATAS, which prompted an investigation by that group and later by ESPN. These probes resulted in sanctions past the return of the trophies. Whereas it isn’t identified who orchestrated the scheme, Craig Lazarus, vice chairman and govt producer of unique content material and options, and Lee Becoming, a senior vice chairman of manufacturing who oversaw “Faculty GameDay” and different properties, have been among the many ESPN staff NATAS dominated ineligible from future participation within the Emmys.
In a press release, ESPN mentioned: “Some members of our crew have been clearly fallacious in submitting sure names which will return to 1997 in Emmy classes the place they weren’t eligible for recognition or statuettes. This was a misguided try to acknowledge on-air people who have been essential members of our manufacturing crew. As soon as present management was made conscious, we apologized to NATAS for violating pointers and labored intently with them to fully overhaul our submission course of to safeguard in opposition to something like this taking place once more.
“We introduced in outdoors counsel to conduct a full and thorough investigation and people discovered to be accountable have been disciplined by ESPN.”
Adam Sharp, of NATAS, mentioned in an electronic mail: “NATAS recognized various fictitious credit submitted by ESPN to a number of Sports activities Emmys competitions. When dropped at the eye of ESPN senior administration, the community took steps to take accountability for the actions of its personnel, to research totally, and to course right. These steps have included the return by ESPN of statuettes issued to fictitious people and commitments to implement additional inner accountability and procedural adjustments on the community.”
An ESPN spokesperson mentioned Lazarus declined to remark, and Lazarus didn’t reply to an electronic mail looking for remark. Becoming was let go by ESPN in August after 25 years on the firm. He didn’t reply to voice and textual content messages.
The nexus of the scheme was “Faculty GameDay,” the present that Becoming helped flip right into a cultural phenomenon and a income machine. From 2008-18, it nabbed eight Emmys for excellent weekly studio present. However on-air expertise was, till 2023, prohibited by NATAS pointers from being included in a credit score listing in that class. Hosts, analysts and reporters on “Faculty GameDay” may win particular person awards, akin to excellent host, studio analyst or rising on-air expertise, they usually may win for a person characteristic. However they weren’t eligible to take dwelling a trophy for a win by the present. That rule was meant to forestall front-facing expertise from successful two awards for a similar work (termed “double-dipping” within the NATAS rulebook).
ESPN circumvented the rule by inserting faux names into the credit score listing it submitted to NATAS for “Faculty GameDay.” The Athletic reviewed the credit score lists for the years the present received: 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. In every a kind of seven years, names much like the names of on-air personalities – and with equivalent initials – have been listed all underneath the title of “affiliate producers.”
Kirk Henry (Kirk Herbstreit), Lee Clark (Lee Corso), Dirk Howard (Desmond Howard), and Tim Richard (Tom Rinaldi) appeared in all seven years. Steven Ponder (Sam Ponder) and Gene Wilson (Gene Wojciechowski) appeared in 5 from 2014-18. Chris Fulton (Chris Fowler) appeared in 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2015. Shelley Saunders (Shelley Smith) appeared within the 2010 credit score listing. Smith was additionally given an Emmy for the present’s win in 2008, although it’s unclear how that statuette was obtained; Shelley Saunders was not listed within the 2008 credit score listing considered by The Athletic. Nevertheless, networks are allowed to change a credit score listing after a present is introduced as a winner.
Whereas reviewing the 2010 and 2011 credit score lists, The Athletic discovered three further names that might not be verified that additionally intently resemble the names of “Faculty GameDay” expertise: Erik Andrews (Erin Andrews) in 2011; Wendy Nickson (Wendi Nix) and Jenn Brownsmith (Jenn Brown) in 2010. Nix confirmed that she was given an Emmy round 2010 and mentioned she had no thought it was improperly obtained; it simply arrived within the mail sooner or later. She was not contacted about returning it earlier than or after she left ESPN in August 2023. Brown, who left ESPN in 2013, confirmed she additionally was given one and didn’t comprehend it was ill-gotten. She mentioned: “That is all information to me and sort of unlucky since you’ve obtained individuals who consider they rightfully had one. There are guidelines for a motive … it’s unlucky (these have been) abused and for thus a few years, too.” Brown mentioned she has not been contacted by ESPN about returning it. Andrews, who left ESPN in 2012, declined to remark by way of a spokesperson.
When requested why individuals on the community would scheme to safe trophies for on-air expertise, one particular person concerned within the ESPN Emmy submission course of in recent times mentioned: “You must do not forget that these personalities are so essential, they usually have egos.” Smith, for one, pushed again at that and remarked how some executives lined their workplace cabinets with statuettes. One govt interviewed throughout ESPN’s probe mentioned that some firm leaders have been obsessive about the Emmys, utilizing the numbers of wins annually to show their dominance over rivals: “It’s essential to the individuals who go (to the ceremony) and the old-school tv guys.” Moreover, many at ESPN thought the rule stopping on-air personalities from getting statuettes for a win by the present was silly. They might have simply determined to do one thing about it, the foundations be damned.
NATAS strengthened its credit score verification course of in 2022, and someday in that 12 months ESPN was requested to confirm sure names. The community finally admitted they have been bogus. In its 2022 transparency report, NATAS referenced the scheme: Throughout credit score vetting, Sports activities Administration recognized one community’s use of fabricated identities in affiliation with a number of submissions. The matter was referred to counsel and stays pending.
Faux names appeared in ESPN’s Emmy submission for “Faculty GameDay” as just lately as 2020 – a 12 months the present didn’t win – however weren’t within the 2022 entry. (The Athletic doesn’t have entry to the present’s 2021 credit score listing.)
“Faculty GameDay” on-air-personalities might not have been the one ones to have been given statuettes they have been ineligible to obtain. In November 2023, Linda Cohn, a “SportsCenter” anchor since 1992, posted a photograph on Instagram of 4 Emmy awards and wrote: “My Fab 4. The newest delivered right now. Nonetheless grateful.” Within the foreground of the photograph is an Emmy for excellent day by day studio present from 2023. Due to the rule change, Cohn was eligible to obtain that award. She is listed underneath “host” within the credit score listing and that phrase is engraved on the statuette’s base. As for the three Emmys within the background of the photograph, one reads:
STUDIO SHOWS
ESPN SPORTSCENTER
LINDA COHN
The 2 others learn:
OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – DAILY
“SPORTSCENTER”
ESPN
LINDA COHN
Underneath NATAS guidelines, Cohn was ineligible to obtain a statuette as an on-air persona for any “SportsCenter” wins within the class of day by day studio present earlier than 2023, and NATAS confirmed Cohn has received just one Emmy. Cohn referred all inquiries to an ESPN spokesperson.
In line with a latest model of the Emmys rulebook, credit score fabrication can lead to a disqualification and the required return of trophies. In line with NATAS, 37 ill-gotten trophies have been returned to date. Smith gave again the 2008 award however not the one from 2010, which she had gifted to a relative. Wojciechowski, who exited ESPN final summer time, declined an interview request. Rinaldi, who left ESPN for Fox in 2020, was contacted on Wednesday however mentioned he didn’t have time to speak. He then didn’t reply to a number of textual content messages.
Becoming, Lazarus and Drew Gallagher, a coordinating producer on “Faculty GameDay,” have been dominated ineligible from future Emmy participation. Druley was not dominated ineligible for future Emmys; she received a 2023 Emmy as an govt producer for “Monday Evening Soccer.” However she was changed on an Emmy steering committee by one other ESPN govt.
Gallagher and Druley declined to remark by way of an ESPN spokesperson.
The names of Lazarus, Becoming and Gallagher have been absent from the credit score lists revealed in this system for the forty fourth Annual Sports activities Emmys ceremony, held on Could 22, 2023 in New York. A 12 months earlier, Lazarus’ identify had appeared in numerous present credit, as an govt producer eight instances and as a supervising producer as soon as. Becoming was listed as an govt producer nominee six instances. Drew Gallagher was listed as a coordinating producer twice. One 12 months later, they weren’t listed in any respect.
“Faculty GameDay’s” credit score listing for the 2023 awards additionally didn’t embody credit for govt producers, senior coordinating producers or coordinating producers. “Among the many sanctions ensuing from the investigation was a one-year disqualification from statuette eligibility for the senior management of ‘Faculty GameDay,’” NATAS mentioned in an electronic mail.
Shortly after Smith’s name with Druley final March, a courier arrived at her California dwelling, wrapped the 2008 statuette in a white plastic bag and took it away. However Smith nonetheless has the Emmy she received in 2018 for a narrative for this system “E:60.”
“I used to be completely happy to win the (2018) one,” Smith mentioned. “However the different instances (the trophy) would simply present up and I wouldn’t even know I used to be imagined to get one.”
(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic, images: Cooper Neill, Ronald Martinez, Michael Buckner / Getty Photos; headshot images: Getty Photos)