ESPN used fake names to secure Emmys for ‘College GameDay’ stars

[Yappi]

In March 2023, Shelley Smith, who worked 26 years as an on-air reporter for ESPN, received a call from Stephanie Druley, then the network’s head of studio and event production. Druley said she wanted to talk about something “serious” that needed to stay between the two of them, Smith recalled. She then told Smith that Smith needed to return two sports Emmy statuettes that she had been given more than a decade earlier.

That request was one of many ESPN made of some of its biggest stars last year after the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the organization that administers the Emmys, uncovered a scheme that the network used to acquire more than 30 of the coveted statuettes for on-air talent ineligible to receive them. Since at least 2010, ESPN inserted fake names in Emmy entries, then took the awards won by some of those imaginary individuals, had them re-engraved and gave them to on-air personalities.

ESPN used fake names to secure Emmys for 'College GameDay' stars

Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Chris Fowler, Desmond Howard and Samantha Ponder were among those given the ill-gotten awards.

theathletic.com

 

[PantherProud]

WTF??

 

[tom 48]

Article linked here.

College GameDay Emmy fraud

ESPN personalities forced to return Emmys because of network fraud. https://www.si.com/media/2024/01/11/espn-college-gameday-stars-return-emmys-fake-name-scheme-report https://theathletic.com/5193316/2024/01/11/espn-emmys-fake-names-college-gameday/

yappi.com

 

[az0217t]

Holier than thou - ESPN ? They would never do something like this. They are the keepers of all that is good, right and holy. Just ask them.
Let's see if this "story" shows up on ESPN's 30 for 30.

 

[EHS 2001]

WTF??

College GameDay won a bunch of Emmys over the years and until recently on air talent wasn’t allowed to win certain awards. Executives at ESPN broke the rules by adding fake names to the list of people who worked on the show so they would have extra trophies to give to Fowler, Herbstreit, Corso, etc. Some current and former ESPN employees have been asked to return their awards.

Dumb awards.
Dumb rules.
Dumb rule breaking.

 

[JackEd]

What if they don't return the trophy's? I won some trophy's in high school and have zero clue where they are. What If one was buried with a loved one? It's not on the individual it's on ESPN.

 

[nupanther]

I dont understand how they were rewarded the awards in the first place. Isnt there a committee or some sort that actually votes? And said committee should be looking into the nominees. Why are you voting for people youve never heard of? Its the equivalent of the Oscars voting for Arnold Smith for best supporting actor- just to find out there was no Arnold Smith in a movie for the year.
Id blame whomever is issuing the awards just as much, if not more, then ESPN

 

[EHS 2001]

I dont understand how they were rewarded the awards in the first place. Isnt there a committee or some sort that actually votes? And said committee should be looking into the nominees. Why are you voting for people youve never heard of? Its the equivalent of the Oscars voting for Arnold Smith for best supporting actor- just to find out there was no Arnold Smith in a movie for the year.
Id blame whomever is issuing the awards just as much, if not more, then ESPN

The winning shows were determined by whatever process the NATAS sets forth--either a committee or voters. But ESPN submitted the list of names for people who worked on the College GameDay broadcast so the fake names were included on that list. Instead of 40 or 50 names of behind-the-scenes people they submitted lists with 5-10 extra, fake names so they could give extra trophies to the on air people.

 

[EHS 2001]

What if they don't return the trophy's? I won some trophy's in high school and have zero clue where they are. What If one was buried with a loved one? It's not on the individual it's on ESPN.

The article from The Athletic mentions that Shelly Smith gave away one of her Emmy trophies as a gift to a loved one and she said she would not ask that person to give it back to her so she could return it to the NATAS.

 

[JackEd]

It’s a serious question that’s kind of laughable. What will happen to anyone if they don’t give it back? Did they sign an agreement? If not, see ya later!!!

 

[EHS 2001]

It’s a serious question that’s kind of laughable. What will happen to anyone if they don’t give it back? Did they sign an agreement? If not, see ya later!!!

Probably nothing, but few ESPN executives who were involved in the shenanigans have been suspended/banned by the NATAS.

 

[EHS 2001]

College students are going to have fun with this next season on the signs they bring to GameDay.