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

[nomar]

They seemingly disagreed with the awarding organization's policy and responded by setting in motion corporate resources to alter the effects of the policy on their company.

They engaged some number of their employees in cooperating to decide the scheme and then created sound-alike pseudonyms; deceitfully present those names to the organization whose policies they did not respect; and thereafter managed the intake of the falsely claimed awards in such a way as to presumably hire some entity (or entities) to create facsimile physical nameplates with the real names of those they wanted to be honored. Thereafter, some personnel removed the genuinely-manufactured but strategically fake-named plates and affixed the counterfeit-manufactured but preferred true-named plates, all presumably done under some level of false pretense and under cover of some level of secrecy for multiple reasons within multiple employment labor categories including management, administrative, and line workers. "Victimless" doesn't begin to address any of this.

More so than the common 'cover-up being worse than the (not literal) crime' label, this was an instance akin to the coverup being the crime.

Even for something petty and vain, it still constitutes quite a web of deceit, and it was arguably perpetrated on NATAS. I don't know what damage they'd claim, but it would seem to be harmful to the integrity of their efforts and to their likely good faith throughout the process.

I agreed it was corrupt. I just don’t think it’s the crime of the century.

 

[nomar]

Okay, but you’re glossing over it. They changed the inscribed names on the trophies. You cannot think that was anything other than complete wrong+doing. That’s not Kirk’s malice but some people at ESPN are guilty of some ridiculous behavior.

I don’t think that. I’m just pointing out that people didn’t lose awards because of it, which was the insinuation and some people’s immediate takeaway. That’s not glossing over the rule-breaking scheme.

 

[Leebo]

I don’t think that. I’m just pointing out that people didn’t lose awards because of it, which was the insinuation and some people’s immediate takeaway. That’s not glossing over the rule-breaking scheme.

Who thought anyone lost an award because of it?

 

[UCTitleTown]

How many times have you heard someone on TV announce someone as "8 Time Emmy winner" so and so. It must feel weird when no one says that about you, but you've got ten trophies on your shelf.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I agreed it was corrupt. I just don’t think it’s the crime of the century.

Mine was not any criticism of you for disagreeing about the corrupt nature of the scheme.

Neither do I regard what ESPN did as the crime of the century. I don't recall anybody characterizing it that way.

 

[Vowelguy]

It sounded a lot worse before reading the details.

I can understand the belief that it’s a dumb rule and wanting to award/recognize all the members of the team. That said I wouldn’t go through the effort of creating fake names and then reinscribing the trophies.

In any event, the producers who submitted the fake names have been banned from future Emmy consideration, most notably Lee Fitting, the guy behind Gameday.

 

[Palatine]

Emmy's get handed out like candy on Halloween. They ain't Oscars. The fact ESPN is giving back 37 is a hint. It's easily hundreds given every year, maybe thousands. Every local newscast has some anchor or weatherman with a shelf full of them.

 

[nomar]

Who thought anyone lost an award because of it?

A lot of people. Read the comments on the Athletic article. Look at the second or third comment in this thread. You literally responded to it. He thought the Emmy voted to give awards to fictitious honorees.

 

[Leebo]

A lot of people. Read the comments on the Athletic article. Look at the second or third comment in this thread. You literally responded to it. He thought the Emmy voted to give awards to fictitious honorees.

I have no idea what he's talking about half the time. If he thought other people lost awards it wasn't clear to me. I just knew he didn't get what happened.

 

[Dove]

ESPN should do one of those funny commercial about this.