ESPN gave Academy fake names to obtain more Emmy Awards for ineligible on-air talent: report

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ESPN submitted fake names to the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), which oversees the Emmys, to receive more trophies for its on-air talent, according to a bombshell report on Thursday.

Since 2010, at least 30 trophies have been given to people who did not exist; the network then had them re-engraved and gave them to members of "College GameDay," The Athletic reported.

"NATAS identified a number of fictitious credits submitted by ESPN to multiple Sports Emmys competitions," said NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp. "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."

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"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," ESPN said in a statement. (Mike Windle/Getty Images for ESPN)

The Athletic noted that some of the on-air talent to get the statuettes were "ineligible" to receive them, so ESPN made up names to get extra trophies for them.

ESPN admitted in a statement that the plot "may go back to 1997."

"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," ESPN said in a statement. "This was a