Sports Emmys: ESPN & Fox Top Networks As Super Bowl Leads Programs

ESPN and Fox shared bragging rights as the 41st annual Sports Emmys were handed out tonight. They tied atop the network leaderboard with seven wins apiece.

ESPN scored one more nod to lead all sports groups, as it came into the night with the most nominations (58) to Fox Sports Media Group’s 48.

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Fox’s haul was buoyed by a program-leading four wins for Super Bowl LIV, while ESPN scored two trophies apiece for its E:60, NFL on ESPN and SC Featured. CBS and HBO tied for third with five wins each, followed by TNT (four) and MLB Network (three).

CBS’ coverage of the Masters won the marquee Outstanding Live Sports Special category, and the network also scooped the Outstanding Live Sports Series for its NFL on CBS.

Read the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ full list of winners here and the ranking by network/platform, sports group and program here.

The delayed awards, which had been set for April 28 in Manhattan, were dispersed virtually tonight in a livestreamed ceremony hosted by Fox Sports’ Linsday Czarniak and MSNBC’s Craig Melvin.

“The global pandemic has created unparalleled challenges in bringing a ‘live’ awards show program to the sports community,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said. “With two hosts, seven presenters, and more than one hundred and thirty-five acceptors coming from either a studio or their homes across the country, the sheer size and demand for new and exciting ways to recognize the great talents creating sports television has been an enormous enterprise that the National Academy has happily embraced.”

Pioneering sportscaster Lesley Visser tonight became the first woman to receive the Sports Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sports Emmy Awards.

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