WWE Producer Lee Fitting’s ESPN Dismissal Linked to Emmy Scheme, Not Misconduct Allegations

Lee Fitting, a former ESPN producer who now works for WWE, is making headlines again, but a recent clarification sheds new light on the reason behind his departure from the sports network. While recent allegations of workplace misconduct have surfaced, it has been confirmed that Fitting’s dismissal from ESPN in 2023 was actually due to his involvement in a long-running Emmy Awards scheme.

According to a report by The New York Post, Fitting was part of a network effort to acquire Emmy statuettes for on-air talent who were not eligible to receive them under the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) guidelines. The scheme reportedly involved submitting fake names with similar initials to the on-air talent, listing them as associate producers, and then re-engraving the awards before handing them off to the talent.

The NATAS eventually uncovered the fraudulent submissions, prompting ESPN to return the awards and face a one-year ban from the Emmys for senior leadership. Both Fitting and ESPN executive Craig Lazarus were deemed ineligible for future Emmys as part of the fallout.

“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 misguided attempt to recognize on-air individuals who were important members of our production team. Once current leadership was made aware, we apologized to NATAS for violating guidelines and worked closely with them to completely overhaul our submission process to safeguard against anything like this happening again.”

Fitting’s name resurfaced recently due to allegations of workplace misconduct, including inappropriate remarks and creating a toxic work environment during his time at ESPN. However, it’s now clear that these allegations were not the reason for his dismissal.

Since leaving ESPN, Fitting has joined WWE as a producer for Raw and SmackDown. WWE has yet to comment on the Emmy scheme or the separate allegations of misconduct now being reported.

What’s your take on this controversy? Does the Emmy scheme change your view of Fitting’s dismissal from ESPN? Share your thoughts in the comments below!