For anyone confused about the scheme, it seems fairly benign:
“College GameDay,” a cultural phenomenon and money maker for the network, scored eight Emmys for best weekly studio show from 2008 to 2018. The broadcast personalities were, until 2023, prohibited by NATAS guidelines from inclusion in a credit list for that specific category. They were eligible for other Emmys, such as host or studio analyst, but a win for the show wouldn't land any statuettes for on-air talent.
ESPN employees dodged the rule by including fabricated names listed as "associate producers" — who happened to have the same initials as on-air talent — and then scrubbing the statuettes of the fake names, per the Athletic. After having the talents' real names engraved on the trophies, the people involved gave them to ESPN's on-camera stars, who told the Athletic they had not known anything was sketchy.
The On-Air personalities were an important part of the show but were not going to get a trophy if the show won. Adding fake associate producers to the credits got an extra trophy to share with the people who contributed to their success.