Super Bowl LV, ‘NFL 360,’ ESPN Lead 2021 Sports Emmy Nominations (Full List)

Michael Schneider

April 20, 2021 at 6:57 p.m.·11 min read

CBS Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LV led all nominees for the 42nd Annual Sports Emmy Awards, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday.

The Super Bowl landed 11 nominations, followed by NFL Network’s “NFL 360,” which picked up nine. ESPN’s stable of networks led the conglomerate charge, with 54 nominations altogether via ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, ABC, ESPN Deportes, ESPNews and ESPN.com.

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ESPN was the most-nominated individual network, with 41 nods, led by seven for “E: 60.”

This year’s ceremony will be live-streamed at Watch.TheEmmys.TV and The Emmy apps on Tuesday, June 8, at 8 p.m. ET.

“Today we honor the talented professionals who during this unprecedented time of a world-wide pandemic still found ways to inform, entertain and excite the passionate fan base that makes up the sports universe.” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO, NATAS. “The challenges they have overcome and this inspiring and diverse set of nominees is nothing short of remarkable.”

Nominations were announced in 46 categories including Outstanding Live Sports Special, Live Sports Series and Playoff Coverage, three Documentary categories, Outstanding Play-by-Play Announcer and Studio Host, among others.

“In a year where sports production literally ground to a halt, we received a record number of submissions,” said Justine Gubar, Executive Director, Sports Emmy Awards. “. From innovative solutions to the constraints of production during the pandemic to the superb storytelling that confronted the social justice issues of our times, we are so proud of what our nominees were able to achieve.”

Gubar pointed to the debut of the new outstanding sports personality-emerging on-air talent category, “which welcomes five new sports personalities into the Emmy nominee family.”

Nominations by Program

Super Bowl LV (CBS): 11
NFL 360 (NFL Network): 9
E: 60 (ESPN): 7
Fox NASCAR (Fox/FS1): 4
Fox NFL Sunday (Fox): 4
NFL Total Access (NFL Network): 4
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO): 4
Rising Phoenix (Netflix): 4
SC Featured (ESPN/ESPN.com/ESPN2/ESPNews): 4
2020 NBA All-Star Game on TNT (TNT): 3
Fox NFL (Fox/NFL Network): 3
Greatness Code (Apple TV Plus): 3
Inside the NBA (TNT): 3
MLB Tonight (MLB Network): 3
The Old World – A Mindtrip Through Europe (RBTV): 3
The Undefeated Presents (ESPN): 3

OUTSTANDING LIVE SPORTS SPECIAL

2020 NBA All-Star Game on TNT (TNT)
The 116th World Series: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (Fox)
The 146th Kentucky Derby (NBC)
The Match on TNT: Champions for Charity (TNT)
Super Bowl LV: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (CBS)

OUTSTANDING LIVE SPORTS SERIES

Fox NASCAR (Fox/FS1)
Fox NFL (Fox)
NFL on CBS (CBS)
PGA Tour on CBS (CBS)
Sunday Night Football (NBC)

OUTSTANDING PLAYOFF COVERAGE

2020 NBA Playoffs on TNT (TNT)
AFC Playoffs (CBS)
NASCAR Playoffs on NBC (NBC/NBCSN)
NFC Wild Card Game: Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints (Nickelodeon)
Sunday Night Football: Playoffs (NBC/Peacock)

OUTSTANDING EDITED SPORTS EVENT COVERAGE

America’s Game: The 2019 Kansas City Chiefs (NFL Network)
Hey Rookie: Welcome To The NFL – 2020 NFL Draft (ESPN)
NFL Game Day All-Access: Super Bowl LV (NFL Network)
NHL on NBC: WIRED: Stadium Series – Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche (NBCSN)
UFC The Walk: McGregor vs. Cowboy (UFC Fight Pass)

OUTSTANDING EDITED SPORTS SPECIAL

Inside the NBA: Kobe Bryant Memorial (TNT)
NFL 360: Black History Month (NFL Network)
NFL 360: Women in Football (NFL Network)
SC Presents: 2020 – Heroes, History and Hope The Undefeated Presents (ESPN)
The Stop – Living, Driving and Dying While Black (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING EDITED SPORTS SERIES

Defying Gravity: The Untold Story of Women’s Gymnastics (YouTube)
Greatness Code (Apple TV Plus)
The Playbook (Netflix)
The Shop: UNINTERRUPTED (HBO)
We Are the Champions (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING ESPORTS COVERAGE

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Challengers Finals: DAL Empire vs. ATL FaZe (YouTube)
IEM Katowice 2020: Grand Final: NaVi vs. G2 (Twitch)
iRacing: Pro Invitational: Homestead-Miami (Fox/FS1)
League of Legends World Final: DAMWON vs. Suning (YouTube)
Overwatch League 2020 Grand Finals: San Francisco Shock vs. Seoul Dynasty (YouTube)

OUTSTANDING SHORT SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible (ESPN Plus/ESPN)
E: 60: Twice the Fight: A Family’s Battle and Love of Football (ESPN)
NFL Films Presents: The Camden Comeback (FS1)
UFC Chronicles: Love, Death and Prizefighting (UFC Fight Pass)
The Undefeated Presents: Why I Play (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING LONG SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

Ringside (Showtime)
Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
The Scheme (HBO)
The Weight of Gold (HBO)
Yellow Brick Road (Golf Channel)

OUTSTANDING SERIALIZED SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur (Amazon)
The Cost of Winning (HBO)
Formula 1: Drive to Survive (Netflix)
Outcry (Showtime)
Texas 6 (CBS All Access)

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – WEEKLY

College GameDay (ESPN)
Football Night in America (NBC)
Fox NFL Sunday (Fox)
Inside the NBA (TNT)
The NFL Today (CBS)

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – DAILY

The Dan Patrick Show (Peacock/DirecTV)
Good Morning Football (NFL Network)
MLB Tonight (MLB Network)
NFL Total Access (NFL Network)
Pardon the Interruption (ESPN)
SportsCenter (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – LIMITED RUN

College GameDay: NFL Draft (ESPN)
Fox MLB: The Postseason (Fox/FS1)
Fox NFL Sunday: The Playoffs (Fox)
Inside the NBA: 2020 NBA Playoffs (TNT)
Postseason NFL Countdown (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS NEWS/FEATURE ANTHOLOGY

Dispatches (Outside TV)
E: 60 (ESPN)
NFL 360 (NFL Network)
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO)
SC Featured (ESPN2/ESPNews)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS JOURNALISM

E: 60: The Hero of Goodall Park (ESPN)
E: 60: Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story (ESPN)
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: Dangerous Games: Playing On Amid the Pandemic (HBO)
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: Fallout: Japan’s Olympic Secret (HBO)
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: The Fight Before the Fight: Weight Cutting in MMA (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SHORT FEATURE

E: 60: Teddy Bear Toss (ESPN)
NFL 360: I Love Jags (NFL Network)
NFL Total Access: Reality vs. Perception (NFL Network)
SC Featured: Tears (ESPN)
SC Featured: Together (ESPN)
Sunday NFL Countdown: The Big Mo Show (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING LONG FEATURE

NFL 360: Darren Waller – The Other Side (NFL Network)
NFL 360: The Gift of Gaba (NFL Network)
NFL 360: Sincerely, Q (NFL Network)
SC Featured: Fighting for Aniah (ESPN)
Super Bowl LV: Before Jackie (CBS)

OUTSTANDING OPEN/TEASE

2020 NBA All-Star Game on TNT: Something Beautiful (TNT)
E: 60: Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story (ESPN)
E: 60: Project 11: Alex Smith (ESPN)
The Masters: What Does the Masters Sound Like? (CBS)
Super Bowl LV: Stand by Me (CBS)

OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE – EVENT COVERAGE

2020 Youth Olympics AR (IOC Sports)
Fox MLB: The Postseason (Fox/FS1/FoxSports.com/MLB Network)
IRONMAN VR Pro Challenge: Virtual Racing Series (Facebook Watch)
The Match: Champions for Change: BR Cart Cam Live (Bleacher Report)
NBA App: Season Restart (NBA Digital)

OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE – ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING

100k Cameras: The Return of NASCAR (Fox/FS1)
#NBATogether (TNT)
#SandlotToTheShow (MLB Netowkr)
Inside the NBA (TNT)
NBA on TNT Tuesday (TNT)

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL INNOVATION

The Last Ascent (RBTV)
NBA on TNT: AT&T Holovision (TNT)
NFL Media: Virtual Production (NFL Media Group)
SportsNation: Football Visualization Platform (ESPN/ESPN Plus/ESPN.com/Twitter)
Super Bowl LV: As One: The Lombardi Comeback (CBS)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY/STUDIO HOST

Rich Eisen (NFL Network/Peacock/NBCSN/DirecTV/B/R Live)
Ernie Johnson (TNT)
Rachel Nichols (ESPN)
Mike Tirico (NBC/NBCSN/Golf Channel)
Scott Van Pelt (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY/PLAY-BY-PLAY

Mike Breen (ABC)
Joe Buck (Fox/FS1/NFL Network)
Mike Emrick (NBC/NBCSN)
Al Michaels (NBC)
Jim Nantz (CBS)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY/STUDIO ANALYST

Jay Bilas (ESPN/ESPN2)
Nate Burleson (CBS/CBS Sports Network/NFL Network)
Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN)
Harold Reynolds (MLB Network)
Kenny Smith (TNT)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY/SPORTS EVENT ANALYST

Doris Burke (ESPN)
Cris Collinsworth (NBC)
Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN)
John Smoltz (Fox/FS1/MLB Network)
Jeff Van Gundy (ABC)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY/SPORTS REPORTER

Erin Andrews (Fox/NFL Network)
Ken Rosenthal (Fox/FS1)
Lisa Salters (ESPN/ABC)
Michele Tafoya (NBC)
Tracy Wolfson (CBS/CBS Sports Network)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY/EMERGING ON-AIR TALENT

Emmanuel Acho (Fox/FS1)
Malika Andrews (ESPN)
Joe Davis (Fox/FS1/NFL Network)
Andrew Hawkins (NFL Network)
Joshua Perry (Big Ten Network)

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL TEAM EVENT

College Football Playoff National Championship: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (ESPN)
Fox NASCAR (Fox/FS1)
The Masters (CBS)
NBA Bubble (ESPN/TNT/NBA)
Super Bowl LV: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (CBS)

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL TEAM STUDIO

2020 NFL Draft (ESPN/ABC/NFL Network)
College GameDay (ESPN)
MLB Tonight (MLB Network)
The Super Bowl Today (CBS)

OUTSTANDING CAMERA WORK – SHORT FORM

The 146th Kentucky Derby: The Adjustment (NBC)
Fox NFL Sunday: Social Justice: Oyate’ un Ito’wapi – Pictures of My People (Fox)
Inside the NFL: Super Bowl LV (Showtime)
NFL GameDay Morning: Who Are We (NFL Network)
One Shot (RBTV)

OUTSTANDING CAMERA WORK – LONG FORM

Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible (ESPN Plus/ESPN)
The Old World – A Mindtrip Through Europe (RBTV)
Return to Earth: “The Series” (Outside TV)
Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
Tua (Fox)

OUTSTANDING EDITING – SHORT FORM

Greatness Code (Apple TV Plus)
NBA on TNT: Mamba (TNT)
NFL GameDay Morning: Who Are We (NFL Network)
NFL Total Access: Reality vs. Perception (NFL Network)
Sunday NFL Countdown: The Big Mo Show (ESPN)
Super Bowl LV: Stand by Me (CBS)
The Undefeated Presents: The Stop – Living, Driving and Dying While Black Open (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING EDITING – LONG FORM

NFL 360 NFL Network: The Gift of Gaba (NFL Network)
The Old World – A Mindtrip Through Europe (RBTV_
Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
The Scheme (HBO)
We Are the Champions (Netflix)

THE DICK SCHAAP OUTSTANDING WRITING AWARD – SHORT FORM

Fox NFL Sunday: And Justice For All (Fox)
National League Division Series: Cutouts (MLB Network)
NFL Total Access: Reality vs. Perception (NFL Network)
PGA News Conference Show: Distance (ESPN)
SC Presents: 2020 – Heroes, History and Hope: Enough (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING WRITING AWARD – LONG FORM

The Arena on TNT: We Are Home (TNT)
Hard Knocks: Los Angeles (HBO)
NFL Films Presents: The Lumberman Quarterback (FS1)
Super Bowl LV: Before Jackie (CBS)
When New York Was One (FS1)

OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION

Fox NFL Sunday: Dawn of Venus/Jose Gonzalez Teardrop (Fox)
Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
Super Bowl LV: Stand by Me (CBS)
Under the Grapefruit Tree: The CC Sabathia Story (HBO)
Yellow Brick Road (Golf Channel)

OUTSTANDING LIVE EVENT AUDIO/SOUND

Fox MLB (Fox/FS1)
NASCAR on NBC: Playoffs (NBC)
NFL on CBS (CBS)
Sunday Night Football (NBC)
US Open Tennis (ESPN)

OUTSTANDING POST-PRODUCED AUDIO/SOUND

Hard Knocks: Los Angeles (HBO)
NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure (MotorTrend)
NASCAR ALL IN: Battle for Daytona (MotorTrend)
The Old World – A Mindtrip Through Europe (RBTV)
The Playbook (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING LIVE GRAPHIC DESIGN

College Football (ESPN/ABC)
Fox NFL (Fox/NFL Network)
MLB Tonight: Welcome Home (MLB Network)
NFC Wild Card Game: Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints (Nickelodeon)
Super Bowl LV (CBS)

OUTSTANDING POST-PRODUCED GRAPHIC DESIGN

Greatness Code (Apple TV Plus)
NFL 360: Sincerely, Q (NFL Network)
NFL on ESPN (ESPN/ABC)
Super Bowl LV: Before Jackie (CBS)
Women in Sports Vignette Series (CBS Sports Network)

OUTSTANDING STUDIO OR PRODUCTION DESIGN/ART DIRECTION

2020 NBA All-Star Game on TNT: Something Beautiful (TNT)
NASCAR Race Hub (FS1)
National League Division Series: Cutouts (MLB Network)
The Shop: UNINTERRUPTED (HBO)
Super Bowl LV: Before Jackie (CBS)

THE GEORGE WENSEL TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Fox NASCAR: The Racing Drone (Fox/FS1)
Fox NFL: Megalodon (Fox)
MLB Network Showcase: Statcast 3D (MLB Network)
MLB Postseason on TBS: Base Cam (TBS)
Notre Dame Football: NBC HDR LUTs (NBC)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Fox MLB: Play Ball (Fox/FS1/FS2/Fox News)
Hulu Doesn’t Just Have Live Sports: Tom Brady’s Big Announcement (Hulu)
Hulu Has Live Sports: The Deepfake (Hulu)
The Last Dance: Predictions (ESPN)
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: #StrongerTogether (Olympic Channel/NBCSN)
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: “Summer”, “Light of Mine”, “Even More” (NBC)

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW IN SPANISH

ESPN Fútbol Center (ESPN Deportes)
Fútbol Central (Univision/TUDN)
La Liga Premier Extra (Telemundo)
La Liga Premier Tercer Tiempo República Deportiva (Univision/TUDN)
SportsCenter Deportes (ESPN Deportes)

OUTSTANDING FEATURE STORY IN SPANISH

Greenland: Colombia (ESPN Deportes)
República Deportiva: Gracias al Deporte (Univision/TUDN)
SC Reportajes: 21 – Roberto Clemente (ESPN Deportes)
SC Reportajes: El Paso Strong (ESPN Deportes)

OUTSTANDING ON-AIR PERSONALITY IN SPANISH

Andrés Cantor (Telemundo)
Ernesto Jerez (ESPN Deportes)
Ana Jurka (Telemundo)
Adriana Monsalve (Univision/TUDN)
Mauricio Pedroza (ESPN Deportes)
Pilar Pérez (ESPN Deportes)
Luis Omar Tapia (Univision/TUDN)

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