Sports Lifetime Achievement Award Explained

The Sports Lifetime Achievement Award is a special award given away each year at the Sports Emmy Awards, given to a notable American sportscaster or sports TV executive. It was first given away in 1989. It is always announced days before the nominations are.

List of recipients

• 1989: Jim McKay
• 1990: Lindsey Nelson
• 1991: Curt Gowdy
• 1992: Chris Schenkel
• 1993: Pat Summerall
• 1994: Howard Cosell
• 1995: Vin Scully
• 1996: Frank Gifford
• 1997: Jim Simpson
• 1998: Keith Jackson
• 1999: Jack Buck
• 2000: Dick Enberg
• 2001: Herb Granath
• 2002: Roone Arledge
• 2003: Ed Sabol and Steve Sabol
• 2004

Chet Simmons

• 2005

Bud Greenspan

• 2006

Don Ohlmeyer

• 2007

Frank Chirkinian

• 2008

Dick Ebersol

• 2009

John Madden

• 2010

Al Michaels

• 2011

Jack Whitaker

• 2012

Not awarded

• 2013

Ted Turner^[1]

• 2014

George Bodenheimer^[2]

• 2015

Verne Lundquist^[3]

• 2016

Brent Musburger^[4]

• 2017

Barry Frank ^[5]

• 2018

Not awarded

• 2019

Dick Vitale^[6]

• 2020

Not awarded

• 2021

Lesley Visser^[7]

• 2022: Bryant Gumbel^[8]
• 2023: James Brown^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Television pioneer, sports enthusiast, and philanthropist Ted Turner to receive lifetime achievement award at the 35th annual Sports Emmy Awards . July 30, 2014.
2. Web site: Sports Cable Industry Pioneer and former ESPN President George Bodenheimer to receive lifetime achievement award at the 36th annual Sports Emmy Awards . May 3, 2015.
3. Web site: Legendary play-by-play announcer Verne Lundquist to receive lifetime achievement award at the 37th annual Sports Emmy® Awards . February 19, 2016.
4. Web site: Brent Musburger veteran host and play-by-play announcer for nearly 50 years to receive lifetime achievement award at the 38th annual Sports Emmy® Awards . March 14, 2017.
5. Web site: Lifetime Achievement Honoree: Barry Frank . May 8, 2018 . May 13, 2018.
6. http://www.theemmys.tv/sports-40th-nominations 40th Sports Emmy Award nominations - The Emmys.tv
7. http://theemmys.tv/sports-41st-lifetime 41st Sports Emmy Awards - The Emmys.tv
8. Web site: Bryant Gumbel Set For Sports Emmys Lifetime Achievement Award . 2023-03-28 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418041307/https://deadline.com/2023/03/bryant-gumbel-sports-emmys-lifetime-achievement-award-1235312226/ . 2023-04-18 . live .
9. Web site: Sports 45th Lifetime Achievement honoree… . The Emmys . The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . April 25, 2024 . March 27, 2024.