The memo from Norby Williamson, one of ESPN’s top executives, was short and direct: Lee Fitting, a senior vice president of production who had been at ESPN for more than 25 years, was “no longer with the company” and ESPN would be “finalizing a new production structure” for the shows he oversaw.
The timing of Fitting’s dismissal — the memo was sent on Aug. 21, 2023, about a week before the start of the college football season — amplified the shockwaves felt through ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Conn. Since 2004, Fitting oversaw “College GameDay,” and his leadership cemented the program into the cultural zeitgeist, catapulted the popularity of on-air personalities like Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit, and turned the show into a revenue and ratings winner.