Fired ESPN exec Lee Fittings history of offensive, lewd behavior finally caught up to him: staffer
ESPN’s dismissal of top executive Lee Fitting — a senior vice president of production who had been at the company for more than 25 years — was a mystery for many at the company in August 2023.Others were shocked that it hadn’t happened much sooner, according to The Athletic, which reported Wednesday that Fittings’ dismissal occurred after an HR complaint about inappropriate behavior in 2023.Shortly after the complaint was made, an investigation took place, which included ESPN officials questioning multiple employees, including “some prominent female staffers.” A memo sent by Norby Williamson, another top exec at ESPN, on Aug.
21, 2023, said Fitting was “no longer with the company” and ESPN would be “finalizing a new production structure” for the shows he oversaw, including “College GameDay” and “Monday Night Football.” He was escorted out of the building by security just one week before the 2023 college football and NFL seasons.Fitting joined WWE as the company’s head of media and production in January, five months after he was ousted at ESPN.
The Athletic spoke to more than 20 women — including six who participated in the network’s 2023 investigation — who described a workplace culture under Fitting that had offensive and sexual language, including lewd jokes about women and their appearance.The women, who are current and former employees of the network, requested anonymity because they still work in sports media.“I can’t believe it took this long,” one woman said.
“It finally caught up to him,” another added.Multiple people recalled incidents in which Fitting allegedly made comments or gestures about women, including times when they were not present — which Fitting denied.
Fitting also allegedly bragged about his and his wife’s robust sex life, multiple sources told The Athletic.In 2012, some ESPN employees were in a conference room in Bristol, Conn., to watch the NCAA men’s basketball tournament when Fit...