Emmys likely moving to new home

Show may land at L.A.'s Nokia Theatre
By JOSEF ADALIAN
The Emmys are one step closer to moving to a new home.

TV Academy's Board of Governors has tentatively approved a 10-year deal to relocate the kudocast from the Shrine to the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live, the $2.5 billion dollar downtown complex being built by Anschutz Entertainment Group. Pact would begin with the 2008 Emmys.

Somewhat fuzzy is whether the TV Academy has actually inked a deal with AEG. While one person familiar with the matter indicated that the pact has been finalized, Academy sources indicated nothing would be final until the Big Four broadcast nets--which share custody of the Emmy kudocast--gave a thumbs up.

A TV Academy rep said it is "premature to comment on any change in venue for the Emmy Awards telecast. Any decision will be made jointly between the Academy and the participating broadcast networks."

Deal to relocate wouldn't catch webheads by surprise. AEG and the TV Academy have been talking about bringing the Emmys to the venue for more than five years, back to when Bryce Zabel headed the Academy (Daily Variety, Jan. 28, 2002).