Back in March, ESPN announced that they’d hired famed director Artie Kempner from Fox to boost their Monday Night Football presentation. That move comes ahead of ABC’s first Super Bowl in decades in 2027, and Kempner is one of the very few living people to direct Super Bowls, doing that for Fox in 2005 and 2008.
But Kempner has also been a key figure for Fox since the network’s 1994 launch on many fronts. That includes working on their NASCAR coverage since they gained those rights in 2001. Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 Cup Series race at Talledega marks the last race Kempner will be directing for Fox before his departure for ESPN and ABC, and Fox provided a nice salute for him on the broadcast ahead of the race:
31 incredible years with us at @FOXSports. He was part of the original FOX: NASCAR crew in 2001.
Thanks for everything, Artie Kempner. https://t.co/VNWgGSq1ki pic.twitter.com/MzTwFPM5Ll
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 27, 2025
In that tribute video, Kempner’s seen talking to members of the race broadcasting team. Chris Myers wishes him well in his new work, and Kempner says “This is the best team in sports. I’m lucky to have played on this team. You guys just keep it rolling; I know you will.” He also says “I love this sport, and that’s what I’ve done what I’ve been doing for 25 years, and 31 years at Fox. Nobody’s had it better, and I’ve been the luckiest guy on the face of the earth for a long time. …There’s no better team than the Fox Sports NASCAR team and my NFL team, so I’m going to bring a little bit of that love and that family to my next job.”
Kempner was also honored at the pre-race drivers’ meeting Sunday:
FOX Sports director Artie Kempner honored at drivers meeting. This is his last race as director for FOX. He has worked at FOX for 31 years and was part of the original FOX production team for NASCAR in 2001. @NASCARONFOX
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 27, 2025
Many from the media world and beyond added tributes to Kempner’s motorsports work as well. Here are a few of those:
Artie Kempner is a quality person. He’s a man of his word and his integrity is obviously on display. He’s a man I met for the first time, in the late 80’s while partnering with @DaleJarrett in a Charity golf tournament for @AutismCapital @MonsterMile @NASCARONFOX Thanks for… https://t.co/Qa0tMnrhLJ
— Donald Hawk (@HawkSMI) April 27, 2025
Hell of a run for @ArtieKempner 👏🏼 https://t.co/BxCcpRAJoc
— Davey Segal (@DaveyCenter) April 27, 2025
End of an era in the Fox production truck today: https://t.co/E6p1QBY35B
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 27, 2025
After bringing in Kempner this March, ESPN president of content Burke Magnus told Puck’s John Ourand the company would look to the new hire to enhance their football broadcasting ahead of that 2027 Super Bowl. “We want to put our best foot forward in every conceivable way in what, with no exaggeration, could be the biggest moment in the history of ESPN by the time Feb. 14, 2027 rolls around. Here is a guy who can elevate our game presentation.” We’ll see how Kempner shakes up ESPN’s NFL coverage, and how Fox adapts their racing coverage following his departure.
