Flip an Emmy statuette over, and you won’t find a hidden joke or a maker’s mark—you’ll find something much more practical: a short block of legal language that spells out the trophy’s ownership and use rules.
What’s on the bottom of an Emmy statuette
The underside includes three numbered statements that, in plain terms, say:
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The Emmy statuette remains the property of the Television Academy/NATAS (the “Academies”).
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It can’t be reproduced or used commercially unless the Academies permit it.
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If a recipient (or their heirs) wants to sell/auction/dispose of it, they must return it to the Academy it came, which keeps it in storage in the recipient’s memory.
That’s the “lot of words” people notice in photos from ceremonies—because it reads like a miniature rulebook stamped onto the base.
Why are those rules there
The purpose is brand and award integrity control: limiting commercial exploitation, preventing unauthorized replicas, and discouraging trophies from becoming openly traded collectibles. The Emmy rulebook spells out these protections as part of the Academies’ broader trademark/award governance.
Where the winner’s information goes
The underside text isn’t the personalization. The winner’s name and category are engraved on the front area of the trophy base, separate from the legal language underneath.
A fun exception: anniversary versions
In special years, the Academy has added commemorative markings to the base—like the “75” inscription used for the 75th Emmys edition—showing that the base can carry design elements as well as the standard rules.
