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Karl Hess is a veteran college basketball referee who has worked several high-profile games, including six Final Fours and the 2007 national title game. However, Hess has also been involved in several controversies throughout his career, including multiple ejections of former NC State players and an incident in which he made a racially insensitive remark to a fan. As a result of this incident, the ACC and American Athletic Conference cut ties with Hess in 2015, and he has not officiated any of their games since. Despite this, Hess has continued to officiate in college basketball's lower tiers, and in 2019, he was involved in a confrontation with Samford's Scott Padgett. So, will Hess officiate basketball this year?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 2015 |
| Reason | Karl Hess made a racially-sensitive remark to a fan, Mit Shah, of Indian descent, at a Wake-Louisville game |
| Response | Hess took responsibility for his actions, but still continued officiating in college basketball's lower tiers |
| Previous controversies | Ejected former NC State players Chris Corchiani and Tom Gugliotta from a game in 2012, called a technical foul on Mark Gottfried in 2014, and was part of a crew that made errors during a Marquette-Connecticut game in 2013 |
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What You'll Learn
Karl Hess's history of officiating in college basketball
Karl Hess has had a long and controversial career as a college basketball referee. He worked as an official in the ACC for more than 25 years before the conference cut ties with him in 2015.
Hess was known for his controversial decisions and on-court squabbles. In 2012, he ejected former NC State players Chris Corchiani and Tom Gugliotta from their courtside seats at a Wolfpack basketball game. This decision led to a reprimand from the ACC. The following year, during a Marquette-Connecticut game, Hess was part of a crew that made several mistakes, including pointing the teams in the wrong direction at the start of overtime and incorrectly taking points off the board.
However, the incident that ultimately ended Hess's career with the ACC occurred in 2015. During a game between Louisville and Wake Forest, Hess was accused of making an ethnically charged remark to Atlanta hotel magnate Mit Shah, who was of Indian descent. Shah, the former chairman of the Wake Forest University board of trustees, revealed the incident on Twitter, writing, "Karl Hess to me at the Wake-Louisville game tonight... 'When I'm older, I want to sit in your seat and watch your Egyptian ass ref a game' #Wow."
Following this incident, Hess confirmed that he would no longer work ACC games and that he had also withdrawn from assignments with the American Athletic Conference and the SEC. Despite this, Hess remained a referee in college basketball's lower tiers, officiating games in the Big 12 and Big East.
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Karl Hess's termination from the ACC
However, Hess's on-court manner had come into question several times throughout his career. In 2012, he was reprimanded by the ACC for ejecting former NC State players and Wolfpack legends, Chris Corchiani and Tom Gugliotta, from their courtside seats during a game. Hess was also criticised for a game between Marquette and Connecticut during the 2012-13 season, where he made several incorrect calls.
The final straw for the ACC came in January 2015, when Hess was accused of directing a racially-insensitive remark towards Mit Shah, the former chairman of the Wake Forest University board of trustees, during a game between Wake Forest and Louisville. Shah, who is of Indian descent, tweeted about the incident, bringing it to the public's attention.
Following this incident, the ACC decided to sever ties with Hess, and he worked his final ACC game. Hess took responsibility for his actions, calling it a sad day and saying that he was responsible for his comments. He also withdrew from all SEC and AAC games for the rest of the season and might have done the same for the Big 12 and Big East leagues.
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Karl Hess's controversial decisions
Karl Hess, a veteran basketball referee, has been involved in several controversies throughout his career. In 2015, Hess found himself at the centre of a significant controversy that led to his departure from officiating ACC games. The incident involved a comment made by Hess towards Mit Shah, a former chairman of the Wake Forest University board of trustees, during a Louisville-Wake Forest game. The comment, "When I'm older, I want to sit in your seat and watch your Egyptian ass ref a game", was deemed to be ethnically insensitive. As a result, the ACC ended its relationship with Hess, despite his long history of officiating in the league, spanning more than 25 years.
Hess had been known for his controversial decisions prior to this incident. In 2012, he ejected former NC State players Chris Corchiani and Tom Gugliotta from their courtside seats at a Wolfpack basketball game. This decision led to Hess not officiating another NC State game until December 2014. However, when he returned to officiating an NC State game, he called a technical foul on Mark Gottfried within the first five minutes, causing further controversy.
Hess's controversial decisions extended beyond his interactions with fans and players. In an Elite Eight game in Phoenix, he called a technical foul on Louisville coach Rick Pitino from 70 feet away while Pitino was yelling at his own player. While some justified the call due to Pitino being outside the coach's box, it still caused a stir.
Hess's knack for attracting controversy was noted by many, and his departure from the ACC prompted a reflection on his previous controversial actions. Despite the controversies, Hess was recognised as one of the most accomplished active referees, having officiated in six Final Fours and the 2007 national title game between Florida and Ohio State.
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Karl Hess's future in officiating
Before this incident, Hess had already developed a reputation for being quick-tempered and thin-skinned. He had a history of making controversial decisions, including the ejection of former NC State players Chris Corchiani and Tom Gugliotta from their courtside seats in 2012, which resulted in a public reprimand from the ACC. Hess was also known for his quick-trigger technical fouls, such as the one called on NC State coach Mark Gottfried just minutes into a game.
In the aftermath of the 2015 incident, Hess expressed remorse for his actions, calling it a sad day and taking responsibility for his comment. He acknowledged that his behaviour was devastating but insisted that he had no intention of hurting anyone. Despite this, the ACC ended its relationship with Hess, and he stepped away from his remaining assignments with other leagues.
However, it appears that Hess has continued to officiate in college basketball, albeit in the lower tiers. In 2019, he was involved in another incident with Samford's Scott Padgett, where he appeared to charge at the Bulldogs coach.
While Hess's future in officiating at the highest level may have been impacted by these controversies, he still remains involved in the sport to some extent. The impact of these incidents on his long-term career is yet to be seen, and it is possible that he may have taken steps to improve his reputation and rebuild trust with leagues and conferences.
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Karl Hess's response to the incident
In response to the incident, Karl Hess called it a "sad day" and took responsibility for his actions. He confirmed that he would no longer be officiating ACC games and had withdrawn from all remaining assignments with the American Athletic Conference, as well as all SEC games for the rest of the season. Hess acknowledged the impact of his comment, saying, "It's a sad day and is devastating, but I'm responsible." He also emphasised that he did not intend to cause harm, stating, "I wasn't trying to deliberately hurt anyone. That's not my character. I goof around a lot, and there was no intent to hurt anyone."
Hess's comment towards Atlanta hotel magnate Mit Shah during a basketball game between Louisville and Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was deemed racially insensitive. Shah, who is of Indian descent, shared on Twitter: "Karl Hess to me at the Wake-Louisville game tonight... 'When I'm older, I want to sit in your seat & watch your Egyptian ass ref a game' #Wow." This incident led to Hess's termination from the ACC, marking the end of his over 25-year association with the league.
Hess's response to the incident included taking responsibility, expressing sadness, and emphasising the lack of malicious intent. He also chose to step away from his officiating duties with the ACC and other conferences for the remainder of the season.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear if Karl Hess will officiate basketball in 2023. Hess has not officiated any notable basketball games since 2019, when he was officiating in college basketball's lower tiers.
Karl Hess stopped officiating major basketball games after he made a racially-insensitive comment to a fan of Indian descent, Mit Shah, during a game. Hess was dismissed from the ACC, SEC, and American Athletic Conference as a result of the incident.
Hess's comment to Mit Shah was not an isolated incident. Hess had a history of controversial actions, including quick-trigger technical fouls and ejections of former NC State players. Hess was publicly reprimanded by the ACC on multiple occasions and eventually cut ties with the conference.
Karl Hess was one of the most accomplished active referees in college basketball at the time of his dismissal. He had worked six Final Fours and the 2007 national title game. His absence from the ACC left a significant void in the officiating roster.
