ACC terminates longtime ref after racial comment, other incidents

Longtime college basketball referee Karl Hess was terminated by the ACC and decided to no longer work American Athletic Conference games because of a remark directed at a spectator during a game.

Hess, who has worked five Final Fours, made a racial comment to Mit Shah, the CEO of an Atlanta-based hotel management company, during last Sunday’s Louisville-Wake Forest game in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Shah, who is of Indian descent, also is the former chairman of the Wake Forest University Board of Trustees. He was born in New Jersey and grew up in Winston-Salem.

“Karl Hess to me at the Wake-Louisville game tonight…”When I’m older, I want to sit in your seat & watch your Egyptian —- ref a game” #Wow,” Shah tweeted.

The ACC told ESPN that Hess’ termination was the result of accumulated incidents.

Hess said he was joking. He has worked ACC games for more than 25 years.

“It’s a sad day and is devastating,” Hess told ESPN. “But I’m responsible.

“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.”

In addition to his work for the AAC and AAC, Hess does games for the Big 12, Big East and SEC. He may decide to give up his jobs in each of those conferences as well.