TOS can't win the franchise a Legacy Award on its own
With only three seasons under its belt, Star Trek: The Original Series can never win the Emmys Legacy Award on its own. However, there is a loophole TOS can warp-speed its way through. In the ATAS press release, it states: "Franchise properties must be considered as a whole and awarded as such." So, when considering the entire franchise, Star Trek: The Next Generation could give TOS a chance to, at least, be recognized, even though there wouldn't be a TNG without the show that started it all.
The Next Generation ran for seven seasons and amassed 176 episodes (per IMDb), so the Star Trek spinoff does qualify because it meets all the criteria. However, TNG has to be nominated before a Legacy Award can be secured. And that's when the folks at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences likely say something along the lines of, "Wasn't it The Original Series which was responsible for the franchise's 'continued or sustained relevance, influence or inspiration?'"
As I said earlier, ridiculous.
Think of this another way: other Star Trek titles like Deep Space Nine and Voyager also qualify. Are you telling me the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences isn’t going to receive Ceti Alpha V-sized blowback in the future if TNG or one of the other Trek spinoffs take home a Emmys Legacy trophy, representing the overall franchise, and The Original Series "wins" solely by association? Oh, the hell to be paid in the court of public opinion and the press if that happens. Those will be fun headlines to read and write.
I’m a realist, and I realize that the members of the ATAS are appointed/hired because they presumably deserve to be. However, what were they thinking when they established criteria that would exclude The Original Series from consideration?
As Mr. Spock would say, this is completely "illogical." Show me another TV series in history that has impacted the industry and pop culture more than Star Trek: The Original Series. Sure, the franchise will likely garner one of the Legacy Awards in the future, but it should be TOS holding the Emmys statue, not a spinoff! (Continued...)