Bill Rasmussen, founder of sports network ESPN, dies aged 93
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Bill Rasmussen, the American businessman who conceived the idea of a television network devoted entirely to sport, has died at the age of 93. He passed away on Tuesday from complications of Parkinson's disease, ESPN confirmed, closing the story of the man whose vision led to the launch of ESPN in 1979 as the world's first all-sports cable channel.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro paid tribute to Rasmussen, calling him "a remarkable man – a visionary and an innovator who conceived the idea of a network entirely devoted to sports," and crediting his passion, hard work and entrepreneurial spirit for building the company in the late 1970s. Rasmussen's original concept grew from modest beginnings into one of the world's most influential sports broadcasters, spanning television, digital and streaming platforms, and helped establish the foundations of the modern multi-billion-dollar sports media industry.
- ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen has died aged 93
- Cause was complications from Parkinson's disease
- He launched ESPN in 1979 as the first all-sports cable network
New here? Start with this
Bill Rasmussen was an American businessman and former sports broadcaster who, in 1979, launched ESPN, the world's first cable television channel devoted solely to sport. At the time, the idea of a round-the-clock sports channel was considered a gamble, but it caught on and reshaped how sport is watched, discussed and paid for around the world.
ESPN grew from a small, little-known operation into one of the biggest names in sports media, expanding across television, digital platforms and streaming, and helping to create the modern industry in which broadcasters pay huge sums for the rights to show live sport. Rasmussen is widely credited as the driving force behind that original idea, even though the company later passed through different owners, including its current parent, Disney.
Rasmussen died aged 93 after living with Parkinson's disease. His death has prompted tributes from within the sports broadcasting world, reflecting his lasting influence on an industry that grew far beyond what he first envisioned in the late 1970s.
More coverage
Elections Health Medicine Politics World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Fox News as “Bill Rasmussen, ESPN founder who conceived a cable network devoted to sports, dead at 93”.