ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen passed away at the age of 93 on Tuesday from the effects of Parkinson’s Disease. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro published the following statement, remembering Rasmussen:
“Bill was a remarkable man – a visionary and an innovator who conceived the idea of a network entirely devoted to sports. Quite simply, none of us would be here today if it wasn’t for Bill’s passion and all the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit he put into building ESPN in the late 1970s – key aspects of our company culture that still carry on to this day.”
Pitaro added: “One of my greatest thrills since joining ESPN was getting to know Bill on a personal level. I will always cherish the memory of catching the ceremonial first pitch that he threw at Fenway Park in Boston in celebration of our 40th anniversary. His legacy will always be a part of ESPN.”
During a traffic stop in 1978, Rasmussen and his son Scott were discussing programming options for their newly acquired satellite transponder from RCA.
Rasmussen then blurted out an idea: a 4-hour cable network devoted to sports.
ESPN launched on Sept. 7, 1979, beginning with the first broadcast of SportsCenter, which remains the network’s flagship brand nearly 50 years later.
Scott Rasmussen reminisced this car ride on X Tuesday:
“After I finished high school, my father and I worked closely together for a few years in the late 1970s and early ’80s. I will never forget the car ride on August 16, 1978 and am still amazed at what it helped create.
“My most cherished memory of my father was at about 6 pm on September 7, 1979– one hour before @ESPN went on the air. We snuck around the back of the building and had a moment alone to reflect on all that had happened since that car ride. Later, our journeys through life took different paths, but I am grateful we had that brief moment together and am proud of what we accomplished.”
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It’s hard to imagine what sports media would look like today without Rasmussen’s idea. Would daily sports talk shows even exist on television? Would there be an OutKick or Barstool? And would names like Chris Berman, Bob Ley and Stephen A. Smith have ever become household names without Rasmussen?
Most importantly, would live sports in America have continued to grow at the rate in which they did without a network devoted to promoting the various leagues across the country?
As ESPN legend Chris Berman said on Tuesday, “Bill was our George Washington.”
“He was such a grateful person and every sports fan can be grateful for Bill,” Berman, who joined the network three weeks after the original network launch in 1979, added.
“He wasn’t a glass half-full guy; his glass was always overflowing with optimism. He greeted everyone with a smile and we can all smile knowing Bill’s legacy.”
ESPN notes that Rasmussen became an ambassador for Parkinson’s patients through both the American Parkinson Disease Association and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
The network says that in place of flowers, donations may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association.
