Bill Rasmussen, ESPN co-founder, dead at 93

Rasmussen was behind the initial idea of ESPN.

ESPN debuted in 1979, but the Rasmussens didn't stick around long – they were forced out after only a year by ESPN majority owner Getty Oil.

Bill Rasmussen founded ESPN, the first 24-hour national sports network.

Chris Berman calls Bill Rasmussen "our George Washington" after the visionary ESPN founder passed away at 93 from the effects of Parkinson's disease.

With his son, he created the first all-sports cable TV channel in 1979.

Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded ESPN nearly 50 years ago, died on Tuesday at age 93 after a decadeslong battle with Parkinson’s disease. Rasmussen and his son, Scott Rasmussen, partnered to launch the sports industry giant in 1979, launching the network as the first 24/7 television channel in the world to hit the cable

Rasmussen revealed in 2019 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2014

ESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen passed away at 93, leaving behind a legacy as the 'Father of Cable Sports.'

ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen had died. He was 93 and died at his Florida home after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

He died at his Florida home from the effects of Parkinson’s disease

LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. (AP) — Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded ESPN in 1979 after being fired from a public relations job in the World Hockey Association, died Tuesday. He was 93. ESPN historian Mike Soltys said Rasmussen died at his Florida home from the effects of Parkinson’s disease. Rasmussen announced in 2019 that he h

Bill Rasmussen, a visionary who founded ESPN in 1979 with his son Scott as the world’s first 24-hour sports television network, died Tuesday at 93 of the effects of Parkinson’s disease at his home in Florida. Rasmussen revealed in 2019 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a degenerative disease, in 2014. Shrugg

Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded ESPN in 1979 after being fired from a public relations job in the World Hockey Association, died Tuesday. He was 93.

Rasmussen, a sports enthusiast-turned-television executive, is credited with creating ESPN.

Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded cable TV sports giant ESPN, has died at the age of 93

ESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93 from the effects of Parkinson’s disease  AP News

Rasmussen's creation changed sports coverage forever and cemented his place as one of the most influential sports television figures ever.

Bill Rasmussen, a former local-news sports director who parlayed an interest in the nascent business of satellite television into the launch of the sports-media giant known as ESPN, has died after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. The entrepreneur and founder was 93 years old. Rasmussen in 1978 was idling in traffic o

Bill Rasmussen was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2025.

He died Tuesday from the effects of Parkinson's disease, ESPN announced.

The former New England Whalers exec and his son came up with the idea for an all-sports network in 1978 while stuck in traffic.

Bill Rasmussen, sports TV visionary and co-founder of ESPN, dies at 93  ESPN

Bill Rasmussen, the visionary founder of ESPN who helped transform sports from a programming category into a round-the-clock television industry, died Tuesday at his home in Florida. He was 93. Rasmussen died from complications related to Parkinson’s disease, according to ESPN. He revealed in 2019 that he had been diag