ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen Dies at 93
Bill Rasmussen, co-founder of ESPN, died Tuesday at 93 from complications of Parkinson's disease. He died at his home in Florida.
- ESPN launched Sept. 7, 1979, as a Connecticut-based cable channel.
- $9,000 on a credit card helped Rasmussen incorporate ESPN on July 14, 1978.
- Getty Oil provided an initial $15 million for 85 percent of the venture.
- Rasmussen was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2025.
Why it matters: Rasmussen's bet on 24-hour sports television was widely doubted at the time. His network eventually became the dominant force in American sports media.
- ESPN secured NCAA Tournament rights NBC did not want, helping establish the network's foothold in the 1980s.
How 33 sources split on this story
Center coverage, 15 sources: The center frames Rasmussen as a broadcasting institution, citing USA TODAY's own 1994 description of him as 'Father of sports television.'
USA Today1dESPN founder, 'father of sports television,' Bill Rasmussen dead at 93
Deadline1dBill Rasmussen Dies: ESPN Co-Founder Was 93PenPennLive1dESPN founder dies at 93: ‘Changed forever the landscape of sports media’
Associated Press1dESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93 from the effects of Parkinson’s diseaseCNCTV News1dESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93 from the effects of Parkinson’s disease
ESPN1dBill Rasmussen, founder of ESPN, dies at 93
Newsweek1dESPN founder dies after battle with Parkinson's disease
PBS NewsHour1dESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93
Reuters1dESPN founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93
The Hill12hBill Rasmussen, ESPN co-founder, dead at 93
TMZ1dESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen Dead At 93WDWDTN Dayton1dESPN founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93Left coverage, 7 sources: The left focuses on Rasmussen's scrappy origin story and the human details behind ESPN's founding.
Hollywood Reporter1dBill Rasmussen Founded ESPN and Left a Year Later. It Was Long Enough to Change TV ForeverCleCleveland.com1dESPN founder dies at 93: ‘Changed forever the landscape of sports media’
The Independent1dBill Rasmussen, ESPN co-founder and sports TV pioneer, dies at 93
ABC News1dESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93 from the effects of Parkinson’s disease
Los Angeles Times9hESPN founder and sports media mogul Bill Rasmussen dies at 93TBGThe Boston Globe1dESPN cofounder Bill Rasmussen dead at age 93
Variety1dBill Rasmussen, ESPN's Founder, Dead at 93Right coverage, 11 sources: The right leads with ESPN's own tribute language, centering the network's institutional praise for Rasmussen.
Daily Mail1dESPN founder Bill Rasmussen dead at 93 as network hails 'game-changer for the ages'
Citizen Free Press1dESPN founder and visionary Bill Rasmussen dies at 93.
Fox News1dBill Rasmussen, ESPN founder who conceived a cable network devoted to sports, dead at 93
Just the News1dESPN co-founder BIll Rasmussen dies at 93 from Parkinson's disease
New York Post1dESPN founder Bill Rasmussen dead at 93: 'Visionary and an innovator'
Newsmax1dESPN Co-Founder Bill Rasmussen Dies at 93
The Daily Wire2dBill Rasmussen, ESPN Founder And Sports Media Innovator, Dies At 93
The Sun1dESPN founder Bill Rasmussen dead at 93 after Parkinson’s disease battle as tributes to TV pioneer pour in
The Washington Times1dESPN founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93
The Western Journal17hWatch: ESPN Botches On-Air Tribute to Network's Founder on the Day of His Death
Washington Examiner1dBill Rasmussen, founder of ESPN in 1979, dies at 93What’s next: ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro confirmed the death and issued a statement on Rasmussen's legacy.
- What public memorial, if any, ESPN or the Rasmussen family will hold has not been announced.