Bill Rasmussen, sports television visionary and founder of ESPN, dies at 93
Bill Rasmussen, whose vision and ambition fueled the 1979 launch of ESPN as the world’s first 24-hour television network, died Tuesday. He was 93 years old.
Rasmussen died at his home in Florida from the effects of Parkinson’s disease.
With his son Scott, Rasmussen conceived the initial idea for ESPN: first, as a Connecticut-only company, and then as a 24-hour national sports network.
It was a time to take risks. In the late 1970s, not many people thought a 24-hour cable sports network had any chance. Rasmussen, who had just been fired as communications director for the New England Whalers, was one of them. He maxed out his credit card and, with his $9,000 advance, purchased valuable space on a communications satellite.
“Bill was an extraordinary man, a visionary and innovator who conceived the idea of a network entirely dedicated to sports,” ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “Simply put, none of us would be here today if it weren’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 endure to this day.”
Rasmussen knocked on doors and spoke to major sports leagues, major cable operators and a host of investors. It gained support and on September 7, 1979, the Entertainment and Sports Programming network was born. Bill and Scott Rasmussen co-founded ESPN, and Bill was ESPN’s first president and CEO.
Although Rasmussen left ESPN after a few years, he laid the foundation for future growth. A meeting with the NFL didn’t bring immediate results, but it opened a door to what would eventually become “Monday Night Football” on ESPN.
“Bill was our George Washington and a good friend,” said veteran anchor Chris Berman, who joined ESPN three weeks after the network’s original launch in 1979. “He was a very grateful person and all sports fans can be grateful for Bill. 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.”
“If you’re a fan, what you’ll see over the next few minutes, hours and days may convince you that you’ve been to sports heaven.”
Bill Rasmussen, who died Tuesday, had a vision of what sports television could be. On September 7, 1979 it became a reality.
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After leaving ESPN, Rasmussen contributed to several other media companies and chronicled his experience as a public speaker. He also wrote a book about his experience with ESPN, “Sports Junkies Rejoice: The Birth of ESPN.”
“I think the harder you work, the luckier you get,” Rasmussen told Forbes in a 2012 interview. “That’s been my mantra forever. Growing up at the end of the Depression and going into World War II, it was instilled in us that we would be positive and get things done. I’ve been touring college campuses for the last three years, speaking to groups of students, and encouraging budding entrepreneurs to pursue their ideas, even if they don’t understand all the logistics.”
Rasmussen was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Lois, in 2011. He is survived by two sons, Scott Rasmussen and his wife Laura, and Glenn Rasmussen; daughter Lynn Van Hollebeke and her husband Louie, seven grandchildren (Andy, PJ, Wil, MaryAnn, Donna, Jessica and Sarah); a great-grandson, Otto, and a great-granddaughter, Adelaide. In addition to his wife, Rasmussen was predeceased by his brothers Robert and Donald Rasmussen, his sister Vivien, and his grandson Justin Van Hollebeke.
