ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen Dies at 93
Bill Rasmussen, the founder of ESPN, died on August 18, 2026, at age 93 after battling Parkinson's disease. He built ESPN from a late-1970s idea into a 24-hour cable sports network that launched in 1979. ESPN's leadership, including Jimmy Pitaro, called him a visionary and credited his passion and entrepreneurial spirit with shaping the network's culture. Tributes highlighted his role in expanding programming beyond a launch night, including early NCAA tournament coverage and transforming sports broadcasting. Berman, one of Rasmussen's first hires, described him as a mentor and compared him to a 'George Washington' of ESPN. The condolences reflect Rasmussen's lasting impact on sports media and the network he helped create.
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