Bill Rasmussen, ESPN co-founder, dies at 93

sportsAug 18, 202646728

Bill Rasmussen, the co-founder of ESPN, died Tuesday at age 93, the network said. ESPN said he died from the effects of Parkinson’s disease, according to a press release. Rasmussen conceived the idea of a 24-hour sports cable channel and in 1979 launched ESPN with his son Scott after borrowing against a credit card and using a $9,000 advance to secure satellite time. He had previously been communications director for the New England Whalers before being fired, an episode the Hollywood Reporter recounts as part of his path to creating the network. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro called Rasmussen “a visionary and an innovator” whose passion and entrepreneurial spirit helped build the company culture. Rasmussen was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2025. His death closes the life of the founder widely credited with pioneering round-the-clock sports television and the company he helped create.

Trey Fillmore

@treyfillmore.bsky.social

there is absolutely nothing more on the nose than ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen passing away, and *while hurriedly closing out* of their tribute to him, it *hard cut* to the The Pat McAfee Show

356Yesterday

Michael46

RIP Bill Rasmussen you would have loved Big Balls Tuesday

silentintsaviewz.bsky.social1

The show must go on

Patronzo21

The clock in ESPN’s computer cut away during the tribute. Humans had very little to do with it Hopefully, McAfee picked up the thread

Quoting this

Velodus✨596

I'm not kidding when I say that this is one of the greatest metaphors you'll ever see in your life

Nick Coffman4

Pat McAfee, the country singer?

🌈😈4

"Now, we got sports all day, every day." "His legacy lives o-" "Hello, beautiful people. And welcome to our humble abode, the DraftKings Thunder Dome."

Bill Shea4

Another in the endless examples of a decadent empire in decline.

Blake (Strixtle)4

His legacy lives on in THE DRAFT KINGS THUNDER DOME!

Danny Page4

finally, we have a challenger to current king of cringe hard cuts youtu.be/D6QUsx68DCA?...

Dennis Tracy3

Reminds me of that scene in Veep where Selina’s funeral news gets bumped for the death of Tom Hanks. What a mess

The Rocky Horror Picture Shōgun2

They’re calling it the most metaphorical smash cut of all time

Phil Lewis

@phillewis.bsky.social

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

141Yesterday

Dave Jorgenson

@davejorgenson.bsky.social

At our shared alma mater, DePauw University, Bill Rasmussen agreed to cameo in a video where I pretended to streak past him in broad daylight. I will forever be grateful to him for that ... and for creating ESPN. www.espn.com/espn/story/_...

77Yesterday

The Athletic

@theathletic.com

Bill Rasmussen, the founder of ESPN and innovator of around-the-clock sports television, died Tuesday at the age of 93, the network announced. The company said he died from the effects of Parkinson’s disease.

50Yesterday

Michael

@scottgoblue314.bsky.social

RIP Bill Rasmussen you would have loved Big Balls Tuesday

46Yesterday

ESPN PR

@espnpr.bsky.social

ESPN remembers ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen The sports fan-turned broadcaster & entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network forever changed the landscape of sports media More on Rasmussen: bit.ly/4ghEUZY

11Yesterday

Craig Pittman

@craigtimes.bsky.social

#RIP Bill Rasmussen, a onetime sportscaster for a Massachusetts TV station who borrowed $9,000 on his credit card on the way to launching the sports behemoth ESPN. He has died at his #Florida home at age 93. www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/b...

5Yesterday

TheDesk.net

@thedesk.net

Bill Rasmussen, the co-founder of worldwide sports network ESPN, died this week at the age of 93.

4Yesterday

Chicago Sun-Times

@chicago.suntimes.com

Rasmussen, born in Chicago, came up with the idea of the network with his son Scott. It would revolutionize Americans’ TV-watching habits.

7Yesterday

Riff Randell

@riffrandell.bsky.social

Hm. I wonder if he died as disappointed in ESPN as pretty much everyone. sports.yahoo.com/article/espn...

3Yesterday

Ben K.

@benjaminkabak.com

The founder of ESPN died from exposure to ESPN's current slate of brainless programming sponsored by sports gambling companies. RIP Bill Rasmussen.

7Yesterday

Brian Steinberg

@bristei.bsky.social

Bill Rasmussen, ESPN’s Founder, Dies at 93 variety.com/2026/tv/news... via @variety

3Yesterday

Greg Pinelo

@gregpinelo.bsky.social

Did not know GOP pollster Scott Rasmussen's dad who just passed was Bill Rasmussen who co-founded ESPN.

1Yesterday

News Ticker

@headline-feed.bsky.social

[AP] ESPN CO-FOUNDER BILL RASMUSSEN DIES AT 93 FROM THE EFFECTS OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

1Yesterday

Lorenzo Zenon Villalobos Jr

@loloinolytown.bsky.social

Bill Rasmussen - the founder of the Entertainment & Sports Programming Network (ESPN) - has died at age 93, the network announced today.

1Yesterday

3 sources

espn.comBill Rasmussen, sports TV visionary and founder of ESPN, dies at 93 wtva.comESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93 abc7ny.comBill Rasmussen, sports TV visionary and founder of ESPN, dies at 93

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Bill Rasmussen, ESPN co-founder, dies at 93

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