Overview
- ESPN announced that Bill Rasmussen died on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at age 93 from complications of Parkinson’s disease and the network released statements praising his role as a visionary.
- Rasmussen and his son Scott conceived and incorporated ESPN in 1978 and put the channel on the air on Sept. 7, 1979 with a 30‑minute SportsCenter that reached about 1.4 million homes.
- To get ESPN started Rasmussen took major personal financial risks, reportedly maxing out credit cards and using a $9,000 advance to buy satellite transponder time that made national distribution possible.
- He served as ESPN’s first president and CEO but he and his son lost day‑to‑day control when majority owner Getty Oil pushed them out in 1980; that change set the stage for later ownership transitions and the network’s growth.
- Rasmussen publicly disclosed a Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2019 after being diagnosed in 2014, was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2025, and is survived by his children Scott, Glenn and Lynn, seven grandchildren and two great‑grandchildren.