The Father of Sports TV Passes | New Orleans News

Bill Rasmussen, the visionary who invented modern sports television and founded ESPN, has died at 93. Starting with Connecticut sports, his 24/7 sports network revolutionized how we watch games and became a global powerhouse. Though he stepped back from day-to-day leadership in 1980, his influence shaped ESPN’s DNA and earned him the title “Father of Sports Television,” including a Hall of Fame induction. After publicly revealing his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2019, he remained an advocate for patients until his passing from complications of the disease. His legacy lives on in every sports fan’s living room — and in the hearts of his family, including children, grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e7db1c69af635703