The Man Who Built ESPN From Scratch | Tucson News

Bill Rasmussen, co-founder of ESPN and former New England Whalers employee who was fired in the late 70s, turned his setback into a media revolution—maxing out his credit card to buy satellite rights, then launching ESPN with his son Scott in 1979. What began as a cable channel from Connecticut exploded into the “Worldwide Leader in Sports,” reshaping how we watch sports forever. At 93, he died from Parkinson’s complications, leaving behind a legacy honored by ESPN’s current chairman and enshrined in the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. His vision, hustle, and innovation remain the beating heart of the network he built. 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/1e58dc04d92b5bdb