Bill Rasmussen, the founder of ESPN – headquartered in Bristol, Connecticut – has died at the age of 93 from the effects of Parkinson’s Disease, according to a statement released by the network.
In 1978, Rasmussen and his son Scott brainstormed the idea to launch an all-sports network. ESPN began by covering local sports and then grew into the nationally focused sports network it is today with worldwide reach.
Rasmussen began his broadcasting career at radio station WTTT in Amherst(MA) in the early 1960s before moving to WWLP in Springfield(MA) where he served as sports director for eight years and news director for two. He then worked as the communications director of the New England Whalers of the WHA for four seasons. Rasmussen left his active role at ESPN in 1980.
