Bill Rasmussen dies at 93: Sports world pays tribute to ESPN founder after death originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Bill Rasmussen, the sports enthusiast and entrepreneur who founded ESPN, died Tuesday. He was 93 years old.
ESPN announced Rasmussen's death Tuesday morning. The famed television executive spent time as a sports broadcaster and public relations man before conjuring up the idea of creating a network dedicated exclusively to sports. The idea stuck. ESPN has since become one of the most resilient brands in all of media, broadcasting into nearly 70 million homes in 2024, according to Sports Business Journal.
Rasmussen was predeceased by his wife, Lois. He is survived by sons Scott and Glenn and daughter Lynn, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Here's what you need to know about Rasmussen's passing.
Bill Rasmussen dies at 93Rasmussen died on Tuesday morning, ESPN announced.
“Bill was a remarkable man – a visionary and an innovator who conceived the idea of a network entirely devoted to sports,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “Quite simply, none of us would be here today if it wasn’t for Bill’s passion and all the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit he put into building ESPN in the late 1970s – key aspects of our company culture that still carry on to this day.”
Bill Rasmussen cause of deathRasmussen died of effects of Parkinson's Disease, ESPN announced. He was diagnosed with the illness in 2014.
Rasmussen was open about his life with the disorder, announcing in a 2019 ESPN Front Row piece that he was living with the illness.
"For some reason, Parkinson’s is kind of an orphaned malady – people don’t like to talk about it, as if it were taboo," Rasmussen said of the disease. "Well, 40 years ago, people didn’t want to talk about a 24-hour sports network either as if competing with “The Big Three” broadcast networks was taboo.
"We never stopped asking questions, solving problems and selling the dream. A lot of really good people did believe and we see the results of that effort today.
"Let’s tackle Parkinson’s with the same enthusiastic effort. I’ll be talking a lot about PD in the weeks and months ahead – not as a victim, but as living, breathing proof that when you or a loved one hears the dreaded words, 'Uou have Parkinson’s disease,” life is not over – it’s just the beginning of a new chapter."
Bill Rasmussen tributesThe sports media world came together to pay tribute to Rasmussen. Here's a look at some of the most notable reactions to Rasmussen's passing.
ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen, whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network forever changed the landscape of sports media, died today at the age of 93.
A game-changer for the ages. Thank you for everything, Bill ❤️ pic.twitter.com/hOCy8QyUEo
The story of ESPN can’t be told without Bill Rasmussen, and we as sports fans owe him so much.
What a legend we lost today. pic.twitter.com/gi4C3qY5fH
ESPN announces the passing of founder Bill Rasmussen live on First Take. pic.twitter.com/TcHO2f4cXB
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 18, 2026"If you're a fan, what you'll see in the next minutes, hours and days to follow may convince you you've gone to sports heaven.”
Bill Rasmussen, who died Tuesday, had a vision for what sports television could be. On Sept. 7, 1979, it became real.
From all of us at SportsCenter:… pic.twitter.com/w6mIwLcBcD
ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen has passed at age 93. Impacted millions of sports fans & countless ESPN employees. Boundless energy & eternal optimism. Bill’s first intern hired me (as intern). I will always be grateful to my friend Bill, a singular icon https://t.co/AVRDKPTrqFpic.twitter.com/Xq9wnuo6M5
— Josh Krulewitz (@jksports) August 18, 2026ESPN’s Chris Berman remembers ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen
More: https://t.co/LJkO283xSIpic.twitter.com/Bsk1yYxeDX
After I finished high school, my father and I worked closely together for a few years in the late 1970s and early '80s. I will never forget the car ride on August 16, 1978 and am still amazed at what it helped create.
My most cherished memory of my father was at about 6 pm on… https://t.co/GFkSJcGtrS
Sports TV visionary and ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen died Tuesday at the age of 93.
Rasmussen’s ambition fueled the 1979 launch of ESPN as the world's first 24-hour television network. pic.twitter.com/2qzuA1jOy9
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