Menu

ESPN Celebrating 45-Year Anniversary, Bill Rasmussen Reflects on Launch


ESPN is celebrating its 45-year anniversary this month, recognizing the launch of the network at 7 p.m. EST on Sept. 7, 1979. The idea to launch the 24/7 all-sports network came from Bill Rasmussen, former communications manager for the Hartford Whalers, and the vision was further expanded upon in discussions with his son Scott. (Barrett Sports Media)

Related:

Former UNC soccer player J Batt named new Kentucky athletics director
Kentucky named J Batt its new athletics director, announcing the news Monday. Batt has been Michigan State's AD since June, 2025. Batt earned a bachelor's...

Knicks fans go insane after first NBA Finals win in 53 years — with jam-packed street party
For New York Knicks fans, the long wait is finally over. A roaring sea of orange and blue crashed across the Big Apple Saturday night,...

The magic of Omaha: Why the CWS is unlike anything else in sports that's worth the trip
We talk about the "coolest experiences" in college basketball or football, but being in the area as fans converse through the streets around the stadium,...

Carolina Hurricanes win Game 6, raise Stanley Cup in Vegas
The Carolina Hurricanes spent the first part of the Stanley Cup Final surviving, finding ways to overcome deficits and play a high-scoring game that didn't...

ESPN Celebrating 45-Year Anniversary, Bill Rasmussen Reflects on Launch