By admin 
ESPN lost one of its most important people as Bill Rasmussen, the network’s co-founder, passed away this week at the age of 93.
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ESPN announced on Tuesday that Rasmussen passed away following a battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
“William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the landscape of sports media, passed away today, August 18, 2026, at the age of 93 from the effects of Parkinson’s Disease,” ESPN announced today.
In a statement, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro praised Rasmussen as a “visionary and innovator,” declaring that sports media is where it is today thanks to him.
“Bill was a remarkable man – a visionary and an innovator who conceived the idea of a network entirely devoted to sports,” Pitaro said. “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.
“One of my greatest thrills since joining ESPN was getting to know Bill on a personal level. I will always cherish the memory of catching the ceremonial first pitch that he threw at Fenway Park in Boston in celebration of our 40th anniversary. His legacy will always be a part of ESPN.”
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Tributes to Rasmussen
Many current and former ESPN employees paid tribute to the network founder today, including Chris Berman, Mile Soltys, Sam Block and more:
“Bill was our George Washington and a good friend. He was sucyh a grateful person and every sports fan can be grateful for Bill. He wasn’t a glass half-full guy; his glass was always overflowing with optimism. He greeted everyone with a smile and we can all smiles knowing Bill’s legacy,” Berman said in a statement.
“If you love sports, you love ESPN. It’s really just that simple. Rest In Peace to Bill Rasmussen… The Founder of ESPN. A true sports legend,” Block wrote on X.
“It has been a great joy to be friends with Bill Rasmussen for 46 years. An insightful and curious entrepreneur who had eternal optimism and a keen sense of humor. I have Bill to thank for my career, as do thousands of others,” Soltys wrote.
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Our hearts go out to Rasmussen’s family and loved ones.
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This story was originally published August 18, 2026 at 9:16 AM.