Bill Rasmussen '54 to Appear on SportsCenter Special: ESPN's 40
August 28, 2019
"ESPN hit the airwaves September 7, 1979," notes the cable sports network's website. "To commemorate its 40th anniversary, SportsCenter Special: ESPN's 40, a collection of 40 testimonials from ESPNers past and present, will be televised Friday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The one-hour program will showcase personal stories that connect to the company’s 40-year journey. Interviewees include Chris Berman, George Bodenheimer, Linda Cohn, Bob Ley, Molly Qerim Rose, Bill Rasmussen, Robin Roberts and Stephen A. Smith."
Rasmussen, a 1954 graduate of DePauw University, founded the network with his son, Scott '86.
Read more here.
A Rector Scholar, economics major and baseball player as an undergraduate, Bill Rasmussen went on to earn an M.B.A. from Rutgers University. He's been called "the father of cable sports" by USA Today, was recognized as one of "The Champions: Pioneers & Innovators in Sports Business", and was named in 1994 by Sports Illustrated as one of 40 individuals who altered and elevated 
the world of sports in the second half of the 20th century.
On July 15 in an open letter, Rasmussen announced that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2014 and has decided to share the news publicly in hopes it well help others.
Rasmussen returned to DePauw in November 2017 for a week-long residency that included meetings with students and an Ubben Lecture, which is embedded below.
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