Bill Rasmussen: key obituary facts
Is Bill Rasmussen dead? Yes. Bill Rasmussen died on August 18, 2026, at age 93.
Cause of death: Bill Rasmussen's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Bill Rasmussen known for?
He was an American sports director.
More about Bill Rasmussen
Born: 1932.
Place of birth: Chicago.
Gender: male.
Occupation: businessperson.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Rutgers University, DePauw University, Rutgers Business School – Newark and New Brunswick, Gage Park High School.
Children: Scott Rasmussen.
Known for: Co-founder and president of ESPN/ESPN Inc.
Bill Rasmussen, the American television executive and co-founder and president of ESPN and ESPN Inc., died on August 18, 2026, at age 93.
Born William F. Rasmussen in Chicago on October 15, 1932, he helped launch ESPN with his son, Scott Rasmussen, and Ed Eagan, serving as the network’s first president and chief executive when it was founded in 1978 and later went on the air in 1979.
Rasmussen attended Gage Park High School in Chicago and studied at DePauw University, Rutgers University and Rutgers Business School. A sports director by trade, he was part of the team that built ESPN into a major cable sports network.