History of ESPN in Timeline
ESPN, founded in 1979 by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan, is a leading American sports broadcasting network and the flagship property of ESPN, LLC, a joint venture of the Walt Disney Company, Hearst Communications and the National Football League. Known as the "Worldwide Leader in Sports", it holds extensive live rights for major leagues like the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA. ESPN also offers streaming services focused on college sports.
May 1978: Concept of ESPN Created
In May 1978, Bill Rasmussen conceived the idea for ESPN after being fired from the New England Whalers.
February 22, 1979: Getty Oil Purchases Stake in ESPN
On February 22, 1979, Getty Oil purchased 85% of ESPN from Bill Rasmussen to diversify its holdings, increasing the credibility of the company.
September 7, 1979: ESPN Founded
On September 7, 1979, ESPN was founded by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen, and Ed Eagan as the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. The network is now considered the biggest sports network.
March 1980: First NCAA Tournament Broadcasts
In March 1980, ESPN first aired coverage of the early rounds of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, which helped popularize what is now known as "March Madness".
1984: ABC Acquires ESPN
In 1984, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) purchased 100% of ESPN from the Rasmussens and Getty Oil, which strengthened ESPN's ability to compete for major sports contracts.
1984: Supreme Court Ruling on NCAA Contracts
In 1984, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in NCAA v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma that the NCAA could no longer monopolize contract negotiations for college football games, allowing individual schools to negotiate broadcast deals, enabling ESPN to broadcast more NCAA games.
1985: Capital Cities Acquires ABC and ESPN
In 1985, Capital Cities Communications acquired ABC, thus gaining control of ESPN, and renamed itself Capital Cities/ABC Inc.
1985: ESPN Acronym Change
In 1985, ESPN dropped the full name Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, retaining only the acronym ESPN.
1987: ESPN Secures NFL Broadcast Contract
In 1987, ESPN secured a contract with the NFL to broadcast eight games on Sunday nights, marking the first broadcasts of Sunday NFL primetime games.
1992: ESPN Radio Launched
In 1992, ESPN launched ESPN Radio, a national sports talk radio network.
October 1, 1993: ESPN2 Launch
On October 1, 1993, ESPN2 was launched with a broad mix of event coverage from conventional to extreme sports.
October 10, 1993: ESPN2 Launched
On October 10, 1993, ESPN2 was launched as a secondary channel, initially featuring niche sports programming before becoming an overflow channel for ESPN.
1995: ESPN BottomLine Originates on ESPN2
In 1995, the "ESPN BottomLine", a ticker displaying sports news and scores, originated on ESPN2.
1995: Classic Sports Network Launched
In 1995, the Classic Sports Network, founded by Brian Bedol and Steve Greenberg, was launched.
November 1, 1996: ESPNews Launch
On November 1, 1996, ESPNews, a subscription television network, was launched, focusing primarily on sports news, highlights, and press conferences.
1996: Disney Acquires Capital Cities/ABC
In 1996, the Walt Disney Company acquired Capital Cities/ABC Inc., rebranding it as Walt Disney Television, which included ESPN.
1997: ESPN Acquires Classic Sports Network
In 1997, ESPN Inc. purchased Classic Sports Network for $175 million.
1998: Classic Sports Network Rebrands as ESPN Classic
In 1998, Classic Sports Network was rebranded as "ESPN Classic".
July 2001: ESPN Deportes Launch
In July 2001, ESPN Deportes, a subscription television network, was launched to provide Spanish simulcasts of certain Major League Baseball telecasts from ESPN.
2001: ESPN Original Entertainment Formed
In 2001, ESPN Original Entertainment, a programming division that would later become ESPN Films, was originally formed.
March 30, 2003: ESPNHD Launches
On March 30, 2003, ESPN launched its high definition simulcast feed, originally branded as ESPNHD, with an Opening Day broadcast of the Texas Rangers and Anaheim Angels.
January 2004: ESPN Deportes Becomes 24-Hour Channel
In January 2004, ESPN Deportes transitioned into a 24-hour sports channel.
2004: Last NHL Games on ESPN before Agreement
2004 was the last year ESPN carried national-televised NHL games before the agreement in 2021.
March 4, 2005: ESPNU Launches
On March 4, 2005, ESPNU, a subscription television network focusing on college athletics such as basketball, football, baseball, college swimming, and ice hockey, was launched.
2005: Mobile ESPN Attempt
In 2005, ESPN MVP (initially known as Mobile ESPN) was an attempt at operating a mobile virtual network operator with exclusive mobile content, first as a phone feature, then after its termination into a Verizon Wireless paid service.
2005: ESPN3 Launch
In 2005, ESPN3, an online streaming service providing live streams and replays of global sports events, was launched as a separate website.
September 2, 2006: Integration with ABC Sports
Since September 2, 2006, ESPN has been integrated with the sports division of sister broadcast network ABC, with sports events televised on that network airing under the banner ESPN on ABC.
March 2008: ESPN Films Created
In March 2008, ESPN Films was created as a restructuring of ESPN Original Entertainment.
2009: 30 for 30 Premieres
In 2009, 30 for 30, a documentary series produced by ESPN Films, started airing.
August 2010: ESPNews Expands Programming
In August 2010, ESPNews expanded its programming to include encores of ESPN's sports debate and entertainment shows, as well as video simulcasts of ESPN Radio shows, in addition to sports news programming.
September 27, 2010: Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn in HD
On September 27, 2010, "Pardon the Interruption" and "Around the Horn" began airing in HD with the relocation of the production of both shows into the facility housing the Washington, D.C., bureau for ABC News.
October 25, 2010: WatchESPN Launches
On October 25, 2010, WatchESPN, a website and application for streaming ESPN content, originally launched as ESPN Networks, a streaming service exclusive to Time Warner Cable subscribers.
August 26, 2011: Longhorn Network Launches
On August 26, 2011, The Longhorn Network, a subscription television network focusing on events from the Texas Longhorns varsity sports teams, was launched.
August 31, 2011: ESPN3 Incorporated into WatchESPN
On August 31, 2011, ESPN3, an online streaming service, was incorporated into the WatchESPN platform.
2011: Peak Household Reach
In 2011, ESPN reached its peak of 100 million households in the United States.
2011: ESPNHD Downplays Logo
In 2011, ESPNHD began to downplay its distinct promotional logo in preparation for the conversion of its standard definition feed from a 4:3 full-screen to a letterboxed format, which occurred on June 1 of that year.
2013: Highlight Express Cancellation
In 2013, Highlight Express was cancelled. ESPNews programming mainly consists of rebroadcasts of SportsCenter since then.
August 14, 2014: SEC Network Launches
On August 14, 2014, the SEC Network, a subscription television network, was launched, focusing on the coverage of sporting events sanctioned by the Southeastern Conference. It is a joint venture between the conference and ESPN Inc.
April 26, 2017: ESPN Layoffs
On April 26, 2017, ESPN terminated approximately 100 employees, including analysts Trent Dilfer and Danny Kanell, and journalists Ed Werder and Jayson Stark, as part of cost-cutting measures.
December 18, 2017: John Skipper Resigns
On December 18, 2017, John Skipper resigned from his position as chairman of ESPN.
2017: “O.J.: Made in America” Wins Academy Award
In 2017, the 30 for 30 film O.J.: Made in America won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, the first such Oscar for ESPN.
March 5, 2018: James Pitaro Appointed Chairman
On March 5, 2018, James Pitaro became the chairman of ESPN, succeeding John Skipper.
April 12, 2018: ESPN+ Launched
On April 12, 2018, ESPN launched a supplemental over-the-top streaming service known as ESPN+.
April 2018: ESPN+ Launches
In April 2018, ESPN+ was launched as an add-on subscription service for $4.99 per month.
March 2019: Daily Wager Program Announced
In March 2019, ESPN announced a new betting-themed daily program, Daily Wager, hosted by Doug Kezirian.
June 30, 2019: WatchESPN Discontinued
On June 30, 2019, WatchESPN was discontinued, and the service was fully merged into the ESPN app.
August 22, 2019: ACC Network Launches
On August 22, 2019, the ACC Network, a subscription television network focusing on the sporting events of the Atlantic Coast Conference, was launched as a joint venture of network operator ESPN Inc. and the ACC.
October 8, 2019: Political Discussion Memo
On October 8, 2019, Deadspin reported that an internal memo was sent to ESPN employees instructing them to avoid any political discussions regarding the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong in the aftermath of a tweet by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.
2019: UFC and ESPN Contract
In 2019, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) signed a five-year contract with ESPN to broadcast events on ESPN and ESPN+.
March 2021: ESPN and ABC Agreement with NHL
In March 2021, ESPN and ABC agreed to a seven-year contract to televise NHL games, with some airing on ESPN+ and Hulu, as well as awarding four of the seven Stanley Cup Finals to both ESPN and ABC.
2021: Increased Focus on Online Sports Betting
In 2021, Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek indicated the company would increase its presence in online sports betting, including in partnership with third parties, to offset the impact of COVID-19.
December 31, 2021: ESPN Classic Discontinued
On December 31, 2021, ESPN Classic, a subscription television network, was discontinued.
August 8, 2023: ESPN and Penn Entertainment Deal
On August 8, 2023, ESPN and Penn Entertainment announced a deal to brand Penn's sportsbooks with ESPN branding, rebranding Barstool Sportsbook as ESPN Bet.
November 2023: ESPN Enters Sports Betting
In November 2023, ESPN moved into the sports betting scene with plans to launch their sportsbook app "ESPN Bet" on November 14.
December 2023: ESPN Household Reach
As of December 2023, ESPN was available in approximately 70 million pay television households in the United States.
2023: The Pat McAfee Show Moves to ESPN
In 2023, The Pat McAfee Show moved to ESPN as part of a five-year, $85 million deal.
February 6, 2024: ESPN, Fox Sports, and TNT Sports Joint Venture
On February 6, 2024, ESPN announced a joint venture with Fox Sports and TNT Sports known as Venu Sports, to include the three organizations' main linear sports channels and associated media rights.
June 30, 2024: Longhorn Network Discontinued
On June 30, 2024, The Longhorn Network was discontinued, a day before the Longhorns' move to the Southeastern Conference.
2024: Sports Emmy Awards Controversy
In 2024, ESPN apologized for submitting fake names for Sports Emmy award consideration over many years, and returned 37 trophies that had been awarded to ineligible recipients to the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
May 2025: Planned Launch of ESPN Direct-to-Consumer Product
In May 2025, ESPN announced that it would officially launch an ESPN-branded direct-to-consumer product later that year, which will incorporate ESPN's main channels and content from ESPN+.
August 5, 2025: ESPN Agreement to Acquire NFL Media
On August 5, 2025, ESPN announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire the National Football League's NFL Media division, pending regulatory approval.
August 6, 2025: ESPN and WWE Streaming Deal
On August 6, 2025, ESPN announced that it had agreed to a five-year deal with WWE to stream WWE live premium events on the forthcoming ESPN streaming service.
September 2025: Start of WWE Streaming on ESPN
In September 2025, ESPN will start streaming WWE live premium events, starting with Wrestlepalooza, on the forthcoming ESPN streaming service.
November 6, 2025: Agreement Termination
On November 6, 2025, a mutual early termination of the agreement, and a new contract awarded to DraftKings commencing December 1, 2025, was announced.
December 1, 2025: New Contract with DraftKings
On December 1, 2025, a new contract awarded to DraftKings was commenced.
January 2026: Regulatory Approval Granted for NFL Media Acquisition
In January 2026, regulatory approval was granted for ESPN's acquisition of NFL Media.
2036: Agreement Extension
In 2036, the agreement between ACC Network and the Atlantic Coast Conference extends to the 2036-37 academic term.
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