History of ESPN in Timeline
ESPN is an American international basic cable sports channel founded in 1979 by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan. It is primarily owned by the Walt Disney Company, with Hearst Communications holding a 20% stake through ESPN Inc. joint venture. ESPN provides sports programming, including live events, analysis, and news.
February 22, 1979: Getty Oil Buys Majority Stake in ESPN
On February 22, 1979, Getty Oil purchased 85% of ESPN from Bill Rasmussen, providing funding and credibility to the company.
September 7, 1979: ESPN Launched with SportsCenter
On September 7, 1979, ESPN was launched, with the first telecast being the inaugural episode of SportsCenter.
1979: ESPN Founded
In 1979, ESPN was founded by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan as the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network.
March 1980: ESPN Broadcasts NCAA Basketball Tournament
In March 1980, ESPN first aired the early rounds of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, helping popularize what is now known as "March Madness".
1984: ABC Purchased ESPN
In 1984, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) purchased 100% of ESPN from the Rasmussens and Getty Oil, increasing ESPN's ability to compete for major sports contracts.
1984: NCAA Ruling on Football Broadcasts
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 contracts for college football games, allowing individual schools to negotiate broadcast deals.
1985: Capital Cities Acquired ABC
In 1985, Capital Cities Communications acquired ABC, thus gaining control of ESPN and renaming the parent company to Capital Cities/ABC Inc.
1987: ESPN Secured NFL Contract
In 1987, ESPN secured a contract with the NFL to broadcast eight games during the regular season, airing 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 providing analysis and commentary programs.
October 1, 1993: ESPN2 Launched
On October 1, 1993, ESPN2 was launched, carrying a mix of conventional and extreme sports coverage.
October 10, 1993: ESPN2 Launched
On October 10, 1993, ESPN2 launched on cable systems reaching 10 million subscribers, featuring niche sports and serving as an overflow channel for ESPN.
1995: Classic Sports Network Launch
In 1995, Classic Sports Network was launched by Brian Bedol and Steve Greenberg.
1995: ESPN BottomLine Originated
In 1995, the "ESPN BottomLine", a ticker displaying sports news and scores, originated on ESPN2.
November 1, 1996: ESPNews Launched
On November 1, 1996, ESPNews was launched, originally focusing solely on sports news, highlights, and press conferences.
1996: Disney Acquired Capital Cities/ABC
In 1996, The Walt Disney Company acquired Capital Cities/ABC Inc. and rebranded it as Walt Disney Television.
1997: ESPN Inc. Purchase of Classic Sports Network
In 1997, ESPN Inc. purchased Classic Sports Network for $175 million.
1998: Classic Sports Network Rebranding
In 1998, Classic Sports Network was rebranded as "ESPN Classic".
July 2001: ESPN Deportes Launched
In July 2001, ESPN Deportes was originally launched to provide Spanish simulcasts of Major League Baseball telecasts from ESPN.
2001: ESPN Original Entertainment Formed
In 2001, ESPN Original Entertainment, a programming division, was originally formed.
March 30, 2003: ESPNHD Launch
On March 30, 2003, ESPN launched its high-definition simulcast feed, originally branded as ESPNHD, with a broadcast of the Texas Rangers and Anaheim Angels Opening Day game.
January 2004: ESPN Deportes Became 24-Hour Channel
In January 2004, ESPN Deportes became a 24-hour sports channel.
2004: Last National NHL Games Televised
ESPN and ABC last carried national-televised NHL games in 2004.
March 4, 2005: ESPNU Launched
On March 4, 2005, ESPNU was launched, focusing on college athletics.
2005: Mobile ESPN (ESPN MVP) Attempt
In 2005, ESPN MVP, initially known as Mobile ESPN, was an attempt at operating a mobile virtual network operator with exclusive mobile content.
2005: ESPN3 Launch
In 2005, ESPN3 launched as a separate website providing live streams and replays of global sports events.
September 2006: ESPN Integrated with ABC Sports
Since September 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 Started Airing
30 for 30 started airing in 2009 and continues airing to this day.
August 2010: ESPNews Incorporated Debate and Entertainment Shows
Since August 2010, ESPNews has gradually incorporated encores of ESPN's various sports debate and entertainment shows and video simulcasts of ESPN Radio shows.
September 27, 2010: Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn HD Broadcast
On September 27, 2010, Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn began airing in HD, coinciding with the relocation of production to the ABC News Washington, D.C. bureau facility.
October 25, 2010: WatchESPN Launch
On October 25, 2010, WatchESPN, originally known as ESPN Networks, was launched as a streaming service providing a live stream of ESPN exclusive to Time Warner Cable subscribers.
August 26, 2011: Longhorn Network Launch
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 Incorporation 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 and Converts to Letterbox
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 Cancelled
Since the 2013 cancellation of Highlight Express, ESPNews programming consists mainly of rebroadcasts of SportsCenter.
August 14, 2014: SEC Network Launched
On August 14, 2014, SEC Network was launched, focusing on the coverage of sporting events sanctioned by the Southeastern Conference.
April 26, 2017: ESPN Terminated Employees
On April 26, 2017, ESPN notified approximately 100 employees, including athletes-turned-analysts and journalists, that their positions were terminated 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 Won 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 after John Skipper's resignation.
April 12, 2018: ESPN+ Launched
On April 12, 2018, ESPN launched a supplemental over-the-top streaming service known as ESPN+.
April 2018: ESPN+ Launch
In April 2018, ESPN+ was launched as an add-on subscription for $4.99 per month.
March 2019: ESPN Announced Daily Wager
In March 2019, ESPN announced a new betting-themed daily program, Daily Wager, hosted by Doug Kezirian.
June 1, 2019: WatchESPN Discontinuation
On June 1, 2019, WatchESPN was discontinued with the service's full merger into the ESPN app.
August 22, 2019: ACC Network Launch
On August 22, 2019, the ACC Network, a subscription television network focusing on Atlantic Coast Conference sporting events, launched as a joint venture between ESPN Inc. and the ACC.
October 8, 2019: Internal Memo on Political Discussions
On October 8, 2019, Deadspin reported that ESPN employees received an internal memo instructing them to avoid political discussions regarding China and Hong Kong following a tweet by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.
2019: UFC Signed Contract with ESPN
In 2019, Ultimate Fighting Championship signed a five-year contract with ESPN to air events on ESPN and ESPN+.
March 2021: ESPN and ABC Agreed to NHL Contract
In March 2021, ESPN and ABC agreed on a seven-year contract to televise NHL games, with some airing on ESPN+ and Hulu.
2021: Increased Presence in Online Sports Betting
In 2021, Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek indicated that the company would increase its presence in online sports betting, including in partnership with third parties, due to the impact of COVID-19.
December 31, 2021: ESPN Classic Discontinuation
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 and rebrand Barstool Sportsbook as ESPN Bet.
November 2023: ESPN Moves into Sports Betting
In November 2023, ESPN entered the sports betting scene with plans to launch their sportsbook app "ESPN Bet" on November 14 in partnership with Penn Entertainment.
December 2023: ESPN Available to 70 Million Households
As of December 2023, ESPN is available to approximately 70 million pay television households in the United States.
2023: The Pat McAfee Show moved to ESPN
In 2023, The Pat McAfee Show moved to ESPN as part of a five-year $85 million deal.
February 6, 2024: ESPN Announces Joint Venture for Venu Sports
On February 6, 2024, ESPN announced a joint venture with Fox Sports and TNT Sports to offer Venu Sports, including the organizations' main linear sports channels and associated media rights, planned to launch in fall 2024.
June 30, 2024: Longhorn Network Discontinuation
On June 30, 2024, the Longhorn Network was discontinued.
2024: Apology for Fake Emmy Submissions
In 2024, ESPN apologized for submitting fake names for Sports Emmy award consideration over many years, and returned 37 trophies to the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
2025: Planned Launch of Standalone Streaming Offering
In late summer or fall 2025, the company plans to launch a "flagship" standalone streaming offering, including the ESPN and ESPN2 linear channels.
2036: ACC Agreement Extension
In 2036, the agreement between ESPN Inc. and the ACC is expected to extend to the 2036-37 academic term.
