Broadcasting+Cable Induct ESPN Into Its Hall Of Fame

By Dean Wright, The Bristol Press

April 21, 2022

Due to its continuing presence as a household name in both sports and visual entertainment, Broadcasting+Cable Friday recognized ESPN as its first Iconic Network and inducted the sports network into its hall of fame.

Broadcasting+Cable, published by Future US, is a telecommunications industry magazine started in 1931.

“For their 30th anniversary, which got postponed, they decided they were going to start honoring one network each year as an Iconic Network and they chose ESPN as the first one,” said Mike Soltys, ESPN Vice President of Corporate Communications. “This was their first event since 2019. It was a black tie event at the Ziegfield Ballroom in Manhattan.”

Among other award recipients, ESPN was the featured guest of the evening. Former and longest running president of the network, George Bodenheimer, along with ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, accepted the network honor.

Pitaro said that the first words to air on ESPN in 1979 were “If you’re a fan,” echoing TV personality Lee Leonard.

“Those simple words expressed the excitement that was to come for generations of sports fans,” said the chairman. “ESPN launched and immediately created an incredible bond with fans by matching their passion for sports. If there’s been a common thread among ESPN employees, I’d say it’s that. A passion for sports.”

Pitaro called sports a great unifier in American culture as well as arguably the most engaging live content available to visual media consumers. He said the network would continue pushing forward the next vision of sports content and lauded the integrity of ESPN employees. He thanked supporters for their dedication to the network’s endeavors over 42 years.

“Our thousands of employees at ESPN have always made giving back and paying it forward a huge priority,” he continued, highlighting work done with the V Foundation for Cancer Research, an organization founded by Jim Valvano.

Bodenheimer reflected on ESPN’s past four decades, names impacted by it and the progress it had made.

“I think of Bill Rasmussen, the man who’s simple idea, a network devoted to sports, helped revolutionize an entire industry,” he said. “I think about the incredible, insatiable passion of sports fans around the globe and lastly I think about all the people of ESPN, past and present, for their collective dedication, creativity, work ethic and integrity.”

He said it was an honor to be the first network to receive such an honor and acclaimed the work of the employees who made it happen.

ESPN was started by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rassmussen and Ed Eagan in 1979 in Bristol. According to Broadcasting+Cable, ESPN reached around 76 million households at the end of the 2021 and around 21 million subscribers on ESPN+, its online streaming service.