Bill Rasmussen, the entrepreneur whose vision led to the creation of ESPN in 1979, has died at the age of 93. Rasmussen died on Tuesday at his home in Florida from complications related to Parkinson’s disease.

Together with his son Scott, Rasmussen developed the idea for ESPN, initially as a Connecticut-based venture before expanding it into a 24-hour national sports network. The idea was considered highly ambitious in the late 1970s, when few believed a round-the-clock cable sports channel could succeed.

Rasmussen had recently been fired as communications director of the New England Whalers when he began pursuing the idea. He maxed out his credit card and used a $9,000 advance to acquire space on a communications satellite. He then approached major sports leagues, leading cable operators and investors in an effort to secure backing for the project.

On 7 September 1979, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, later known as ESPN, launched. Bill and Scott Rasmussen were co-founders, with Bill serving as the network’s first president and chief executive.

Although Rasmussen left ESPN after a few years, the foundations he established helped pave the way for its later expansion.

A meeting with the NFL did not immediately produce an agreement, but it opened the way for what eventually became Monday Night Football on ESPN. “Bill was our George Washington and a good friend,” said veteran ESPN anchor Chris Berman, who joined the network three weeks after its launch. “He was such a grateful person and every sports fan can be grateful for Bill. He wasn’t a glass half-full guy; his glass was always overflowing with optimism. He greeted everyone with a smile and we can all smile knowing Bill’s legacy.”

ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro described Rasmussen as “a visionary and an innovator who conceived the idea of a network entirely devoted to sports”. “Quite simply, none of us would be here today if it wasn’t for Bill’s passion and all the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit he put into building ESPN in the late 1970s — key aspects of our company culture that still carry on to this day,” Pitaro said.

After leaving ESPN, Rasmussen worked on other media ventures and spoke publicly about his experiences. He also wrote a book about the creation of ESPN, Sports Junkies Rejoice: The Birth of ESPN.

In a 2012 interview with Forbes, Rasmussen described hard work as the guiding principle behind his career. “I believe the harder you work, the luckier you are,” he said. “That’s been my mantra forever.”

He said his upbringing during the end of the Great Depression and the Second World War had taught him to remain positive and pursue ideas. “I encourage budding entrepreneurs to pursue their ideas, even if they don’t understand all the logistics,” he said.

Rasmussen was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Lois, who died in 2011. He is survived by his sons Scott and Glenn, his daughter Lynn Van Hollebeke, seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and their respective families.

He was also preceded in death by his brothers Robert and Donald Rasmussen, his sister Vivien and his grandson Justin Van Hollebeke.