ESPN Inc.

ESPN Inc.
Company typeJoint venture
IndustrySports broadcasting
FoundedSeptember 7, 1979 (1979-09-07)
FounderBill Rasmussen
Headquarters,
United States
Key people
James Pitaro (chairman)
Owners
Number of employees
9464 (2024)
Websiteespn.com

ESPN Inc. is an American multinational sports media conglomerate majority-owned by the Walt Disney Company, with Hearst Communications as an equity stakeholder. Founded by Bill Rasmussen in 1979, it owns and operates local and global cable and satellite television variants of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN+ and other related ventures and is currently headed by executive James Pitaro. Commonly and colloquially marketed as the "Worldwide Leader in Sports", programming on its television networks include broadcasts of live or tape-delayed sporting events and sports-related programming including talk shows and original documentary series and films.