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The Early Days of ESPN: 300 Daydreams and Nightmares

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The tales of early ESPN people who gambled their careers while critics carped that “all-sports television will never work” are full of guile, luck, fear, fun, and unbridled optimism. As ESPN’s founding executive producer, Peter Fox was privy to some spectacular professional efforts by a cadre of Connecticut locals who made the dream real. The first 300 days of the fledgling network were filled with mayhem, on-air gaffes, and the slowest instant replay in television. What started as a humble idea in the late spring of 1978 to capitalize on the brand-new mania for UConn men’s basketball soon morphed into ESPN and a plan to begin airing a series of “test broadcasts” in the fall. This is the story of the early days at ESPN, told by one on the network's launching pad, and how a conversation over a couple of martinis in 1978 led to the creation of a broadcast juggernaut. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lyons Press


Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 4, 2024


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 200 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1493079573


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 75


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 0.8 x 9.3 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #1,051,788 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #51 in TV & Video Engineering #1,249 in Sports History (Books) #26,867 in United States History (Books)


#51 in TV & Video Engineering:


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • A Wild Ride and Who Knew??
A great read about the pre launch days of ESPN. This has never been covered before in the detail that Peter Fox integrates into this good book. Co-Founder Bill Rasmussen has covered some details in his books, but Fox offers the perspective of many people, which is why it is so enjoyable. I highly recommend this for a number of reasons notably, it could only happen in America. A true American story about guts, guile and a bit of luck, or maybe a lot of luck!!! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024 by Jim Bates
    • Important and fun book
This is a great read about the early days of ESPN written by the man who helped start it all. Written with great wit, joy and appreciation.
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2024 by Mary D. Walton
    • A look into early ESPN that feels dry
I picked up this book expecting to see the origins of ESPN, and while I did find some things and tidbits interesting, I felt like a slog and dry presentation overall. It felt like certain things were being repeated over and over, especially in the first half of the book, along with jargon and other things that would fly over most people's heads, including mine. I did find some of the pictures and diagrams fascinating, and things picked up in the second half, and I did think the final chapter was an interesting look of what ESPN and sports could look like in the future. It doesn't help that only a handful of names in the book would be familiar to the regular person. I would probably only recommend it to people super interested in how ESPN got it's start or who enjoy the inside baseball of TV and media programming. *I received an ARC from Netgalley and Lyons Press. All opinions are my own.* ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2024 by Janine
    • Tale of a dream well told
A group of people with a crazy idea plant the seeds of an all sports broadcasting network. A witty writer brings it all to life. Really enjoyed the voices of the ones involved in the ground floor. Very authentic. You don’t have to be a sports fan to like this book. It’s an easy read and leaves room for imagination of behind the scene shenanigans. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024 by Barbara B.
    • A great technology startup story, for a now-famous sports entertainment business
The book describes in great detail the many personalities and big ideas which forged ESPN in its earliest days. The ultimate success of the enterprise seems so improbable in retrospect, but Peter Fox's book highlights the many people who believed in the vision for ESPN and dedicated a period of their lives to seeing it through. Some of the stories from the start-up phase are incredible and need to be read to be believed. The book is long enough to create this picture and illustrate it fully, without becoming a history book about the network. I thoroughly enjoyed it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2024 by Christina H. M.
    • Intriguing Story of ESPN's origins
There are two distinct audiences to whom The Early Days of ESPN will appeal – first, those who are sports lovers, avid TV sports fans, and are curious to understand how the now ubiquitous ESPN had its beginning. Just as significantly this book will appeal to readers who are simply curious about how corporations grow out of homegrown ideas and, over time, evolve into mammoth organizations who maliciously suck ideas from the grassroots entrepreneurs who then get left behind. The Early Days of ESPN is the book that speaks to each of these audiences. Many of us can identify with brainstorming ideas with colleagues while engaging in “what if” scenarios. In this example, a group of friends envisioned how amazing it would be to have a television network dedicated exclusively to sports – an unheard of concept at the time. Operating on a shoestring budget, borrowing equipment where they could get it, yet never knowing until the last minute if a broadcast would actually come together. Yet through all of these struggles, the entrepreneur spirit continued and out of it emerged a strong business plan that was the genesis of the ESPN we enjoy today. Readers will enjoy the challenges and the victories as well as how these same entrepreneurs got left behind when ESPN became real. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2024 by Linda
    • How a giant came to be.
There is so much we take for granted today that it's good to be reminded of what it took to develop what is now an icon. This is a great read. Fun and inspiring for those who still dream big.
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2024 by Chuck
    • Very informative!
The Early Days of ESPN is a detailed look at the extremely early days of ESPN. It touches on the all the groundwork it took to get the 24 hour cable sports network off the ground, from the conception of the idea, through the first couple years before its meteoric rise to a network giant. I expected more stories about the personalities and anchors that are usually tied to the early life of ESPN, but was pleasantly surprised when I discovered stories about more of the “behind the scenes” teammates that are not usually associated when talking about ESPN in the early 80s. One thing I enjoyed about this book was that you don’t necessarily need to be a sports fan to get a feel for how quickly ESPN skyrocketed to what it became. I would say that a non sports fan would be able to enjoy this book just as much a sports fanatic. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2024 by Tanner Olson

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