When Bill Rasmussen launched ESPN on September 7, 1979, he gave the world its first 24-hour television network and changed the way people viewed both television and sports. His innovations include the creation of “Sports Center,” wall-to-wall coverage of NCAA regular-season and March Madness college basketball, and coverage of the College World Series baseball tournament. Rasmussen, who wrote a book titled, Sports Junkies Rejoice! The Birth of ESPN, talked with Knowledge@Wharton about the challenges of founding a 24/7 sports network in the face of nearly universal skepticism, what entrepreneurs need to succeed and why he doesn’t ever plan to retire. …