Short answers, pulled from the story.
ESPN officially launched on the 7th of September 1979 and is headquartered in Bristol, Connecticut. The network moved its operations to Bristol after a local ordinance in Plainville, Connecticut, prohibited rooftop satellite dishes.
Bill Rasmussen and Ed Eagan founded ESPN in 1978 after being fired from the World Hockey Association's New England Whalers. The American Broadcasting Company purchased 100% of ESPN from the Rasmussens and Getty Oil in 1984.
ESPN acquired rights to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in March 1980 and began televising the NFL draft in April 1980. The network secured its first NFL regular season contract in 1987 to broadcast Sunday Night Football and launched ESPN2 on the 10th of October 1993.
ESPN began a supplemental over-the-top streaming service known as ESPN+ on the 12th of April 2018. ESPN Inc. is a joint venture of the Walt Disney Company, which holds 72% and operational control, Hearst Communications with 18%, and the National Football League with 10%.
James Pitaro has been chairman since the 5th of March 2018, following the resignation of John Skipper on the 18th of December 2017. On the 12th of April 2018, ESPN began a supplemental over-the-top streaming service known as ESPN+.
ESPN moved into the sports betting scene in November 2023 with plans to launch their sportsbook app ESPN Bet on November 14. The network operates regional channels in Brazil, Caribbean, Latin America, Netherlands, Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa and holds minority stakes in The Sports Network and J Sports in Japan.