The original E.S.P. group staged a press conference shortly after distributing this press release held in United Cable’s conference room. To impress the few people who showed, the group rented a state-of-the-art production truck and parked it near United Cable’s entrance.

Colleen Howe served as Gordie’s agent and later represented their sons Marty and Mark. She was a trailblazer for women in the sports business.

After Beyus left, he shot a pilot for a series starring Hockey legend Gordie Howe. The series—which sounds like a cross-between the horrendous Steve Garvey’s Celebrity Billfish Tournament and the delightful Fishing with John—would feature Howe on fishing trips and participating in other recreational activities. Beyus…

E.S.P.’s initial headquarters was based in United Cable’s Plainville, Connecticut offices. They would not move to Bristol until early 1979. Here's what it looks like today:

Scott Rasmussen was still working as the New England Whalers’ PA announcer when he and his father joined E.S.P.

E.S.P. was initially conceptualized as a service for the Connecticut area. It expanded to a national network once the group of entrepreneurs realized it would be less costly to use satellite distribution, which could reach a national audience.

Bill Rasmussen was fired from the Whalers—a struggling World Hockey Organization franchise that needed to free up some capital—on Memorial Day Weekend of 1978. This release emerged just one month later.

E.S.P. preceded the creation of ESPN. Once Eagan and the Rasmussens separated themselves from Beyus, they purchased an official business license. Eagan left the group when he butted heads with investors several months down the road.