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Book Review: Sports Junkies Rejoice – The Birth of ESPN

I received a copy of Sports Junkies Rejoice back in June, right as I was studying for the Florida Bar Exam.  I intended to read the book upon sitting for the Bar, but found myself preoccupied with moving to a new apartment in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida, traveling across the country for business and pleasure, and starting a new job as an attorney at KPW Law.  This past week, I did quite a bit of traveling, and finally got around to doing some non-business-related reading.  Sports Junkies Rejoice was actually the second book I finished, but will be the first of two that I review on Sports Agent Blog this week.

I have a history with ESPN’s founder, Bill Rasmussen, and his fantastic public relations consultant, Jim DeLorenzo.  I first met the two gentlemen at the 2008 Princeton Sports Symposium.  All of us immediately hit it off at the symposium, and Rasmussen agreed to serve as the Closing Speaker at the 2009 UF Sports Law Symposium.  It was fascinating to hear a brief recounting of the creation of ESPN.  There was no way that he could say everything there was to know about the company’s birth in the time that was allotted.  Thus, I was very excited to receive a copy of Sports Junkies Rejoice, which tells a story about ESPN that very few people know.

Sports Junkies Rejoice was actually first published in November 1983, four years after ESP Network (what it was called prior to ESPN) hit the air.  I did not even realize that what I was reading was published such a long time ago until I approached the end of the book.  In 1983, a hardback version was offered.  This is the first year that the paperback has been available.

Rasmussen must have kept a very detailed diary, because he recalls specific events and attaches dates for everything that happened leading up to the birth of ESPN.  If you pick up the book, you will find out how the idea for ESPN came about, the many trials and tribulations leading up to September 7, 1979, and even how Rasmussen was eventually pushed out of the company.

And my favorite part of the book (which I decided to read to the audience at my York College of Pennsylvania presentation last week) is the following:

As a general rule, I have discovered during my lifetime there are two approaches available for use when you have something to say:

  1. Be cautious, tentative and don’t rock the boat – someone may laugh at you; or
  2. exude confidence, be positive, believe that what you’re saying will be done, and, when people laugh at you, maintain your confidence.  Those people will soon discover that you were right.

The book is not expensive, either.  I think it would be a good gift for someone you know who loves sports and is addicted to ESPN.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.