Old school ESPN

[Monello]

Anyone here old enough to remember when ESPN first aired? I liked watching the Aussie rules football matches. What are some of the other programming that you liked or disliked during the early years?

If you weren’t around in 1979 and the early 80’s, you might not recognize some of the programming that appeared in those early days of the network. You might win a trivia bet by asking what ESPN’s first live sporting event was. (It was A Slo-Pitch softball World Series game featuring the Kentucky Bourbons vs. the Milwaukee Schlitz - sponsored by Budweiser). Ever heard of Munster Hurling and Irish Cycling...they were opening weekend events as well. There was lots of kick boxing, racquetball, volleyball, and the ever-popular Australian Rules Football. Throw in some NCAA soccer and NCAA tape-delayed football and you’ll have an idea of what life was like in Bristol back then.

http://www.espnfounder.com/early_espn.htm

 

[Larry Gude]

Blew me away that they had college baseball.

That's what I remember first.

 

[MMDad]

I doubt that anyone else remembers it, but the Drum Corps International world championships were on it for a while.

Aussie Football was great. Didn't they show Canadian Football at one point? And arena football?