ESPN was meant for Connecticut until a satellite turned out cheaper than landlines.
Fired by the New England Whalers in 1978, Bill Rasmussen planned a cable channel for Connecticut sports. RCA told him a satellite transponder, rented around the clock, would reach the country for less than landlines across the state. He and his son Scott went national. Their first town, Plainville, banned rooftop satellite dishes, so they built ESPN in Bristol, on an old dump.
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