Connal was one of the first producers at ESPN in '79 and went on to produce a wide range of live sportsTwitter
Award-winning TV producer BRUCE CONNAL on Thursday passed away at the age of 61 "after a brief illness," according to the HARTFORD COURANT. Connal was one of the "first producers at ESPN" in '79 and went on to "produce a wide range of live sports around the world." He also "established his own company, Legend Productions." Funeral services will be held Friday at 1:00pm ET at Trinity Episcopal Church in Hartford (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/4). ESPN interim President GEORGE BODENHEIMER on the company's employee website wrote, "In ESPN's formative years, few producers worked on more of the network's bigger events than Bruce." Connal came to ESPN from NBC sports in October '79 -- just one month after ESPN launched -- "following in the footsteps" of his father, SCOTTY, who had joined ESPN prior to launch and was "instrumental in not only launching the network, but also in providing seasoned leadership in establishing foundational principles for future success" (ESPN). ESPN VP/Corporate Communications Mike Soltys: "RIP Bruce Connal. He produced many of ESPN's top events in the 80s and 90s and was a pleasure to work with." Sportsnet's John Shannon: "We spent many a night in TV mobiles. He for ESPN, me for HNIC. His passion for TV and for hockey kept the game alive in America for many. Fans across the USA learned the game through his eyes. So long, friend."
