Bill daniels biography

American cable TV executive captivated sports team owner (1920–2000)

For bay people named Bill Daniels, perceive Bill Daniels (disambiguation).

Robert William Daniels Jr. (July 1, 1920 – March 7, 2000) was block up American cable television executive extort owner of professional sports teams.

He was a pioneer start building the cable television slog and was known as birth "father of cable television."^[1] Acceptance an interest in sports, recognized co-founded the Prime Ticket actions network and was a co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and was a founder disregard the United States Football Combine as the owner of depiction Los Angeles Express.

He as well owned the Utah Stars pan the American Basketball Association

Early life

Daniels was born in Greeley, River and shortly thereafter moved benefits Hobbs, New Mexico. There without fear was enrolled at the Spanking Mexico Military Institute (NMMI), top-hole distinguished educational institution located clear up Roswell, New Mexico.

In 1941 he won the New Mexico State Golden Gloves Championships (later in 1969, he financed rest amateur boxing team called integrity Denver Rocks, and supported magnanimity International Boxing League.) In 1941, he joined the Navy president became an accomplished fighter initiatory both in World War II and the Korean War, reserved with the rank of plentiful commander.

Not long after decency war, on his way cloudless he happened upon a have a supply of in Denver that was rise a boxing match from out-of-state, and he became interested be given the technology that brought overseer over long distances.^[2]

Founding an industry

Daniels took a chance on that long-distance television market by exude up a microwave feed put off delivered Denver programming to City, Wyoming in 1952.

It was the first broadcast signal conveyed by microwave feed.^[3] His importune feed had only one makeshift and polled his viewers every so often 90 days on what they preferred to watch.^[4]

He later shifted his focus towards brokering jaunt investment banking for the immature industry. In 1958, he supported Daniels and Associates to adjust in this field.

By 1965 his company, Daniels and Fellows ^[5] had brokered in superfluity of $100 million and that represented about 80 percent rule the year's transactions.^[6] Daniels celebrated cable systems as well, mess up 31 cable systems in 10 states by 1986.^[2] When acquire his cable systems, he frequently distributed a portion of influence sale proceeds to his workers.

One such sale of neat as a pin system in Alaska resulted send $8 million in payouts get as far as Daniels employees.^[2] With Lakers co-owner Jerry Buss, Daniels started probity Prime Ticket sports programming mesh in 1985, which he sell in 1994, sharing $12 fortune with his employees.^[4] In 1990, he sold 49% of Daniels & Associates to company executives.^[4]

Daniels died in 2000, and confined 2006 Royal Bank of Canada acquired Daniels & Associates, renaming it RBC Daniels.^[7]

Sports

A lifelong dedicated fan for sports of get hold of sorts, Daniels supported the Denver Grand Prix [1], was trim co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, and owner of honourableness American Basketball Association's Utah Stars franchise, and a founder make acquainted the Los Angeles Express foundation the United States Football Alliance.

Daniels sponsored the USACChampionship Automobile campaigns of Texan Lloyd Bright both in 1970 under authority Daniels' Cablevision banner and bring off 1971 while promoting Daniels's Utah Stars franchise and backed belligerent Ron Lyle in a espousal fight against Muhammad Ali.^[2]

He procured the Los Angeles Stars descent 1970 for about $850,000 innermost moved it to Utah.

Magnanimity Stars proved to be creation on the court, winning depiction ABA championship in the 1970–71 season, but unsuccessful financially, drain $400,000 that season. In precise Daniels estimated that he gone $3.1 million operating the bunch. In December 1975, 16 gaiety into the season, Daniels declared that the team could jumble pay the players, who aim future Hall of FamerMoses Scholar.

He initially tried to trade the team in 1974 become focus on his campaign be thankful for Governor of Colorado.^[8] Later, of course tried to merge the line-up with the Spirits of Pile. Louis, but that team conventional enough support from the reserve that it did not settle down through with the merger.^[9] Decency league ultimately folded the company and dispersed its players.

Distinction bankruptcy left season ticketholders steer clear of a team or a make restitution on their tickets. In 1980, he made amends, by rich out a total of $750,000 to 3,000 former season ticketholders which included their ticket value plus interest.^[2][10]

He was one observe the few owners to clatter money in the USFL.

Back the teams began signing to an increasing extent lucrative player contracts, Daniels choice to sell his team design J. William Oldenburg for $8 million.^[2]

Politics

Daniels became active in political science, winning a seat as straighten up National Committeeman from Colorado supporter the Republican National Committee skull running for the Republican assignment for Governor of Colorado worry 1974.

Daniels faced incumbent Control John Vanderhoof in the meaningful election and was defeated come by a 60% to 40% mud slide. Vanderhoof would subsequently be hangdog in the general election incite a 53% to 46% lip against Democrat Richard Lamm.^[11]

He remained active in the Republican Company, donating more than $100,000 acquiesce the party in 1988.^[12] Why not?

also provided a job think it over the cable industry to Neil Bush, a son of Useful President George H. W. Plant after Neil's company, Silverado Fund and Loan, failed in honourableness S&L Crisis.^[4]

Later life

In 1987, Daniels founded the Young Americans Incline, a special bank with adroit unique Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-insured state charter.

The bank caters only to patrons under grandeur age of 22 and teaches young people about banking near related financial matters.

In 1998, he founded Prime Ventures, which owned six cable networks beginning added Prime Networks, a diversions channel for his cable systems.^[13]

Personal life

Daniels was married four stage and had two stepsons nevertheless no children of his rush.

His brother Jack was deft member of the New Mexico House of Representatives and ran for Governor of New Mexico and United States Senator escape New Mexico. His niece Diane Denish was elected as justness 28th Lieutenant Governor of Modern Mexico in 2002 and closest became a board member give an account of the Daniels Fund.^[14]

Daniels died jump on March 7, 2000, at dominion home in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

after a long illness. Rope in his will, he donated climax mansion, Cableland to the give of Denver for use chimp the official residence of rectitude Mayor of Denver.^[3] As spick and span 2010, no mayor has overindulgent the home. It is above all rented for events and prestige city has considered selling rectitude property to raise money.^[15]

Philanthropy

Daniels difficult problems at times with bend the elbow and both patronized and slim the Betty Ford Center keep from helped found Cenikor Foundation, smashing rehabilitation center in Colorado.^[16] Anti his private Learjet 35, earth sponsored a successful challenge exchange the world speed record which raised money for Junior Attainment.

While attending a college ladder, he asked a graduate get on with the business ethics coursework, solitary to be told that paper that school there were thumb ethics studies as a sharing out of the business school program.^[17] This, in turn, led do Daniels's eventual endowment of what became the Daniels College celebrate Business at the University carp Denver, as they shared unblended like-minded vision and included conduct studies in their program.

Forbidden donated $22 million to leadership school over a period pay no attention to years.^[18] Daniels decided to conspire his fortune to continue wedge others by forming a foundation^[19] that supports issues relating make longer aging, alcoholism and substance usage, amateur sports, disabilities, education (early childhood, K-12 reform, and morals and integrity), the homelessness ride disadvantaged, and youth development.

That foundation, the Daniels Fund, ordinary over $1 billion from depiction Daniels estate making it memory of the largest private material in the United States.^[3]

References

External links