Television sports executives reacted with deep concern Sunday upon learning NBC Sports and Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol had been seriously injured in a plane crash in Colorado.
His son, Teddy, 14, was missing, the network told its Denver affiliate. Another son, Charlie, also was aboard but survived. Two other people on the plane were killed.
"We're overjoyed Dick survived this crash, but our hearts go out to Dick and Susan (St. James, his wife) on the news of his son, Teddy," Fox Sports chairman David Hill said. "This is a horrible, horrible tragedy."
TV consultant Neal Pilson, former president of CBS Sports, said, "Dick is an inspirational leader for our industry. We all pray for him and his sons."
"Dick's one of the giants of this industry," said Barry Frank of IMG, "and an injury to him or his family affects us all."
Ebersol, 57, was aboard the plane bound for South Bend, Ind., where Charlie Ebersol is a senior at Notre Dame. (Related item: Ebersol survives jet crash; two killed)
Dan Prinster, vice president of St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, Colo., declined to confirm that Ebersol had been transferred there. "Family members have asked that we not release the names or conditions of the two patients related to the Montrose crash that were transferred here," he said.
Often named one of the most powerful people in sports by The Sporting News, Ebersol took over a struggling NBC Sports in 1989 and built one of the most effective network sports divisions, landing rights to the NBA, Major League Baseball and horse racing's Triple Crown.
However, he is best known for directing NBC's purchase of the U.S. TV rights to five Olympic Games in 1995. NBC has added two more Games, taking it through the 2012 event.
MSNBC Countdown host Keith Olbermann lauds Ebersol, the network manager.
"I don't know how many of us think of him more as a role model and mentor than we think of him as a boss," Olbermann said.
The plane crash occurred at a time when Ebersol was to lead NBC in expected negotiations with the NFL for packages for the broadcast network and cable's USA Network. That responsibility could fall to NBC Sports President Ken Schanzer.
Like other NBC Sports officials, Schanzer declined to comment Sunday.