Geoffrey Mason, a towering figure in sports television whose career spanned five decades, has passed away at the age of 85. Renowned for his role as the coordinating producer during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games hostage crisis, Mason’s contributions to the industry are significant and enduring.

According to ESPN, Mason died of natural causes on Sunday in Naples, Florida, as confirmed by his family.

Former ESPN President Steve Bornstein reflected on Mason’s impactful career, stating, “Geoff was a giant visionary in television, never seeking credit. He preferred leading and mentoring teams, connecting people to projects, and was devoted to the recovery of all sorts. He was a great teacher and mentor to everyone who came in his orbit.”

Mason’s impressive career included his involvement in eight Olympic Games. He was thrust into the international spotlight on September 5, 1972, as a young producer in the control room in Munich, Germany. On that fateful day, the Palestinian militant group Black September seized the Olympic village, taking members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage.

In a gripping 22-hour broadcast, ABC reported on the unfolding crisis, which tragically concluded with a failed rescue attempt. The devastating event resulted in the deaths of six Israeli coaches and five athletes, with Jim McKay solemnly announcing to the world, “They’re all gone.”

Mason was a consultant on the script and every aspect of production for the 2024 feature film “September 5,” which recreates what it was like in the ABC control room that day. The international broadcast center in Munich was 100 yards away from where the hostage crisis was taking place in the Olympic village.

The movie recreates the moment when West German police stormed the control room and pointed guns at Mason’s face. This happened because one of ABC’s cameras was showing a tactical squad taking position on the roof above the hostages. Mason ended up cutting off the camera’s feed.

It is estimated that nearly 900 million people worldwide at some point viewed ABC’s coverage.

“Geoff told me that day there was no chance to think. Their singular goal was to stay on the air to keep the story going, to do their job as sports broadcasters,” said John Magaro, who played Mason, in 2025. “Once the clock starts ticking, there’s no chance to think.”

Mason’s career was largely spent with ABC and ESPN, but he also worked for NBC, Fox, NFL Network, and other television entities. He began as a production associate at ABC Sports in 1967, working on “Wide World of Sports” and the 1968 Winter and Summer Olympics. Over the years, he earned 24 Emmy Awards and was inducted into the
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2010.

He also worked on Super Bowl 25, “Monday Night Football”, the World Series, horse racing’s Triple Crown, the Indianapolis 500, and the FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cup tournaments.

He is also known for his coverage of the 1986-87 America’s Cup from Fremantle, Australia.

“Geoff Mason was a friend and a colleague who had a storied career, touching just about every corner of the sports television industry,” said Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC and ESPN. “He had a passion for the business, which was evidenced in his prodigious work ethic and the constant love and enthusiasm he exhibited on everything he worked on.

Mason was selected by Jim Valvano as a founding board member of the V Foundation for Cancer Research and a longtime board member of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. He delivered a eulogy during Betty Ford’s funeral in 2011.

Mason was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology in 1963. Survivors include wife Chris, son Geoff Jr. and brother David.
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AP Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report.