Geoffrey Mason, a titan in the world of sports television with a career spanning fifty years, has passed away at the age of 85. He was most renowned for his role as the coordinating producer during ABC’s broadcast of the tragic 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis.
According to ESPN, Mason’s death occurred on Sunday in Naples, Florida. His family confirmed that he died of natural causes.
Steve Bornstein, a former president of ESPN, remembered Mason as a visionary in the industry who was more interested in leading and mentoring rather than seeking personal accolades. “Geoff was dedicated to fostering talent and guiding projects, with a strong commitment to helping people in all aspects of recovery,” Bornstein reflected.
Throughout his illustrious career, Mason contributed to the production of eight Olympic Games. Notably, on September 5, 1972, he was present in the control room in Munich, Germany, when the Palestinian group Black September infiltrated the Olympic village, taking members of the Israeli team hostage.
ABC delivered an uninterrupted 22-hour news coverage of the incident, which tragically ended with a failed rescue attempt. This resulted in the deaths of six Israeli coaches and five athletes. The heartbreaking news was delivered by Jim McKay with the words, “They’re all gone.”
Mason’s expertise was invaluable as a consultant for the upcoming 2024 film “September 5,” which portrays the tense atmosphere within the ABC control room during the crisis. The international broadcast center in Munich was merely 100 yards from the unfolding events 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.
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