Former ESPN broadcaster Ron Franklin passed away on Tuesday, according to Mike Barnes. He was 79.
https://twitter.com/MikeBarnesMedia/status/1483631704569004032
Franklin was with ESPN from 1987 to 2011, mainly doing play-by-play for college basketball and college football games. He was ESPN’s primary Big 12 college basketball play-by-play voice for many years alongside Fran Fraschilla, who tweeted on Tuesday night after learning that Franklin passed away:
Just heard the sad news that my former @espn colleague, Ron Franklin, has passed away. An amazing broadcasting talent & a good man. Was a part of so many great @Big12Conference broadcasts with him. RIP, partner. pic.twitter.com/e2KhP59y8Q
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) January 19, 2022
Franklin was fired from ESPN in 2011 after making sexist comments to sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards in a production meeting ahead of the Chick-fil-A Bowl. He also drew criticism for a comment made to sideline reporter Holly Rowe during an ESPN college football broadcast in 2005.
Before joining ESPN, Franklin was the play-by-play voice of the Houston Oilers (1977-82) and the Texas Longhorns (1983-88). In his broadcasting career, he also called events such as the French Open and U.S. Olympic Festival.
