Ron Franklin, Longtime ESPN Broadcaster, Passes Away at 79 Posted Jan 20, 2022 Ron Franklin was a prominent voice for a generation of fans growing up watching college football and basketball on ESPN. The veteran broadcaster passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79. Franklin is best known for his work with ESPN, where he called games and anchored studio shows from 1987 to 2011. Fran Fraschilla first shared the news. (Barrett Sports Media)