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)

Related: Other News

Skydiver rescued after crashing into Virginia Tech scoreboard
A skydiver crashed into the Lane Stadium scoreboard before Virginia Tech's first spring football game under new coach James Franklin on Saturday. Virginia Tech officials...
Sat Apr 18, 2026

‘On to the next one’ – the Big Ten is dominating the new era of college sports
The Big Ten Conference has now won the football (Indiana), men’s basketball (Michigan), and women’s basketball (UCLA) national titles in the same year. It is...
Sat Apr 18, 2026

The NCAA Has Long Way to Go
How the NCAA and college athletics continue to evolve: "The simplest way is to break basketball and football off. But you still have a lot...
Fri Apr 17, 2026

Duke announces contract extension with football coach Manny Diaz through 2031 season
Duke has agreed to a contract extension with football coach Manny Diaz through the 2031 season, coming after Diaz led the Blue Devils to their...
Fri Apr 17, 2026