Former ESPN play-by-play broadcaster dies at 79

Former ESPN play-by-play broadcaster Ron Franklin has died. He was 79.

Franklin was a longtime voice for the network, primarily covering college football and college basketball games. He was at ESPN from 1987 through 2011.

Before he started at ESPN, Franklin served as the play-by-play voice for the NFL’s Houston Oilers and later the Texas Longhorns. His career in broadcasting also led him to cover events such as the French Open and U.S. Olympic Festival.

Just got the sad news that my friend Ron Franklin has passed away.
If you’re a sports fan, you knew Ron Franklin and his amazing voice. Incredibly talented and knowledgeable and very nice and gracious. RIP.
🙏🏻✝️❤️

— Mike Barnes (@MikeBarnesMedia) January 19, 2022

Franklin also was a sports director at four different television stations during his career in broadcasting. He was a graduate of the University of Mississippi.

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB