Former ESPN play-by-play voice Ron Franklin is suing the network over his dismissal.
Franklin, fired by ESPN/ABC after comments he made to a colleague, has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging wrongful termination and breach of contract, according to multiple outlets.
ESPN fired Franklin on January 5, days after he referred to ESPN reporter Jeannine Edwards as “sweet baby” and an expletive during a production meeting prior to the December 31 Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
The lawsuit describes Franklin’s comments as an “innocuous personal conversation” (statesman.com, 1/18/11), and alleges that he did not “violate the failure to perform clause of his contract” (chron.com, 1/19/11). That clause, according to the Houston Chronicle, “lists lack of preparation … acts of ‘moral turpitude’ and acts that would result in ‘public humiliation to ESPN’ as grounds for dismissal.”
In addition, the suit accuses ESPN/ABC of “[disseminating] false and inflated versions of the events” (statesman.com, 1/18/11).
This is the latest drama involving Franklin. In 2005, Franklin called sideline reporter Holly Rowe “sweetheart” on air in what ESPN’s then-ombudsman called a “demeaning tone … disrespectful to the audience and to a colleague” (espn.com, 10/12/05).
Franklin also disagreed publicly with ESPN’s decision to reduce his role. When he was removed from ESPN’s Big Monday college basketball telecasts for the 2010 season, he called the move “hurtful” (newsok.com, 11/6/09).
After saying he planned to retire from broadcasting after the 2010 college basketball season (newsok.com, 7/17/09), Franklin signed a new two-year deal with ESPN last May (chron.com, 5/28/10).
(link to statesman.com from collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com, 1/19/11)
