BREAKING NEWS: ESPN Fires Ron Franklin

Just learning this now. Will get more details later.

UPDATE, 4:18 p.m.: Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch tweets the following news:

ESPN has terminated Ron Franklin based on what happened with Jeannine Edwards. Email just sent to reporters with the news.

More to follow including official statement from ESPN.

UPDATE, 4:25 p.m.: John Ourand from Sports Business Daily/Journal received this terse statement from ESPN:

Based on what occurred last Friday, we have ended our relationship with him.

As you’re aware, this stems from last week before the Chick-Fil-A Bowl where Franklin and sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards had a spat during a production meeting. Edwards tried to interject and Franklin apparently called her “Sweet baby”. When Edwards objected, Franklin then said, “Why not a&@hole?”

Certainly not the way Ron should have ended his career at ESPN. I’ll continue to monitor.

UPDATE, 4:55 p.m.: So far, no statement from either Ron Franklin or Jeannine Edwards. After the incident was reported to ESPN officials, Franklin was removed from ESPN Radio’s broadcast of the Fiesta Bowl which he would have worked with Edwards.

Mike McCarthy of USA Today who had comments from both Edwards and Franklin yesterday recaps the day’s events.

More as the events continue to break.

UPDATE, 8:00 p.m.: SportsbyBrooks which broke the original story on Sunday, cites an ESPN source saying Franklin never showed any remorse and never apologized personally to Edwards. Goes to show things can move very quickly when a story goes viral as this one did.

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone and iPad

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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