Baseball Announcer Thom Brennaman Apologizes On-Air, Abruptly Exits Game After Using Homophobic Slur — Watch

Dave Nemetz
·2 min read

Longtime baseball announcer Thom Brennaman offered an apology during Wednesday’s broadcast of a Cincinnati Reds game after a hot mic caught him using a homophobic slur.

Brennaman, who works as the Reds’ play-by-play announcer for Fox Sports Ohio, was heard during Wednesday’s Reds game referring to “one of the f-g capitals of the world,” using a three-letter gay slur. (Brennaman apparently didn’t know he was live on the air at the time.)

UPDATE: Brennaman has been suspended. “The Cincinnati Reds organization is devastated by the horrific, homophobic remark made this evening by broadcaster Thom Brennaman,” the team said in a statement. “In no way does this incident represent our players, coaches, organization, or our fans. We share our sincerest apologies to the LGBTQ+ community in Cincinnati, Kansas City, all across this country, and beyond.”

Later in the broadcast, Brennaman apologized: “I’m so very, very sorry. I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith… I don’t know if I’m going to be putting on this headset again.” He went on to apologize “for the people who sign my paycheck, for the Reds, for Fox Sports Ohio, for the people I work with, for anyone I’ve offended here tonight. I can’t begin to tell you how deeply sorry I am. That is not who I am. It never has been, and I’d like to think maybe I could have some people that could back that up. I am very, very sorry, and I beg for your forgiveness.”

Brennaman then left the broadcast, replaced by fellow announcer Jim Day. Brennaman is a veteran sports announcer with decades of experience, having covered Fox’s national broadcasts of NFL, MLB and college football games before moving to Fox Sports Ohio to cover the Reds full-time.

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