Reds say broadcaster Thom Brennaman resigns after anti-gay slur

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds say team broadcaster Thom Brennaman has resigned following his use of an anti-gay slur on air last month.

Brennaman used the slur moments after the feed from the Fox Sports Ohio telecast returned from a commercial break before the top of the seventh inning in the first game of a doubleheader at Kansas City on Aug. 19.

Brennaman did not seem to realize he was already on air. He later apologized.

The 57-year-old was taken off the air before the fifth inning of the second game.

“The
Reds respect Thom Brennaman’s decision to step away from the broadcast
booth and applaud his heartfelt efforts of reconciliation with the
LGBTQ+ community,” Reds CEO Bob Castellini said in a statement. “The
Brennaman family has been an intrinsic part of the Reds history for
nearly fifty years. We sincerely thank Thom for bringing the excitement
of Reds baseball to millions of fans during his years in the booth.”

The
son of Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman, Thom has called major
league games for 33 years and has been with Fox Sports for the past 27,
covering primarily baseball and football.

Fox Sports had already said that Brennaman wouldn’t call NFL games because of the slur.

Fox
issued a statement on Aug. 20 that said “we are moving forward with our
NFL schedule which will not include him.” The network also said
Brennaman’s remarks were “abhorrent, unacceptable, and not
representative of the values of Fox Sports.”