Infamous ex-MLB announcer Thom Brennaman hired by CW to call ACC, Pac-12 games

The CW has hired Thom Brennaman, the former play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Reds who was fired in 2020, to be its lead voice for nationally-televised college football games, per The Athletic. Brennaman couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity.

“There are no words to describe how grateful I am that they’re rolling the dice,” Brennaman told The Athletic. “They don’t have to do this.”

Brennaman was a commentator for FOX Sports from 1994-2020. More specifically, Brennaman was the Cincinnati Reds’ commentator from 2007-20.

On August 19, 2020, while providing commentary on FOX Sports Ohio for the first game of a doubleheader between the Reds and the Kansas City Royals, Brennaman was caught on a hot mic calling a city, later revealed to be San Francisco, “one of the f** capitals of the world.”

The Reds pulled Brennaman off the air during the second game. However, before leaving the booth, Brennaman apologized for his use of the homophobic slur. Brennaman’s apology went viral for the wrong reasons when he stopped mid-apology to announce a home run by Nick Castellanos.

Later that day, the Reds announced Brennaman would be suspended indefinitely from calling their games. Additionally, FOX Sports removed Brennaman from its 2020 NFL broadcast roster. Brennaman released a more in-depth apology through the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“As many of you know, I said something hateful on the air Wednesday night, something no one should ever say,” Brennaman wrote. “Something that no one should ever think. Something that no one should ever feel. Something no one should ever hear. I could to try to explain it or tell you about who I am and what I believe, but those things would all be excuses. The simple fact is, what I said was wrong.

“I used a word that is both offensive and insulting. In the past 24 hours, I have read about its history; I had no idea it was so rooted in hate and violence and am particularly ashamed that I, someone who makes his living by the use of words, could be so careless and insensitive. It’s a word that should have no place in my vocabulary and I will certainly never utter it again.”

After the incident, Brennaman served as a play-by-play announcer for the Roberto Clemente League in Puerto Rico for the 2020–21 season. Following his stint with the team, Brennaman called high school games in the Cincinnati area for Chatterbox Sports, a subscription-based streaming service.

Thom Brennaman will make his return to the broadcasting booth on Aug. 31 when Oregon State squares off against Idaho State. Brennaman will begin his stint with The CW as part of its Pac-12 package but he will predominantly work on the ACC.