Fans listening to the Fox Sports Ohio play-by-play of the Cincinnati Reds playing the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday also heard broadcaster Thom Brennaman describe a place as "one of the fag capitals of the world."
It's not clear what Brennaman was referring to when his utterance was caught on his hot mike. Regardless, viewers were incensed and Brennaman was pressured to issue an on-air apology, which he almost immediately flubbed.
In the middle of his apology (see below), Brennaman announced a home run, again infuriating some viewers.
"I made a comment earlier tonight that I guess went out over the air that I am deeply ashamed of," Brennaman began. "If I have hurt anyone out there, I can't tell you how much I say from the bottom of my heart I'm so very, very sorry. I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith."
Then after announcing the home run, he added, "I don't know if I'm going to be putting on this headset again. I don't know if it's going to be for the Reds. I don't know if it's going to be for my bosses at Fox. I want to apologize for the people who sign my paycheck, for the Reds, for Fox Sports Ohio, for the people I work with. For anybody that I've offended here tonight, I can't begin to tell you how deeply sorry I am."
Brennaman was right that his employers were not pleased. The Reds announced his suspension, with Fox Sports Ohio publicly supporting the decision.
Additionally, officials with the Reds said they will speak with their broadcasting team about the on-air slur and apologized to the "LGBTQ+ community in Cincinnati, Kansas City, all across this country, and beyond."
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