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| Thom Brennaman | |
|---|---|
| Name | Thom Brennaman |
| Birth date | 1963-07-12 |
| Birth place | Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Years active | 1984–2020s |
Thom Brennaman Thom Brennaman is an American sportscaster known for play-by-play announcing across Major League Baseball, National Football League, and college football broadcasts. He worked with regional and national networks including Fox Sports, TBS, FOX Sports Ohio, and SiriusXM before his high-profile dismissal. Brennaman's career spanned calls for teams such as the Cincinnati Reds and events like the World Series and College World Series.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio to a family with media ties, Brennaman is the son of veteran broadcaster Marty Brennaman, longtime voice of the Cincinnati Reds. He attended Xavier University for part of his higher education and later studied at institutions linked to sportscasting development and broadcast internships in the Midwestern United States, gaining early experience with regional outlets and minor league coverage.
Brennaman began in radio and minor league baseball, progressing from local stations to regional sports networks covering the Cincinnati Reds and University of Cincinnati athletics. He joined national platforms, providing play-by-play for Fox Sports, including national MLB telecasts, and worked for TBS on postseason coverage. His assignments extended to NFL broadcasts for Fox, college football bowl games tied to conferences such as the Big Ten Conference and the Southeastern Conference, and baseball showcase events including the All-Star Game.
Brennaman called regular season and postseason Major League Baseball games, including appearances on Fox Sports telecasts of the World Series and National League Championship Series. He served as the television voice for the Cincinnati Reds on FOX Sports Ohio and performed play-by-play for College World Series broadcasts and Sugar Bowl-adjacent college football telecasts. Brennaman's work covered marquee matchups featuring teams like the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, and collegiate programs such as Ohio State Buckeyes, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Brennaman's career encountered significant controversy following an on-air incident during a national Cincinnati Reds broadcast where he used an offensive slur. The incident drew immediate responses from networks including Fox Sports, affiliates, and sponsors such as national advertisers and prompted statements from organizations including the Major League Baseball Players Association and local franchise leadership. Following internal reviews and public backlash involving personalities, executives, and media commentators across outlets like CNN, ESPN, and The New York Times, Brennaman was suspended and subsequently dismissed from his roles at several platforms. The dismissal prompted discussions among unions, broadcasters, and civil rights organizations including NAACP-aligned advocates and industry groups concerning conduct policies, leading to changes in assignment practices across networks.
Brennaman is part of a broadcasting family; his father, Marty Brennaman, is a long-tenured radio announcer for the Cincinnati Reds and a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Thom's personal associations include connections to other sports media figures and former colleagues from networks such as Fox Sports and TBS. He has maintained residences in the Cincinnati metropolitan area and has been involved in regional community activities tied to sports franchises and charitable events supported by teams like the Cincinnati Reds and collegiate athletic programs.
Throughout his career, Brennaman received recognition typical for national and regional sportscasters, including nominations and accolades from industry organizations such as the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, broadcasting awards associated with regional sports networks, and acknowledgments tied to high-profile event coverage like the World Series and college bowl games. His work on regional telecasts contributed to network ratings milestones for FOX Sports Ohio and regional broadcasts reaching audiences in the Midwestern United States and nationally.
Category:American sports announcers