Thom Brennaman Joins The CW’s College Football Announcing Team, 4 Years After Gay Slur Scandal

Veteran broadcaster Thom Brennaman has been tapped to call ACC and select Pac-12 football games for The CW.

The announcement comes nearly four years after Brennaman was caught on-air using a homophobic slur, and subsequently suspended by the Cincinnati Reds baseball organization. One month after that, Brennaman resigned from Fox Sports Ohio.

During the broadcast of a Reds game in August 2020, Brennaman was heard referring to “one of the f– capitals of the world,” using a three-letter gay slur. (He apparently didn’t know he was live on the air at the time.) Later in that broadcast, he offered an apology: “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 then exited the broadcast, replaced by fellow announcer Jim Day.

For the past three years, Brennaman has been employed by Chatterbox Sports.

All told, The CW’s lead broadcast crew for ACC and select Pac-12 football games will consist of Brennaman alongside booth analyst Max Browne and sideline reporter Treavor Scales.

Pac-12 games on The CW will be called by hall-of-fame play-by-play announcer Ted Robinson, booth analyst Chase Daniel and sideline reporter Nigel Burton.

The late window Pac-12 “After Dark” games will be called by announcer J.B. Long, booth analyst Michael Bumpus and sideline reporters Camryn Irwin and Heidi Watney.

The new and live CW Football Saturday studio show — featuring host Mike Yam and a rotating panel of analysts including former Washington State captain/NFL veteran Erik Coleman, former Washington State wide receiver Bumpus and former Portland State head coach Burton — will premiere on Saturday, Aug 31,, when the network’s college football slate licks off with a Pac-12 doubleheader featuring Portland State visiting Washington State (at 3 pm ET) followed by a primetime matchup between Idaho State and Oregon State (6: 30 pm).

ACC college football coverage on The CW begins with Marshall at Virginia Tech on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 4:30 pm, followed by a primetime matchup between Ole Miss and Wake Forest on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 6:30 pm.