Sportscaster Gets The Axe After Saying The Word ‘N***er’ On-Air

During a recent broadcast, Glen Kuiper, an announcer for the Oakland A’s, was suspended after using the N-word on-air during a game in Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium on May 5. He apologized, but after an internal investigation, his employer, NBC Sports California, confirmed his suspension turned into a termination, and he will not return to the broadcast booth.

A spokesperson with NBC Sports California confirmed the firing in a statement, with several media outlets reporting the news, including a sports writer from the Associated Press tweeting, “Glen Kuiper out as A’s broadcaster following racial slur. NBC Sports California spokesman: “Following an internal review, the decision has been made for NBC Sports California to end its relationship with Glen Kuiper, effective immediately.”

During a pregame segment between the A’s and the Royals, 60-year-old Kuiper uttered the N-word while discussing his latest visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. 

He said, “We had a phenomenal day today. N**ger league museum, and Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.” After a commercial break, Kuiper started the next segment with an apology saying, “I said something that didn’t come out quite the way I wanted it to. I just wanted to apologize if it sounded different than I meant it to be said… I just wanted to apologize for that.”

CBS News Bay Area reported that Kuiper released a statement following his termination. In the statement, Kuiper doesn’t exactly take responsibility in his response, instead questioning whether one mistake in 20 years justified the decision.

“I wish the Oakland A’s and NBC Sports would have taken into consideration my 20-year career, my solid reputation, integrity, and character, but in this current environment, traits like integrity and character are no longer considered. I will always have a hard time understanding how one mistake in a 20-year broadcasting career is cause for termination, but I know something better is in my future.”

Before this incident, Kuiper covered A’s games for over 16 seasons.