A’s broadcaster Glen Kuiper let go after making racist remarks on the air
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics broadcaster Glen Kuiper was fired by NBC Sports California after he made racial slurs on air while describing a trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Kuiper was suspended by the network after his insult aired during a pregame segment of an A’s game against the Kansas City Royals on May 5. Kuiper talked about a trip to the museum with colleague Dallas Braden, but he apparently mispronounced the word “nigger,” making it sound like a slur instead.
“Following an internal review, the decision has been made that NBC Sports California is ending its relationship with Glen Kuiper effective immediately,” the network said in a statement Monday. “We thank Glen for his dedication to Bay Area baseball over the years.”
A person familiar with the investigation said: “The decision was based on several factors, including information uncovered in the internal review.” The individual spoke on condition of anonymity and did not release specific details because the network had not made the results of the investigation public.
Kuiper apologized on air later in that match without going into details, saying he said something that “didn’t quite come out the way I wanted it to.” He later released a statement through the network when he was suspended saying, “I couldn’t be more sorry and shocked by what I said. I hope you will accept my sincere apologies.”
A’s manager Mark Kotsay said the decision was not made by the team and he sympathizes with Kuiper.
“I can’t imagine being in his shoes right now,” said Kotsay. “I personally think we may have missed an opportunity here to use this as an educational platform. But like you said, I don’t make decisions and this isn’t a decision that I was involved in and neither really did the organization. This was an NBC decision.”
Kuiper has been calling A’s games in the Bay Area for 20 years. He is the younger brother of former Major Leaguer and Giants announcer Duane Kuiper.
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AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed to this report
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