Portland Trail Blazers, the NBA team, announced they were parting ways with Braiden Bell just hours after hiring him as their broadcaster. The team issued a statement after the firing.
Yet another said “Newly hired NBA announcer just got fired for an anti Asian tweet he posted in 2012. He was at the forefront of the team’s first season, calling all 25 home games and supporting the organization’s community and brand initiatives. Social media posts made by our recently announced play-by-play broadcaster are in clear violation of team and league policies, as well as our values and expectations.
Therefore, we will not be moving forward with this broadcaster,” they said. “The Portland Trail Blazers have zero tolerance for racist , sexist, or harmful comments. “The play-by-play role carries a long legacy of excellence, on the broadcast and in character, and we hold that standard without exception. We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City. We believe strongly that everyone who is a part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better,” the statement added. His name is Braiden Bell. In addition to his work with the Mercury, Bell is also the inaugural play-by-play voice for the Valley Suns, the G League affiliate of the Phoenix Suns.
