Fox Sports Sun Fires Sideline Reporter

Emily Austen

Emily Austen, a sideline reporter on MLB Tampa  Rays television broadcasts, will no longer appear on Fox Sports Sun because of insensitive comments she made on the Facebook Live page for Barstool Sports, a sports website.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that during a 35-minute video with three men, Austen made several controversial comments:

• That she "didn't even know that Mexicans were that smart.''

• How the "Chinese guy is always the smartest guy in math class.''

• About how she "used to talk to Jews in Boca'' when she was a server, saying one customer was "stingy'' because he complained about how she poured his beer and that "they would complain and b---- about everything.''

Austen, 27, also referred to Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player Kevin Love as a "little b - - - -.''

Austen was a sideline reporter on Rays and Orlando Magic games, and hosted such programs as Inside the Rays. A contract employee, meaning she worked and was paid per event, Austen worked for Fox Sports Florida and Fox Sports Sun. She was not employed or paid by the Rays.

In a statement, Steve Tello, the GM/Senior Vice-President of Fox Sports Florida said, "We were made aware that Emily Austen appeared in a social media video unaffiliated with Fox Sports in which she made insensitive and derogatory comments. She was not speaking on behalf of Fox Sports, nor do we condone any of the statements she made in the video. Emily has been advised that her comments were unacceptable, and she is not scheduled to appear on any upcoming Fox Sports Florida or Fox Sports Sun broadcasts."