Kevin Brown finally returned to the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network on Friday night, hours after the Orioles’ lead play-by-play broadcaster asked fans to “disregard the distracting noise of the past few days” — noise that stemmed from his absence from television and led to “Free Kevin Brown” chants at Camden Yards.
Brown appeared on the MASN airwaves for the first time since July 23 to provide play-by-play as Baltimore faced the Seattle Mariners at 10:10 p.m. E.T. at T-Mobile Park.
Here's Kevin Brown back in the Orioles TV booth for MASN. The intro featured no mention of his extended absence. pic.twitter.com/iiaWAgumDD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 12, 2023
Brown made no mention of his prolonged absence or the controversy surrounding it in the opening segment of the broadcast alongside analyst Brad Brach.
Brown had called the series against the Philadelphia Phillies from July 24 to July 26 on the radio, but his absence on television stemmed from factual comments made ahead of the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, a source with direct knowledge of the decision said.
A senior Orioles official told The Baltimore Banner this week that Brown would return in the near future but declined to offer the ballclub’s perspective on why Brown was off the airwaves. A report from the website Awful Announcing first linked Brown’s comment — in which he accurately said “the Orioles have won more games against [the Rays] this season than the last two combined” — as the reason Brown was off air.
In a thread on X, formerly called Twitter, Brown wrote: “Unfortunately, recent media reports have mischaracterized my relationship with my adopted hometown Orioles. The fact is that I have a wonderful relationship with the organization, and our ownership and front office has fully supported me since 2019 when I first came aboard.
O’s fans – I’m a storyteller. And never want to be a part of the story. The most compelling story in baseball right now is the story of the league-leading Baltimore Orioles – the best, most exciting young team in the American League.
— Kevin Brown (@kevinnbrown) August 11, 2023
“I ask that everyone disregard the distracting noise of the past few days. I have worked closely with O’s SVP Greg Bader for the past four years, and [Orioles chairman and CEO] John Angelos and I have a solid dialogue based on mutual respect. We are all good here in Birdland!”
Brown added that “there is no place in baseball I’d rather be now and for the long haul.”
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