Renel Brooks-Moon

Renel Brooks-Moon (born September 22, 1958), known on-air simply as Renel, is an American former radio personality who hosted shows on radio stations KCBS, KFRC, KMEL, and KISQ before serving as the public address announcer for the San Francisco Giants from 2000 to 2024. Though she is the second female PA announcer in Giants and Major League Baseball history, and MLB's annual All-Star Game. Her father, Nathaniel, was a civil rights activist and, like his wife, was also an educator, teaching for nearly 20 years in Richmond, California, before becoming the first Black school principal in San Francisco in 1968, which helped to inspire Renel to achieve her goals.

Renel grew up on baseball, thanks to her parents' love of the game. While her parents were initially fans of the Dodgers (due to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier),

Education In her high school years, Brooks-Moon attended Woodside High School in Redwood City, California. From her first day at school in 1972, she found herself struggling with the prevalent racism within the school system. Racists would throw rocks at her school bus, white kids dressed in blackface and afros during Halloween, and violence would break out due to the desegregation program that had gone into effect at Bay Area Peninsula schools in the 1970s. Her grades would suffer as a result of the stress, something she hid from her parents because she didn't want to be seen as a disappointment, considering how entrenched they were in the educational system. To combat her personal and academic struggles, she found solace within cheerleading, music, and drama.

KFRC After four years at the station, Brooks-Moon used her experience to obtain a position as a sales assistant with Bay Area radio station, KFRC. Even though it was a non-broadcast job, Renel was ecstatic to get her foot in the door at a music station. Eventually, she landed a position in the Public Affairs department at the station and even ran it while her supervisor was out on maternity leave. After the station decided that they needed to cut costs by producing their block of community talk shows in-house, Renel was approached to host the show "Bay View", which addressed concerns of citizens within the Bay Area's Black community, which she took up in earnest. At first, she was simply reading scripts and produced material but soon began booking and talking with her own guests due to the connections she had made while growing up and living within the community. But, it wasn't until Brooks-Moon would sing a block of Motown songs at the company Christmas party in 1985 that her voice talents were truly recognized. Brooks-Moon was approached by then-program director "The Duke" Dave Schollen who connected her with KFRC's on-air crews in order to create a demo tape. A week after the demo tapes were sent off, Brooks-Moon was given her own Top 40 music show which aired at midnight on the weekend, which introduced listeners to "Rockin' Renel". She became one of the most popular voices on the station. Two months later, she was promoted to a spot during commute hours (from 3 PM to 7 PM) called "Afternoon Drive". Renel thought that she'd have the job for years – but the station decided to undergo a format change, killing the modern music she was used to and switched to big band music instead. Most of the station was laid off during that time.

As the Giants' PA announcer, Brooks-Moon became an iconic figure with her dynamic voice. Known for her "infectious enthusiasm" and "intensity" (according to former Giants catcher Buster Posey), Speaking for herself, Renel has said that she approached her delivery as if she's the fans' host for the evening. In a press statement, Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said, "Renel has been the familiar and inspirational voice for generations of players and fans at Oracle Park. As an ambassador for the organization and a respected leader, Renel has been a Giant voice in the ballpark and in the community, and will be a Forever Giant."

Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle noted that Brooks-Moon was the team's "most visible non-playing Black employee" and that the ownership had dubbed her "expendable", adding that the move was "bizarre" and a "terrible move for a team whose majority owner Charles B. Johnson funds right-wing politicians who were supportive of undermining a democratic election and who have tried to disenfranchise Black voters across America." Killion also reported that friends of Brooks-Moon had said that she had been pushed out by management due to her public objections to Johnson's political leanings and for her outspoken support of Black Lives Matter.

Grant Brisbee of The Athletic stated that while nobody buys a ticket to hear Brooks-Moon speak, they would "certainly avoid buying tickets if the vibes are off", adding that now that Brooks-Moon was gone, each announcer will now "lean into a microphone and say, 'A reminder: The vibes of this organization are in the toilet.' The words will come out like 'Now pinch-hitting for Pedro Borbón: Manny Mota', but the meaning will be completely different."

Longtime sports TV and radio personality Rod Brooks criticized the timing of the announcement and separation, adding that it was "Either a massive coincidence, or it was done that way on purpose." He further noted that the team should have let her stay for Opening Day so that she could at least introduce the new players and manager for 2024. until the end of July when they settled on her permanent replacement, Carolyn McArdle, the former voice of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats.

Recognition, awards and other projects Throughout her career, Renel Brooks-Moon has received numerous accolades for her contributions to sports broadcasting and her impact on the community. In 2000, she was honored with the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame's "Outstanding Achievement Award." She has also been recognized by organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the National Association of Black Journalists.

On March 18, 2005, California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed March 18th in San Francisco to be "Renel-Brooks Moon Day".

In 2017, Brooks-Moon was inducted into the San Francisco State University Alumni Hall of Fame in recognition of her accomplishments in broadcasting and her commitment to mentoring future generations of broadcasters.

Just before the 2024 Major League Baseball season began, the California State Assembly named Brooks-Moon "The Woman of the Year". Matt Haney, the District Supervisor who bestowed Brooks-Moon with the honor proclaimed that she "wasn't just another announcer" and that she "was, and is, an icon in the Bay Area." He added that "You hear her voice and it's so familiar, you can't help but associate her identity with the Giants and the Bay Area as a whole. I am proud to honor her not only for her trailblazing career as an announcer, but also for using her platform to support charities and community advocacy. She's been a leader and an inspiration in everything she's done. Renel opened the door for so many women and for people of color. The broadcasting industry will never be the same." Additionally, Adrienne Roberson became the public female address announcer for the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball in 2021, and is also the first female public address announcer for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League in 2024.

In 2025, she was asked by Sony to lend her voice to the baseball video game, "MLB: The Show 25" as the PA announcer for all the in-game stadiums, sharing the duties with Baltimore Orioles PA announcer, Adrienne Roberson. Brooks-Moon expressed gratitude for the job, stating “I’m still a part of the game and the sport that I love. It’s my favorite sport. It’s just such a huge blessing — and it’s so much fun.”