Gray Media Extends Partnership with Kansas City Royals for 2026
Free Over-the-Air Games Return to Midwest, Including Historic Home Opener Broadcast
ATLANTA, Feb. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gray Media is excited to announce the continuation and expansion of Gray’s partnership with the Kansas City Royals for the 2026 baseball season. This broadcast partnership will bring select Royals games to fans for free in up to 18 markets covering 8 states while also highlighting the team's significant community outreach and impact initiatives.
This second year of the successful partnership features a historic moment for Kansas City baseball fans: the broadcast of the Royals' home opener on Monday, March 30th against the Minnesota Twins, which marks the first time since 2007 that the home opener will be broadcast for free over-the-air in Kansas City. The game will be simulcast on Gray’s KCTV5 and KSMO-TV in Kansas City.
Throughout the 2026 season, KCTV5 will broadcast ten regular season games across Gray Media stations throughout the Midwest. The expected broadcast schedule includes:
- March 30 – vs. Minnesota Twins (Home Opener)
- April 3 – vs. Milwaukee Brewers
- April 24 – vs. Los Angeles Angels
- May 22 – vs. Seattle Mariners
- June 12 – vs. Houston Astros
- June 19 – vs. St. Louis Cardinals
- July 17 – vs. San Diego Padres
- August 7 – vs. Chicago Cubs
- August 21 – vs. Detroit Tigers
- September 7 – vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (Labor Day)
Beyond game broadcasts, KCTV5 will showcase the Kansas City Royals' outstanding community outreach and charitable initiatives throughout the season, sharing the team's positive impact on the Kansas City community.
"We're thrilled to partner with the Royals again in 2026 to provide free over-the-air Royals games to a championship fan base here in Kansas City," said KCTV5 General Manager Curtis Miles. "This partnership exemplifies our commitment to bringing quality sports entertainment to the community we serve, and we're proud to also highlight the exceptional work the Royals do to make Kansas City better."
Cullen Maxey, Royals President of Business Operations, expressed enthusiasm for the expanded partnership: "We know that KCTV5 helped bring the personalities and talents of our exciting team to a broader audience, so we're thrilled to continue and grow our partnership. We want to build those connections with fans, and we're thrilled they can continue to access our games on cable, streaming, and local TV."
For more information about broadcast times and schedules, visit KCTV5.com.
About Gray Media:
Gray Media, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company is the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 37 percent of US television households. The portfolio includes 78 markets with the top-rated television station and 99 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station during 2024, as well as the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 44 markets. The company also owns Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Gray’s additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios. For more information, please visit .
Gray Contact:
Curtis Miles, KCTV/KSMO General Manager,
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