5 Essential Facts About The Kansas City Royals Radio Network’s Historic 2025 Broadcast Shift

The Kansas City Royals Radio Network has undergone its most significant transformation in years for the 2025 MLB season, marking a new era for how fans across the Midwest will tune in to the action. This massive shift centers on a move to a new flagship station and an extended partnership that solidifies the team's commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible radio broadcasts across one of Major League Baseball's largest affiliate networks. As of the current date, December 17, 2025, the new broadcast home is fully operational, carrying all Spring Training, regular season, and potential playoff games.

The core of the change involves the Royals moving their primary broadcast home to a full-time FM sports station for the first time in team history in the Kansas City market. This transition ensures that the voice of Royals baseball is heard clearly by millions of fans, continuing a decades-long tradition of excellence in the broadcast booth led by one of the sport's most legendary voices. From the heart of the city to the farthest reaches of the Midwest, the network is poised to bring every pitch of the season to life.

The Legendary Voices of Royals Baseball: 2025 Broadcast Team Profile

The continuity of the Kansas City Royals’ radio broadcast is anchored by a team of respected, familiar voices, ensuring that every game is delivered with professionalism, passion, and deep institutional knowledge. The broadcast team is led by a true icon of the sport, alongside a talented crew of play-by-play announcers and analysts.

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• Denny Matthews (Lead Play-by-Play): A Hall of Fame broadcaster and the undisputed voice of the Royals. Matthews began his tenure with the team in 1969, its inaugural season, and has been a fixture ever since. His longevity and signature calls have made him a beloved figure across the entire Royals fan base and a staple of the Kansas City sports landscape.
• Steve Stewart (Play-by-Play/Analyst): A long-time member of the broadcast team, Stewart provides play-by-play and color commentary, often filling in for Matthews or working alongside him. Stewart is known for his smooth delivery and insightful analysis, having covered the team for decades.
• Jake Eisenberg (Play-by-Play): Eisenberg joined the Royals broadcast team, bringing a fresh, energetic voice to the booth. He serves as a secondary play-by-play announcer and studio host, contributing to the pre-game and post-game shows. His work ensures that the team has a consistent and high-quality broadcast presence for all 162 regular season games.

This trio of broadcasters is responsible for bringing the action from Kauffman Stadium and road venues to the massive Royals Radio Network, maintaining the high standard of quality that fans have come to expect over the team’s history. Their voices are synonymous with Royals baseball, bridging generations of fans.

The Historic Flagship Shift: 96.5 The Fan (KFNZ-FM)

The most significant and recent update to the Royals Radio Network is the designation of 96.5 The Fan (KFNZ-FM) as the team's new exclusive flagship station, effective for the 2025 season. This move is historic for several key reasons:

• First Full-Time FM Sports Home: For the first time, the Kansas City Royals’ games are broadcast on a full-time FM sports station in the Kansas City metro area. This provides a clearer signal and a stronger presence on the FM dial, which is the dominant listening platform for modern radio audiences.
• Audacy Partnership Extension: The shift is part of a multi-year extension of the partnership between the Royals and Audacy, one of the nation's largest radio broadcasters. This agreement ensures the team's broadcasts will continue to be a priority for the network.
• AM Simulcast/Alternative: While 96.5 The Fan is the primary FM flagship, many broadcasts will also be available on the familiar 610 AM (KFNZ-AM), which previously served as the primary home. This dual-platform approach ensures maximum accessibility for fans who prefer the traditional AM signal or who are outside the core FM range.

This change represents a major commitment by the Royals to modernize their radio presence and reach a broader demographic of listeners. The move to 96.5 The Fan, a station dedicated entirely to sports programming, integrates the team’s games seamlessly into a 24/7 sports talk format, increasing engagement for pre-game and post-game coverage.

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How to Listen to the Royals: Streaming, Satellite, and Digital Access

In addition to traditional over-the-air radio, the Kansas City Royals have expanded their digital and satellite presence to ensure fans can listen from virtually anywhere in the world. This multi-platform approach is essential for a team with a regional fan base that extends far beyond the Kansas City metro area.

Digital and Streaming Options

The partnership with Audacy makes digital listening incredibly simple. Fans can stream the live radio broadcast through several key digital platforms:

• Audacy App: The official Audacy app (formerly Radio.com) allows users to stream 96.5 The Fan and the Royals broadcasts directly to their mobile devices or smart speakers.
• MLB At Bat App / MLB.TV: Subscribers to the MLB At Bat app or the audio portion of MLB.TV can listen to the live radio play-by-play for every regular season game, subject to any local blackout restrictions that may apply to the video stream.
• Team Website: The official Kansas City Royals website on MLB.com typically provides a direct link to the live audio stream of the flagship station.

Satellite Radio Access

For fans traveling long distances or living outside the Midwest, SiriusXM Satellite Radio carries all Kansas City Royals games. The games are typically broadcast on a dedicated MLB channel, ensuring a clear signal no matter where you are in North America, making it a vital option for road trips and out-of-market listeners.

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The Massive Reach of the Royals Radio Network Affiliates

The Kansas City Royals boast one of the largest radio networks in Major League Baseball, a testament to the team's deep roots and widespread following across the Midwest. This expansive network of affiliate stations ensures that fans in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and other surrounding states can easily tune in. The network comprises dozens of stations, establishing a massive footprint for the team’s brand.

A partial list of key affiliate cities and stations in the Royals Radio Network includes:

• Kansas:
  • Junction City: KJCK-AM/FM (1420/107.9)
  • Manhattan: KMAN-AM/FM (1350/97.5)
  • Liberal: KSCB-AM/FM (1270/103.1)
  • Larned: KLQR-AM/FM (1510/92.3)
  • Arkansas City: KSOK-AM (1280/103.3)
  • Beloit: KVSV-AM (1190/102.9)
  • Chanute: KKOY-AM (1460/99.9)
  • Coffeyville: KGGF-AM (690/92.7)
  • Concordia
  • Dodge City
  • Emporia
  • Great Bend
  • Hays
  • Hutchinson
  • Lawrence
  • Pittsburg
  • Salina
  • Topeka
  • Wichita
• Missouri:
  • Joplin
  • St. Joseph
  • Springfield
  • Columbia

This extensive list of stations, which stretches across multiple states and includes both AM and FM signals, demonstrates the team's dedication to regional outreach. The network’s size is a critical component of the Royals’ identity, connecting the team directly to its heartland fan base throughout the season, from the first Spring Training pitch to the final out of the World Series.

The Impact of the FM Transition on Fan Experience

The switch to 96.5 The Fan as the primary flagship is more than just a change in frequency; it’s an upgrade to the fan experience. FM signals generally offer a higher quality, clearer audio experience compared to AM signals, especially in urban environments where AM signals can be subject to more interference. This means listeners in the Kansas City metro area will enjoy a crisper, more reliable broadcast of every game.

Furthermore, the move to a dedicated sports FM station ensures that the Royals brand is integrated into the daily sports conversation in Kansas City. The station, which also carries other major sports programming, provides a natural home for Royals talk, news, and features throughout the day, increasing the team’s overall media presence and topical authority in the market. This synergy between the team and its flagship station is designed to keep the Royals top-of-mind for sports fans year-round, strengthening the bond between the franchise and its loyal listeners.