O’Melveny Advises Kansas City Royals on Multi-Year Media Rights Agreement With Sinclair Broadcast Group
August 24, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK—August 24, 2020—O’Melveny advised the Kansas City Royals on a new multi-year media rights agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group for FOX Sports Kansas City to continue as the television home of the Royals.
The deal closed on August 21, 2020. Years and financial terms were not disclosed.
FOX Sports Kansas City will televise 59 of the scheduled 60 games in this pandemic-shortened season.
As part of the Sinclair Broadcast Group, FOX Sports Kansas City is a regional sports network in its 13th season as the exclusive television home of the Royals and 21st overall as the Royals’ television partner.
Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kansas City Royals is a Major League Baseball team established in 1969. The team has appeared in four World Series and has won two championships, most recently in 2015.
The O’Melveny team advising the Kansas City Royals was led by partners Irwin Raij and Robert Blashek, and associate Rob Catmull.
O’Melveny has more than a half-century’s experience advising a wide range of sports teams, leagues, and stakeholders. The firm has handled numerous billion-dollar acquisitions and dispositions of professional sports teams; cutting-edge media and licensing arrangements; stadium development, financings, and naming rights; sponsorships and endorsements; and strategic joint ventures.
About O’Melveny
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Contact:
Brandon JacobsenO’Melveny & Myers LLP
+1 213 430 8024
bjacobsen@omm.com
The Kansas City Royals issued the following press release:
ROYALS AND FOX SPORTS KANSAS CITY ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT
(2020 Royals telecasts currently fourth in MLB with 5.4 household rating)
KANSAS CITY, MO (August 21, 2020) – The Kansas City Royals and Sinclair Broadcast Group (NASDAQ: SBGI) today announced a new multi-year media rights agreement for FOX Sports Kansas City (FSKC) to continue as the television home of the Royals. The agreement begins with the 2020 season. Years and financial terms are not disclosed.
“On behalf of our organization, I’m excited to announce we have reached this agreement with the Sinclair Broadcast Group to continue to bring Royals baseball to our fan base on FOX Sports Kansas City,” said John Sherman, Royals Chairman and CEO. “FSKC has been an outstanding partner since the 2008 season, not only in bringing our fans the action on the field but working with us in our community and in countless charity endeavors. We currently are ranked fourth in Major League Baseball in television ratings thanks to our fans who are among the most knowledgeable and loyal in all of baseball.”
“We’re thrilled to announce a new agreement with the Royals,” said Chris Ripley, Sinclair Broadcast Group President and Chief Executive Officer. “This is a great deal with an important longtime partner that allows us additional flexibility for distribution and digital rights. It’s been the network’s honor to bring Royals fans some of the greatest moments in franchise history, and we can’t wait to be part of many more in the years to come.”
FOX Sports Kansas City, a Sinclair-owned regional sports network, is in its 13th season as the exclusive television home of the Royals and 21st overall as the Royals’ television partner. FOX Sports Kansas City will televise 59 of the scheduled 60 games in this pandemic-shortened season.
Ryan Lefebvre serves as play-by-play announcer for the majority of telecasts, while Steve Physioc also calls play-by-play periodically. Rex Hudler returns as the game analyst, while the pre and post-game shows are once again anchored by Joel Goldberg and Jeff Montgomery.
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