Royals & Fox Sports Kansas City unveil the Forever Royal Fan Express for 2015

KANSAS CITY, MO (May 14, 2015) -The Kansas City Royals and FOX Sports Kansas City are once again offering fans across the Midwest the chance to enjoy a game at Kauffman Stadium this season with a grand ride. The "Forever Royal Fan Express presented by FOX Sports Kansas City" now reflects the 2015 Royals slogan and gives fans who follow the Royals on their local Royals Radio Network affiliate and on FOX Sports Kansas City an opportunity to travel to Kansas City and experience the excitement of a game.

Through a contest with select Royals Radio Network affiliates, fans in designated markets will have the opportunity to win a complimentary bus pass, which will allow them to travel to Kauffman Stadium on the Forever Royal branded bus and receive a ticket to the Royals game. Each pass will also include a game program, a Royals t-shirt and Royals hat. 

"Right now enthusiasm and television viewership for Royals baseball throughout the region is literally #1 in baseball," said David Pokorny, FOX Sports Kansas City Director of Marketing. "The Forever Royal Fan Express is our way of thanking the fans and bringing some of the biggest Royals fans to The K."

The Forever Royal Fan Express is scheduled for the following dates:

Saturday, May 16 - Topeka, KS

6:10 p.m. vs. New York Yankees - Royals Totebag presented by MLB Network

Radio Partner - WIBW-AM / Cable Partner - Cox

Saturday, May 23 - Springfield, MO

6:15 p.m. vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Radio Partner - KADI-AM / Cable Partner - Mediacom

Saturday, June 6 - Manhattan, KS

1:10 p.m. vs. Texas Rangers - Lorenzo Cain ALDS Bobblehead presented by Farmland

Radio Partner - KMAN-AM / Cable Partner - Cox

Saturday, June 20 - St. Joseph, MO

6:15 p.m. vs. Boston Red Sox - Mike Moustakas ALCS Bobblehead presented by Pepsi

Radio Partner - KKJO-FM / Cable Partner - Suddenlink

Saturday, July 4 - Des Moines, IA

6:15 p.m. vs. Minnesota Twins - Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular and Trucker Style Baseball Cap presented by The Kansas City Steak Company

Radio Partner - WHO-AM / Cable Partner - Mediacom

Saturday, July 11 - Omaha, NE

1:10 p.m. vs. Toronto Blue Jays - Faith & Family Day presented by Hobby Lobby

Radio Partner - KOZN-AM / Cable Partner - Cox

Saturday, July 25 - Columbia, MO

6:10 p.m. vs. Houston Astros - Yordano Ventura World Series Bobblehead presented by FOX Sports Kansas City

Radio Partner - KZJF-FM, KFRU-AM / Cable Partner - Mediacom

Saturday, August 8 - Lincoln, NE

6:10 p.m. vs. Chicago White Sox - Huskers Night presented by FOX Sports Kansas City and Rally House

Radio Partner - KNTK-FM / Cable Partner - TBA

Saturday, August 15 - Lawrence, KS

6:10 p.m. vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Retro Night and Replica Retro Powder Blue Jersey presented by FOX Sports Kansas City

Radio Partner - KKSW-FM, KLWN-AM / Cable Partner - TBA

Saturday, September 5 - Wichita, KS

6:10 p.m. vs. Chicago White Sox - Wichita State Night presented by FOX Sports Kansas City and Rally House

Radio Partner - KFH-FM/AM / Cable Partner - Cox

"We're pleased to once again partner with FOX Sports Kansas City and Royals Radio Network affiliates to strengthen our outreach across the Heartland," said Michael Bucek, Royals Vice President-Marketing & Business Development. 

Approximately one week leading up to each designated game, the respective Royals Radio Network affiliate will run a daily "sounder" contest during morning and/or afternoon drive-time programs, and listeners will have the opportunity to call into the station to win. Specific contest details will be announced by the affiliate stations in the coming weeks. Each station will receive 20 passes to give out during the promotion. 

Along with the slogan change, the bus will also have a new design. Each side of the bus is made to look like an outfield wall - leftfielder Alex Gordon making a great catch on one side and centerfielder Lorenzo Cain making a diving catch on the other. The "bus riders" are displayed as the fans above the outfield walls and include some notable Kansas Citians and Royals characters. Featured on both sides of the bus is Royals broadcaster Rex Hudler, while Kansas City, Mo. Mayor Sly James, Kansas City, Kan. Mayor Mark Holland and the President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Bob Kendrick, are also depicted. Royals fans, including Superfan Chris and The Catsuit Fans, are also shown cheering (photos attached). In addition, Gordon's and Cain's gloves will include 3-D baseballs that will be fitted onto the bus.

Viewership for Royals telecasts on FOX Sports Kansas City is at an all-time high, according to Nielsen Media Research. Royals telecasts are the highest-rated and most-viewed prime time programming on television in Kansas City during the Major League Baseball season, and Royals local-market TV ratings rank No. 1 among MLB teams in 2015. In addition, the Royals Radio Network broadcasts all of the Club's regular-season games on 68 stations throughout the Midwest.