**KANSAS CITY, Mo.**—The Kansas City Royals announced today that they will play an exhibition game vs. their Double-A affiliate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, on Monday, March 25 at 6:05 p.m CT at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark.

This will follow a 31-game exhibition schedule in Arizona, which will conclude with Kansas City’s Cactus League finale on Saturday, March 23 vs. the Texas Rangers. Opening Day is scheduled for Thursday, March 28 vs. the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium.

“Northwest Arkansas has been such a great partner for 15 years, so we are happy to be able to play this exhibition game in front of their fans,” said Royals Executive VP and GM, J.J. Picollo. “We were disappointed that our game in 2021 was canceled due to COVID, so we’re even more excited for Naturals fans to have a chance to see so many familiar faces who previously played in Springdale. This will be a great night for our organization.”

“We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting the Kansas City Royals at Arvest Ballpark in 2024,” said Naturals Vice President & General Manager Justin Cole. “The Royals have been tremendous partners over the years, and we could not be more excited to welcome our Major League affiliate to Springdale in just over two months.”

Tickets for the exhibition game on Monday, March 25 at Arvest Ballpark will go on sale to the general public on Monday, Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. CT online at nwanaturals.com. Seating will be assigned and ticket prices for this special event will range from $16 to $25 depending on the section. Group tickets, suite rentals, and party areas will also be available for the event. For more information, call the Naturals Front Office at (479) 927-4900 or email [email protected].

The Naturals have been a minor league affiliate of the Royals since relocating to Northwest Arkansas from Wichita in 2008. Prior to relocating, the Wichita Wranglers served as the Royals Double-A affiliate from 1995-2007. During their partnership with Kansas City, Northwest Arkansas has made the playoffs eight times, including winning the Texas League in 2010 and claiming the Double-A Central in 2021.