KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Country music star Garth Brooks announced a new station on TuneIn, a global streaming service, called “Tailgate Radio,” which aims to marry music and sports in a new way, Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium.
The station is being launched in conjunction with the Brooks-owned Sevens Radio Network.
The station will play a “fun and upbeat” mix of songs spanning genres, which aim to amp fans up for the game.
Through a function called “Switch,” fans can enable Tailgate Radio to automatically flip from the eclectic music mix over to a selected game broadcast seamlessly, then flip back after the game ends.
“Try to keep up,” Brooks said, parroting the tagline for Tailgate Radio.
NBC Sports reporter and former ESPN reporter Maria Taylor will serve as the voice of the station for Tailgate Radio.
“What Garth is doing, what he’s creating is special,” Taylor said via live video from Dallas, where she is set to interview Cowboys star pass rusher Micah Parsons.
Brooks said he chose to announce the channel in Kansas City because of the special place the city holds in his life and heart.
Brooks said his mom is from Kansas City and his first paying gig was in 1989 at the Kansas City Opry. He also famously opened the T-Mobile Center, which was called the Sprint Center at the time, with nine sold-out shows in 10 days in 2007.
“I feel like this is home for me,” Brooks, a Tulsa native, said. “I call it the land of commonsense. I feel at home as soon as I get here. ... All good things that ever happened for me started here.”
Royals owner John Sherman, president of business operations Brooks Sherman and general manager J.J. Picollo were among those in attendance for the announcement, along with two Royals stars — catcher Salvador Perez and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
Royals Hall of Famer George Brett, Chiefs coach Andy Reid, Chiefs president Mark Donovan, Kansas City Current co-owner Chris Long, former Sporting Kansas City All-Star Matt Besler and defender Kaden Pierre were among the local sports celebrities in attendance.
Brooks, who once spent time with the Royals during spring training, will throw out the first pitch Tuesday night before the Royals host Pittsburgh.
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