10. There is a reason that baseball is the American Pastime…is there anything better than sitting under a blue sky, cracking open a bag of peanuts and sharing a baseball game with your kids? Nope.
9. To quote an old Royals commercial, “You gotta love these guys!” The Royals squad is full of young talent like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Sal Perez and “veterans” with talent and charisma like Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, and my personal favorite Jeff Francoeur. These guys love playing baseball and they love being part of the Kansas City Royals. That kind of enthusiasm is contagious…I dare you to watch and not crack a smile when you see them celebrate a win with a dog pile at home base or a shaving cream pie in the face of the game’s hero. Baseball is fun again in Kansas City!
8. Kauffman Stadium is more kid-friendly than ever. The Outfield Experience is fun for all ages with a carousel, the “Little K” mini-diamond where kids can try their batting and fielding skills, batting cages, putt-putt golf, and a playground. Each Sunday home game will also include face painters, caricature or balloon artists and live family-friendly entertainment in the Outfield Experience. And did you know that kids can run the bases after most Sunday games? It’s a BLAST for the whole family!
7. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune! There are many deals available throughout the season for families and groups who want to attend games without breaking the bank. Check out the “4 for $44” deal, “Family FunDay Sunday Four Packs, “Play Packs,” and more great deals HERE on the Royals website.
6. All of the cool kids are joining the Blue Crew! Sign your kids up for Sluggerr’s Blue Crew for $20 and you will get a Royals replica batting practice jersey; jersey style backpack with MP3 player pocket; special edition reusable water bottle; VIP access to the Sprint Fun Run; two (2) Royals game ticket vouchers; complimentary vouchers for the games in the Outfield Experience; one (1) free child's admission for a ballpark tour; and special offers from Royals partners. The tickets alone are worth that price!
5. As I’m sure you have heard, Kansas City is hosting baseball’s All Star Game this year and that is a pretty big deal. Though tickets to the game itself may be hard to come by, there are tons of activities all week long (July 6-10) that anyone can take part in. Tickets for the Fan Fest are on sale already and be sure to check out the 5k charity run and the All Star Sunday festivities that will include a celebrity game and fireworks show. This week will be a baseball extravaganza that you will not want to miss!
4. Free stuff! Who doesn’t love getting free stuff? The Royals have a spectacular lineup of promotional giveaways as usual. Check them out HERE. I’m looking forward to the George Brett mini pine-tar bat on May 5th, the All-Star Garden Gnome on May 19th, and the Royals Chip and Dip platter on July 14th! Oh! And the Mr. Royal Retro Lunchbox on August 3rd.
3. I’m a baseball purist so it’s all about the hotdogs and peanuts for me, but foodies may want to check out some of Kauffman Stadium’s new food offerings including a taco truck and something glorious called the “Cheesy Corn Brisket-acho” which involves an order of tortilla chips topped with smoked brisket, baked beans, cheesy corn and coleslaw, and barbecue sauce. Whoa.
2. Making Memories. I remember going to Royals games as a kid and those are memories I cherish…the excitement of driving up to the stadium, getting to stay up late to watch a game in extra innings, and that one time that George Brett waved right to us in the stands. These experiences have made me a life-long baseball fan and I hope my kids share that same love of the game when they grow up.
1. It’s “Our Time,” Kansas City! The boys in blue have never looked better…it’s gonna be a great year for the Royals! Let’s get out there and root, root, root for the home team!
--by Sara Keenan, who is going to Opening Day at The K for the first time this year!