Zac Brown Band to Debut Opening Segment for NBC's Sunday Night Baseball
The Zac Brown Band, a three-time Grammy Award-winning southern rock band, will be featured in the opening segment of NBC's Sunday night coverage of Major League Baseball. Their debut will coincide with the Atlanta Braves hosting the Cleveland Guardians in the first “Sunday Night Baseball” game on NBC. The band will perform a reimagined version of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's “Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression Part 2,” which resonated with NBC Sports creative director Tripp Dixon due to its organ and the line "Welcome back, my friends to the show that never ends." This collaboration marks a significant moment for the band, as they join the ranks of other artists like Carrie Underwood and Lenny Kravitz who have contributed to NBC's sports programming openings.
Carrie Underwood has been the face of the “Sunday Night Football” opening since 2013, while Lenny Kravitz's opening for “Sunday Night Basketball” features Elvis Presley's “A Little Less Conversation.” The “Sunday Night Baseball” opening, shot in Milwaukee, was previewed during NBC's opening night broadcast between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. Zac Brown Band's lead singer, Zac Brown, expressed his pride in the collaboration with NBC Sports, highlighting the energy and genuine collaboration that went into creating the opening segment.
The idea for the “Sunday Night Baseball” opening began to take shape last November after Major League Baseball and NBC reached a three-year deal for Sunday night games and the wild-card round of the playoffs. Despite the tight schedule, Zac Brown Band's contribution to the project exceeded expectations, showcasing their musical talent and performance skills. The upcoming weeks will see the games broadcast on Peacock and NBCSN before transitioning to NBC from May 31 through Sept. 6. For Zac Brown, a Georgia native and avid Braves fan, the debut of the opening segment during a Braves game holds special significance, adding a personal touch to the band's involvement in the project.