KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Royals announced today that Sam Mellinger has been named the club’s vice president of communications.
He will step into the role previously held by Mike Swanson, who is retiring at the end of this month after a 43-year career in Major League Baseball, including the last 15 years as the Royals VP of communications and broadcasting.
“Sam went through an extremely intense and thorough interview process with many layers,” said Royals President of Baseball Operations, Dayton Moore. “He separated himself from many strong candidates within the industry due to his interpersonal qualities, communication skills, and ability to manage complex situations. But above all, Sam is highly committed to Kansas City, our great fans, and our very special game.”
Mellinger will oversee the Club’s media relations department, which acts as the liaison between the team and the media, and is responsible for the publication of the team media guide, yearbook, gameday magazine, daily game notes and press releases.
“In the final analysis, we felt Sam was the top candidate to take over the role that I have vacated with my retirement,” said Swanson. “A gifted writer who we all came to know with The Kansas City Star, his knowledge of and relationships within our organization and dedication to our region made him the best fit for us.”
Mellinger joins the Royals following a 21-year run at The Kansas City Star, including the last 11 as a sports columnist. In his two-plus decades at The Star, Mellinger has covered everything from high school sports to the Olympics, Super Bowl and World Series. A 2000 graduate of the University of Kansas, Mellinger resides in Kansas City with his wife, Katie, and sons Sammy and JB.
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