Sporting Kansas City announced today that Nate Bukaty has been hired as the club's play-by-play announcer for the 2015 season. Bukaty will take over the role as the lead voice of Sporting KC on locally televised matches and select radio broadcasts.
"I'm very excited for this opportunity," Bukaty said. "As a Kansas City native and local soccer fan, I vividly remember attending professional indoor soccer games as a kid. I've witnessed the exponential growth of soccer in this city over the past 20 years and I'm excited to be in the thick of it. It's a dream come true to work for Sporting Kansas City, calling a sport that I love."
Over the past four years, Bukaty has been actively involved in Sporting Kansas City broadcasts on TV and radio. In 2010, he hosted the Kansas City Soccer Show on 810 WHB. In 2012 and 2013, Bukaty attended and covered the club's preseason campaign in Orlando, Florida. Bukaty also served as a sideline reporter for SKCTV Network during the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs and was 810 WHB's play-by-play announcer for Sporting KC home matches during the 2014 season.
Bukaty graduated from the University of Kansas in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. The Kansas City native has more than 15 years of experience working in radio and television including longtime roles with the Jayhawks Radio and TV Networks. Bukaty has served as the play-by-play voice for the Kansas women's basketball team for the past 14 years and a sideline commentator for Kansas football since 2006.
Since 2007, Bukaty has co-hosted The Border Patrol on Sports Radio 810-WHB. Bukaty previously worked on the Royals Radio Network, leading the Kansas City Royals pregame and postgame coverage. Bukaty also served as a clubhouse reporter for Royals television broadcasts on Fox Sports Kansas City.
In addition to calling locally broadcast Sporting KC games in 2015, Bukaty will call select games on radio and host the club's weekly radio show.
Jake Yadrich, who worked last year as the Ivy Funds sideline reporter for SKCTV Network, will remain on the broadcast team in 2015. Callum Williams and Diego Gutierrez, who in 2014 served as play-by-play announcer and color commentator, respectively, will not be back in 2015. Future additions to the broadcast team will be announced at a later date.
