Now He’s Part of the Crew

One of my favorite pictures from my first season with the Royals in 2008 shows my kids hanging over the railing at Kauffman Stadium watching me work. Mason was five. Ellie wasn’t quite three.

Ellie and Mason Goldberg, 2008

Back then, the ballpark was a playground for them. Mason loved sports as much as I did at that age. He enjoyed being around the stadium, the atmosphere, and occasionally going on a road trip with me. One of his favorite things was coming out to the TV truck after games to hang around the crew.

Now he’s part of the crew.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a broadcaster. Mason’s path turned out to be different. Sports had always been a big part of his life, but it wasn’t until his senior year at Kansas that he developed an interest in the production side of television.

This season he’s been working on our Royals.TV crew as a utility, or runner. It’s entry level work. Setting up. Tearing down. Making sure everyone has what they need to do their jobs.

This weekend he got his first assignment running centerfield camera for a major league game. Part of that responsibility includes the pregame and postgame shows, which meant I spent the entire broadcast looking into a camera being operated by my son.

2026

As Father’s Day approaches, I looked into that lens with a different perspective over the weekend. One filled with pride.

The people on our crew have known Mason since he was a little kid. What I’ve enjoyed hearing most has nothing to do with me. It’s the comments about his work ethic, attitude, and willingness to do whatever needs to be done.

Bring your son to work day has been replaced by my son getting to work before me and leaving after me.

I’ve often said that our technical crew is the backbone of every broadcast. They do all the heavy lifting and are the secret behind so much of what viewers see on television.

That’s Small Ball.

The work behind the scenes rarely gets the attention, but it’s often what makes everything else possible.

It’s been pretty special to watch my son find his place in it.