KC Royals games will be back on Xfinity starting Thursday, but with a change

The Royals open August tied for second place in the American League Wild Card race, so for the first time in seven years they will be playing meaningful games in the second half of the season.

There’s a bit of good news for fans who want to watch the Royals make a run for a postseason spot. Diamond Sports Group, which owns Bally Sports Kansas City and other Regional Sports Networks (RSNs), reached a carriage agreement with Comcast earlier this week.

Starting Thursday, Royals games will return to Xfinity. which is owned by Comcast, for the first time in three months. However, the games won’t be on the basic Xfinity plan.

Royals games will be on Xfinity’s Ultimate TV package, which will be a more expensive option for some viewers. CableTV.com said the Ultimate TV package costs between $68.50 and $80 a month.

But Forbes reported that Xfinity Ultimate TV customers will have the option to stream Bally Sports Kansas City. That would require using their Xfinity credentials on the Bally Sports app.

“We appreciate Diamond Sports working with us to reach a solution that returns the Bally Sports RSNs to our Ultimate TV customers in a way that reflects the changing video marketplace for local sports,” Greg Rigdon, president of content acquisition for Comcast, said in a news release. “We look forward to making these networks available on Aug. 1, so customers can enjoy watching their favorite teams again.”