Zac Brown Band to Debut 'Sunday Night Baseball' Opening

The Southern rock band will perform a reimagined version of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 'Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression Part 2' for NBC's MLB coverage.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 3:11am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An abstract close-up photograph of a shattered disco ball reflecting glittering shards of light, capturing the high-energy, celebratory spirit of a live musical performance.The Zac Brown Band's new 'Sunday Night Baseball' opening segment will bring a burst of Southern rock energy to NBC's primetime MLB coverage.Los Angeles Today

The Zac Brown Band will debut their new opening segment for NBC's 'Sunday Night Baseball' coverage this weekend, performing a reimagined version of the Emerson, Lake & Palmer classic 'Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression Part 2.' The three-time Grammy-winning band joins the ranks of Carrie Underwood and Lenny Kravitz, who have done opening segments for NBC's 'Sunday Night Football' and 'Sunday Night Basketball' respectively.

Why it matters

The Zac Brown Band's new 'Sunday Night Baseball' opening is a high-profile opportunity for the Southern rock group to reach a national audience and showcase their music to sports fans. It also continues NBC's trend of partnering with popular music acts to create memorable opening segments that capture the energy and anticipation of primetime weekend sports coverage.

The details

The Zac Brown Band's 'Sunday Night Baseball' opening was shot in Milwaukee last month and will debut this Sunday when the Atlanta Braves host the Cleveland Guardians. The band's reimagined version of 'Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression Part 2' by Emerson, Lake & Palmer was chosen because it features an organ and the first line is 'Welcome back, my friends to the show that never ends' - which NBC felt captured the spirit of 'The Show' that is Major League Baseball.

  • The Zac Brown Band's 'Sunday Night Baseball' opening will debut on Sunday, April 13, 2026.
  • NBC Sports and Major League Baseball agreed to a three-year deal for Sunday night games and the wild-card round of the playoffs in November 2025.

The players

Zac Brown Band

A three-time Grammy Award-winning Southern rock band known for hits like 'Chicken Fried' and 'Toes.'

Carrie Underwood

Country music star who has performed the opening for NBC's 'Sunday Night Football' since 2013.

Lenny Kravitz

Rock musician who has performed the opening for NBC's 'Sunday Night Basketball' using Elvis Presley's 'A Little Less Conversation.'

Tripp Dixon

NBC Sports creative director who helped select the Zac Brown Band's song for the 'Sunday Night Baseball' opening.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's humbling, honestly, to have our band's name mentioned in the same breath as theirs in this context means a lot. We've spent many years just trying to make music that connects with people, and something like this tells you that it's reaching further than you ever imagined.”

— Zac Brown, Lead Singer, Zac Brown Band

“Those were the two elements we felt like, holy cow, that sounds like something to build this idea around.”

— Tripp Dixon, NBC Sports Creative Director

What’s next

The Zac Brown Band's 'Sunday Night Baseball' opening will debut on April 13, 2026 when the Atlanta Braves host the Cleveland Guardians. The opening will then air for the next six weeks on Peacock and NBCSN before NBC takes over coverage from May 31 through September 6.

The takeaway

The Zac Brown Band's new 'Sunday Night Baseball' opening is a major milestone for the band, joining the ranks of other high-profile music acts like Carrie Underwood and Lenny Kravitz who have created opening segments for NBC's primetime sports coverage. This opportunity showcases the band's music to a national audience and solidifies their status as one of the top Southern rock acts of their generation.