MEXICO CITY: When the Houston Astros tackle the Colorado Rockies this weekend, it is going to be the seventh regular-season sequence performed in Mexico. Main League Baseball’s presence within the nation, nevertheless, goes far past that.
Mexico grew to become one in all solely six international locations on this planet with an MLB workplace in 2016. For Rodrigo Fernandez, the pinnacle of the group south of the border, the regular-season sequence will be the greatest occasion, but it surely’s removed from the one one held within the nation.
Amongst these, the MLB workplace runs a program known as First Pitch to advertise the sport amongst children. One other is the MLB Cup, a nation-wide match for 11 and 12 12 months olds that lately completed its fifth championship.
“For us (the sequence) is the cherry on prime of the cake as a result of we now have many actions via the 12 months,” Fernandez instructed The Related Press. “The MLB Cup is broadcasted by ESPN and is the most important match of its sort in Mexico. These children are Mexico’s future.”
The MLB workplace in Mexico, alongside the Mexican baseball federation, held the match with 28 groups. The finals have been performed in Mexico Metropolis.
“We wish to ship the message to children that we’re excited about them taking part in baseball. A lot of them will most likely find yourself being signed by the Mexican Baseball League, but additionally, they’ll play for the nationwide workforce of their age group,” Fernandez mentioned.
Fernandez has been the one director of the workplace since its creation in 2016. Earlier than taking up, he labored as common supervisor of operations for World Wrestling Leisure for Mexico and Latin America.
Moreover Mexico, Main League Baseball has workplaces in London, Tokyo, Beijing and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The workplace is inside a luxurious tower adjoining to the upscale Artz Pedregal shopping center within the southern a part of the town.
Though Fernandez’s place stays the identical, among the targets from MLB in Mexico have modified. In 2016, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned he needed to see if Mexico might be a possible website for growth. However a 12 months in the past, Manfred mentioned he’s “by no means been near the thought of Mexico as an growth alternative.”
“Commissioner Manfred has a dedication and really excessive curiosity in Mexico, nevertheless there are a number of components which have made us change our methods and now solidifying the native leagues is the primary step for us,” Fernandez mentioned.
The MLB workplace in Mexico already works intently with the Mexican baseball federation and they’re making an attempt to forge a more in-depth relationship with the Mexican Baseball League, led by league president Horacio de la Vega.
Since de la Vega took over in 2021, the league has seen elevated attendance at stadiums, the video games are broadcast on nationwide TV and on streaming companies. That has helped develop the game’s reputation amongst a brand new technology of followers.
“I believe (fan attendance) has elevated, earlier than there have been numerous previous folks within the park,” 63-year-old fan Carlos Hernandez mentioned earlier than a recreation between the Diablos Rojos and Tigres in Mexico Metropolis. “And now there are extra followers, particularly younger ones.”
In keeping with Othon Diaz, the Diablos Rojos president, 9 years in the past 53% of the workforce’s followers have been 55 years or older and now 74% of them are underneath 45. Additionally, they averaged 3,000 followers per recreation and now it’s as much as 11,000.
For a few of these hard-core followers, having an MLB regular-season sequence is good, however solely for many who can afford it.
Fernandez mentioned tickets for the Astros-Rockies sequence bought out in an hour and now the asking worth on the resale market goes from $70 as much as $580.
“It’s a great present, however the ticket costs are just a little bit excessive. With the most affordable one you possibly can come (to see the Diablos Rojos) for half of a season,” mentioned Hernandez, who went to see the Diablos together with his spouse and two sons.
Mexico first hosted MLB video games in August 1996, when the San Diego Padres confronted the New York Mets in Monterrey. The Padres confronted the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018. And in 2019, the Cincinnati Reds performed the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Houston Astros confronted the Los Angeles Angels.
Mexico Metropolis was resulting from host a sequence between the Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2020, but it surely was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Final 12 months, the Padres performed in opposition to the San Francisco Giants.
In keeping with Fernandez, there are plans to deliver regular-season video games to Mexico yearly via 2026, although not essentially on the similar venue. In the meantime, the work continues to assist unfold the recognition of baseball within the nation.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Related Press)
