After warming up, Reno Aces infielder Andrés Chaparro wipes the sweat from his brow and prepares to be interviewed.
He’s just won Player of the Week after batting a .375 average and leading the Pacific Coast League with ten runs. Chaparro appeared pleased when the interviewer, a reporter from Telemundo, asked him questions in his native language – Spanish. This instance is a small piece of the more significant initiatives such as the Minor League Baseball promotion Copa de la Diversión (or Fun Cup) meant to foster a deeper connection between minor league teams and their local Latino fanbase.
“We want to conduct more Spanish-speaking interviews and connect Latino players to the media because they enjoy being able to interview in their native tongue,” said Vince Ruffino, vice president of communications, as he explained one of the newer approaches the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Triple A-team franchise will take this season to engage Hispanics in the region.
He added, “It helps us get to know the players better.”
As Reno’s Latino community continues to grow, the Aces are making efforts like these to reach this potentially lucrative market, which has a purchasing power of $3.4 trillion, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative. By attracting a more significant portion of the Latine population in Northern Nevada, the Aces are tapping into this market and getting an opportunity to foster a sense of inclusivity and community engagement.
“Regarding the cultural aspect, the Latin fans have a different flair. The World Baseball Classic sometimes feels more exciting than the World Series,” Reno Aces President Eric Edelstein said about what Latine fans add to the in-stadium experience. “Baseball is entertainment.”
Although the Spanish-language interviews are a step more for inclusivity, “we need more bilingual staff generally. All businesses will need them,” the club’s president said.
“If not already, the need for bilingual speakers will increase in the next ten years,” he said and added that Major League Baseball now requires notices in all clubhouses (both major and minor leagues) to be in four languages (English, Spanish, Japanese, and Korean) to reflect the diversity in their athletes.
Engaging players with Latino media and perhaps hiring more bilingual staff in the future aren’t the only ways the Reno Aces want to get more Latinos in the seats at Greater Nevada Field. They’re also working on getting new concession stands.
However, despite the new food options, the stadium needs more Latin food, barring the churros in the sweets stand and an inconspicuous taco truck behind the center field.
During an evening game against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, El Salvadoran fan Sonia Alegria learned of the truck’s existence, she scanned the outfield for its undistinguished blue awning.
“They should make it more obvious,” she said after finally locating it.
Alegria, 47, comes to the games often enough. She and her Mexican colleague Maria Chagolla, 30, feel that more Latino fans would come if the Aces sold more Latin food at Greater Nevada Field.
In addition to the taco truck being more noticeable, Alegria added that she’d love to have a paleta (popsicle) and a raspados (shaved ice) cart, and elote (grilled corn on the cob). Chagolla said she’d like to see pupusas.
“Oh, and champurrados (hot chocolate),” Alegria added.
Due to contractual limitations, the Aces staff aren’t allowed to bring street vendors, but they try to work with a few to sell Mexican hot dogs when they can. “For Copa, we invited vendors because it adds to the experience,” Ruffino said.
Insofar as Mexican beverages are concerned, the team has embraced its new Copa de la Diversión brand, the Micheladas de Reno. It features themed jerseys and hats with the beer and tomato juice concoction. For Hispanic Heritage Month, they do a special promotion when they play against the El Paso Chihuahuas, who’ll play in their strawberry margarita-themed jerseys. The margarita was created in that southern Texas city.
Reno’s connection to the michaelada is unclear, but according to Ruffino, it’s become a “fan favorite.”
“We received no pushback from the community,” he said.
Other efforts have included partnering with local radio host Juan Briones, of Juan 101.7FM fame, to do Spanish-language promotions for select games and featuring more Latino beats during batting practice and as walk-up music.
Ruffino explained that the organization’s busy schedule makes getting out in the community, especially with players, challenging. “We are not out in the community as often as we want. The players have Mondays off and like to have their free time respected. It’s sacred,” Ruffino said.
Chelsea Almanzar, 25, has lived in Reno since she was five. Her Dominican parents brought her to Aces games as a kid. Now, she attends games with friends. She shared her perspective on the Aces outreach.
“I don’t think it matters much (if they target the Latino community specifically) because I don’t think they do enough outreach in the community at all,” Almanzar said, who came to watch the Aces because she was given a free ticket.
Her friend Erick Rangel, 24, of Mexican descent, had a different opinion. “I don’t think there is enough outreach to the Latino community,” Rangel said.
Almanzar pointed out all of the empty seats during the Thursday evening matchup. “If they knew it would be cold, why not offer cheaper tickets?”
To honor Cinco de Mayo, the Reno Aces are offering $12 tickets to all Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday games in May.
Additional reporting by Claudia Cruz