MEXICO CITY — The upcoming matchup between the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies will mark the seventh regular-season series held in Mexico. However, Major League Baseball’s influence in the country extends well beyond that.

In 2016, Mexico established an MLB office, making it one of just six countries worldwide to have such an office. For Rodrigo Fernandez, the leader of the organization located in the southern region of the country, the regular-season series may be the most significant occasion, but there are other events held in the country.

One of these programs is First Pitch, which is run by the MLB office to encourage children to play baseball. Another tournament is the MLB Cup, a nationwide competition for 11—and 12-year-olds that recently concluded its sixth championship.

“The series is the culmination of our many activities throughout the year,” Fernandez told The Associated Press. ESPN televises the MLB Cup, the largest competition of its kind in Mexico. Those children represent the future of Mexico.”

MLB Presence In Mexico Goes Beyond Just Hosting Another Regular-Season Series

The MLB office in Mexico organized the tournament in collaboration with the Mexican Baseball Association, featuring 28 teams. The championship matches took place in Mexico City.

Our intention is to convey to them that we have a genuine interest in their participation in baseball. According to Fernandez, many will likely be recruited by the Mexican Baseball League. Additionally, they will represent the national team in their respective age categories.

Since its establishment in 2016, Fernandez has served as the only director of the office. Prior to assuming his current role, he was the general manager of operations for World Wrestling Entertainment in Mexico and Latin America.

In addition to Mexico, Major League Baseball has offices located in London, Tokyo, Beijing, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The office is located within a high-end tower directly connected to the posh Artz Pedregal shopping mall in the city’s southern region.

While Fernandez’s stance remains unchanged, certain MLB objectives in Mexico have changed. 2016 MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed his interest in expanding the league into Mexico. However, one year ago, Manfred explicitly stated that he had never considered Mexico a potential area for expansion.

MLB Presence In Mexico Goes Beyond Just Hosting Another Regular-Season Series

“Commissioner Manfred is strongly dedicated to Mexico and has a keen interest in its development. However, various factors have prompted us to alter our strategies, and our current focus is on strengthening the local leagues,” Fernandez stated.

The MLB office in Mexico currently collaborates closely with the Mexican Baseball Federation and is actively seeking to establish a stronger alliance with the Mexican Baseball League under the leadership of league president Horacio de la Vega.

Under de la Vega’s leadership since 2021, stadium attendance in the league has risen, and the games are now televised nationally and available on streaming platforms. This has contributed to the proliferation of the sport among a new cohort of enthusiasts.

“I believe that fan attendance has risen. Previously, there used to be a significant number of elderly individuals in the park,” stated Carlos Hernandez, a 63-year-old supporter, before a match between the Diablos Rojos and Tigres in MeThereently, there is a larger fanbase, particularly among the younger demographic.”

As per Othon Diaz, the president of Diablos Rojos, 53% of the team’s fanbase consisted of individuals aged 55 years or older nine years ago. Presently, the majority of the team’s fans, accounting for 74%, are under 45. Furthermore, spectators at every game increased from an average of 3,000 to 11,000.

For a subset of dedicated enthusiasts, the presence of an MLB regular-season series is enjoyable but limited to those with the financial means to attend.

Fernandez said that tickets for the Astros-Rockies series were completely sold out within one hour, resulting in a significant surge in the resale market prices, ranging from $70 to as high as $580.

“The show is of high quality, but the ticket prices are somewhat expensive.” “By opting for the most affordable option, one could attend (to witness the Diablos Rojos) for a duration equivalent to half of a season,” stated Hernandez, who accompanied his wife and two boys to watch the Diablos.

MLB Presence In Mexico Goes Beyond Just Hosting Another Regular-Season Series

In August 1996, Mexico hosted its first MLB games in Monterrey, where the San Diego Padres played against the New York Mets. In 2018, the Padres competed against the Los Angeles Dodgers. 2019 the Cincinnati Reds competed against the St. Louis Cardinals, while the Houston Astros confronted the Los Angeles Angels.

The 2020 series between the Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks, which was scheduled to take place in Mexico City, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the previous year, the Padres competed against the San Francisco Giants.

Fernandez has stated that regular-season games in Mexico will be held until 2026, although not necessarily at the same location. Meanwhile, efforts persist to promote baseball’s proliferation in the nation.

SOURCE – (AP)