Sports

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

Published

2 weeks ago

2024-04-27

AP - VOR News Image

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.”

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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.

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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.

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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)

Sports

Toronto Maple Leafs Sack Head Coach Sheldon Keefe

Published

8 hours ago

2024-05-10

Geoff Thomas

The Toronto Maple Leafs sacked head coach Sheldon Keefe just days after losing their first-round series to the Boston Bruins in seven games.

“Today’s decision was difficult,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving stated. “Sheldon is an exceptional coach and a kind man; nonetheless, we felt that a new voice is required to help the team push forward to achieve our ultimate goal.

We applaud Sheldon for his nine years of hard work and dedication to the organization and wish him and his family the best.

Keefe took over as Maple Leafs head coach in November 2019, after Mike Babcock. He guided the squad to a 212-97-40 record over five seasons, including three consecutive 100-point seasons.

While Keefe led the club to regular-season success, they fell short in the postseason.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round struggles have been well-documented, with the team only making it to the second round once since 2004. That one time, in 2022-23, Keefe was in power.

Toronto Maple Leafs playoff streak

However, three first-round exits (all in seven games) and a qualifying round loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs increased the pressure on management to make a change.

The Maple Leafs have the NHL’s longest ongoing playoff streak at eight seasons, but seven of those have ended in the first round. After trailing 3-1 against the Bruins and forcing a Game 7, they lost 2-1 in overtime in the last game.

When Keefe was hired as NHL head coach, he had never done so before. If Treliving is looking for experience in the role, he can look to Craig Berube, who won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Gerard Gallant, who has coached 17 seasons in the NHL with four teams, and Todd McLellan, who most recently coached the Los Angeles Kings and has 19 seasons of league experience.

If the Maple Leafs choose to go with a new face, Denver University’s David Carle has led the Pioneers to two of the last three NCAA men’s championships and led the United States men’s national junior team to World Junior Championship gold in January.
Another early-round loss indicated that changes were on the way, most likely starting with the head coach.

Keefe’s two-year contract extension, which he signed last summer following the appointment of general manager Brad Treliving, has not yet taken effect.

Source: CBC

Sports

Tiger Woods To Be The Only Player On The Negotiation Committee With Saudis.

Published

17 hours ago

2024-05-09

Kiara Grace

AP News - VOR News Image

Tiger Woods will be the only player on a five-member subcommittee negotiating with the Public Investment Fund. This is part of a hectic day of governance as the PGA Tour attempts to reach an agreement with LIV Golf’s Saudi sponsors.

Woods was appointed to the PGA Tour board in August, becoming the sixth player-director and the only one with an unlimited term.

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Tiger Woods To Be The Only Player On The Negotiation Committee With Saudis.

According to the tour, Woods will serve on the “transaction subcommittee” of the PGA Tour Enterprises board, which will manage day-to-day negotiations as PIF attempts to become a minority partner.

The subcommittee includes PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, board chairman Joe Gorder, John W. Henry of Fenway Sports Group, and Joe Ogilvie, a former tour player named director liaison in March.

The subcommittee reports back to the entire board.

The developments concluded a day that began with Rory McIlroy losing his inside track on returning to the board as Webb Simpson’s successor after board members opposed his return.

“I think there was a subset of people on the board who were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason,” McIlroy said at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, a $20 million marquee tournament.Simpson had offered to quit, but only if McIlroy replaced him. When a player director resigns, the remaining players on the board must unanimously agree on a replacement. McIlroy resigned from the board in November, and the players chose Jordan Spieth as his replacement.

The seven players — Woods, Spieth, Simpson, Ogilvie, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, and Peter Malnati — serve on the boards of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Enterprises, the business organization that signed an agreement with Strategic Sports Group as a minority partner.

That contract included a $1.5 billion investment, which may rise to $3 billion.

McIlroy was eager to return, hoping he could help find a solution to golf’s schism, which has left some of the top players on two tours. McIlroy sees reunification in some form as the ultimate aim and offended players earlier this year when he recommended that LIV players return without penalties.

“Today’s news is in no way a commentary on Rory’s important perspective and influence,” Monahan said. “It’s simply a matter of following our governance process when a tour player becomes a board member.

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Tiger Woods To Be The Only Player On The Negotiation Committee With Saudis.

“Webb remaining in his position as a member of the policy board and PGA Tour Enterprises board through the end of his term provides the continuity needed at this vital time,” he stated. “We are making progress in our negotiations with the PIF.”

Given his two years on the board and his influence in the game, McIlroy is almost certain to remain involved in an unofficial manner. He was the sole European Tour member on the PGA Tour board, and he has built contacts across continents throughout his career.

On a British soccer podcast earlier this year, he stated that he met with the PIF governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, during the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in late 2022, then returned home and persuaded the tour board to meet with him.

The PGA Tour, European Tour, and PIF announced a framework agreement on June 6, with a deadline of the end of 2023. Negotiations continue with little progress.

Woods, along with Monahan and Henry, was one of the player directors who traveled to the Bahamas on March 18 to meet with Al-Rumayyan.

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Tiger Woods To Be The Only Player On The Negotiation Committee With Saudis.

At the Masters, Woods stated of that meeting, “I’m not sure if we’re closer, but we’re definitely on the right track.” That was a pretty productive meeting, and I believe both parties left feeling good.

Gorder is chairman and CEO of Valero, the Texas Open’s title sponsor. He has been selected as the first chairman of the PGA Tour Enterprises board.

SOURCE – (AP)

Sports

Toronto Maple Leafs Fire Coach Sheldon Keefe After Another Early Game 7 Playoff Exit.

Published

17 hours ago

2024-05-09

Kiara Grace

TORONTO– Sheldon Keefe was sacked as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, following another early exit from the NHL playoffs.

The move was expected following Toronto’s Game 7 loss to rival Boston last weekend, the team’s fourth first-round loss in five years under Sheldon. The Maple Leafs have won only one playoff series since Sheldon took charge in November 2019.

“Today’s decision was difficult,” general manager Brad Treliving stated. “Sheldon is a fantastic coach and a kind man. However, we felt that a new voice was required to help the team push through to achieve our ultimate goal.”

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Toronto Maple Leafs Fire Coach Sheldon Keefe After Another Early Playoff Exit.

Following the league’s 18th coaching change since the completion of the 2022-23 season, the team announced that the hunt for Keefe’s replacement will begin immediately. Treliving and other members of management are set to speak to media on Friday about the coaching change and other end-of-season issues.

Keefe, 43, joined the club in 2015 as coach of the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies, largely due to his junior hockey connections to then-assistant general manager Kyle Dubas, who was elevated and served as GM for five seasons before being fired last year. Sheldon took over for Mike Babcock after Dubas dismissed him a few weeks into the 2019-20 season.

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Toronto Maple Leafs Fire Coach Sheldon Keefe After Another Early Playoff Exit.

Some good regular seasons and playoff appearances followed, but little extra to show for it. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, and John Tavares led the Leafs, who were Keefe’s coach, to a 16-21 playoff record.

Earlier this week, Keefe stated that, while he accepts responsibility for not meeting goals, he has never been more confident in the group’s and his potential to succeed.

“Now more than ever, I believe in myself and our team,” Keefe stated. I believe that I will win, and our team will win.”

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Toronto Maple Leafs Fire Coach Sheldon Keefe After Another Early Playoff Exit.

They will do so if they win in Toronto under a different coach. Craig Berube, winner of the 2019 Stanley Cup, former Minnesota coach Dean Evason, and former Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan are among the experienced alternatives.

SOURCE – (AP)