November 8, 2023 – Pacific Coast League (PCL) News Release
LAS VEGAS – Minor League Baseball (“MiLB”) announced the Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico were selected as the 2023 winner of MiLB’s season-long event series, Copa de la Diversión(tm).
The award, presented by Nationwide, was announced during Minor League Baseball’s Fall Business Meetings Awards Reception in Las Vegas. As a proud partner of Copa de la Diversión, Nationwide also provided the Isotopes/Mariachis with a $5,000 donation to further amplify initiatives in its community. As the Official Insurance Partner of Minor League Baseball and Copa de la Diversión since 2020, Nationwide has reinforced its commitment through this annual donation to the winner.
The cornerstone of MiLB’s Latina/o fan engagement initiative, Copa de la Diversión (“Copa”) established an innovative new platform authentically connecting MiLB teams with their diverse communities, embracing the culture and values that resonate most with U.S. Latinos nationwide. A total of 91 MiLB teams participated in Copa in 2023 – the most in the program’s six seasons.
In their six games as the Mariachis, the club saw a 35% increase in attendance over non-Mariachis games as they worked with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Heritage Committee, Albuquerque City Council, Albuquerque Lowrider Community, Lowrider Bicycle Ministry and Albuquerque Police Department to create events that would resonate with the Albuquerque community. Their efforts were rewarded at the gates as the six Mariachis games sold an average of 10,776 tickets, while the remaining 68 games as the Isotopes sold an average of 6,510 tickets.
The Mariachis introduced new interactive community appearances for their players and front office staff members to include them in the “Mariachis Movement,” which taught participants about important Hispanic cultural traditions. The team also hired local artists to paint Mariachis-inspired murals throughout the ballpark and on July 1, they hosted New Mexico’s largest lowrider vehicle display inside and outside of Isotopes Park. The night featured a unique bobblehead giveaway, a 1959 Chevy Impala lowrider with the Mariachis’ mascot in the driver’s seat which saw the car and mascot bobble, and saw fans begin lining up at 5:30 a.m. to ensure they received one.
Additionally, the Mariachis welcomed the Latina/o community to Isotopes Park by creating a “red vs. green” Chile Night, which celebrated a major ingredient in New…
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