In order to grow the game of baseball in Latin communities, Minor League teams are participating in Copa de La Diversion.
MiLB teams continue to role out new uniforms for Copa de la Diversion. But some people may be asking, what is this program? Well, according to the Minor League Baseball official website, “‘Copa de la Diversion’, or ‘Fun Cup’, is a season-long event series specifically designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most with Minor League Baseball teams’ local U.S. Hispanic communities.”
And a majority of baseball fans are of Hispanic origin.
For more on Minor League Baseball experiences, check out the summer-long series by Grace Hansen.
But how does the Copa de la Diversion program connect to their fanbases? Let’s take a more in-depth look…
Copa de la Diversion Program Details
The Copa program has been a part of Minor League Baseball since the 2017 season. However, the name Copa de la Diversion was not adopted until 2018. There are four key pillars to the Copa program.
Pillar one: “Increase awareness, authentic engagements and attendance with U.S. Hispanics in their local communities.”
Pillar two: “Embrace a culture that is passionate about baseball, family, and fun by updating the ballpark experience to match the values these fans cherish most.”
Pillar three: “Create and employ culturally relevant on-field personas that authentically connect teams with their local U.S. Hispanic communities.”
And pillar four: “Amplify MiLB’s continuous efforts including to diversify the game and business of baseball nationwide.”
A select panel chooses a winner at the conclusion of the season based on these criteria. Teams that make a concerted effort to connect with their local Hispanic fanbase are rewarded.
2024 Sees More Growth in the Program
In the 2024 season, eight more teams are adding new identities to the program. That brings the total number of participating organizations to 94. While this article won’t go completely in-depth on all of the new teams, it will highlight a couple of new ones.
One of the New Teams Pays Homage to Its History
One of the new participants in 2024 is the Buffalo Bisons, the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. And the Bisons identity in this program will be Luces de Buffalo, which translates to the Lights of Buffalo. The uniforms will be black, rather than blue and red.
As the MiLB website notes, “The ‘Luces de Buffalo’ is a celebration of Buffalo’s historic role in the Pan-Americanism movement of the early 20th century and the 1901 Pan-American Exposition (World’s Fair) … The Taino symbol of sun/light in the logo helps illuminate the many Hispanic cultures that continue to shine throughout Western New York since the Exposition.”
And with Buffalo serving as one of the largest metropolises on Lake Erie, Western New York has plenty of history for its food, and its unique connections to baseball. The Bisons have a long history worth celebrating.
Delaware’s Team Goes Back to Its Roots
The second new team to receive a highlight in 2024 is the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the High-A level affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Wilmington is not venturing far while also having a literal Spanish translation of their name. Introducing Los Rocas Azules de Wilmington.
As the note goes, “Staying true to our roots, ‘Rocas Azules de Wilmington’ directly translates to ‘Wilmington Blue Rocks.’ The Blue Rocks name was originally chosen because of the blue granite found along the Brandywine River in Wilmington. Odes to this history can be found within the primary branding which gives the appearance of blue rocks, with the outline of the state of Delaware clearly visible in the ‘O’. The brand is tied together with the pickaxe along the bottom, which features a baseball bat handle!” The white jerseys with rainbow lining with stand out compared to their usual dark blue uniforms.
One of the Originals Salutes Their Population Growth
One of the first teams to participate in the program is the Charlotte Knights. The AAA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, Charlotte introduced its Caballeros moniker when the program began in 2017. While tying to a historical name, the Hispanic identity also salutes the rise of Charlotte. The biggest city in North Carolina has grown to such an extent they may one day get an MLB team. For now, the Knights can celebrate their increase in local fans.
MiLB.com notes “Paying homage to its longstanding Knights moniker, Charlotte’s ‘Caballeros’ reflects the city’s Latino population, which has played a significant role in the city’s massive population growth over recent years. Caballeros, which shares a definition of ‘gentlemanly horseman’, ties in seamlessly to the Queen City’s identity and team’s future plans to celebrate its Latino communities.” The green and yellow design is significantly different from their standard light blue and black.
Final Thoughts on Copa de la Diversion
With this new program in effect, Copa de la Diversion is a great opportunity to invite more Hispanic communities to take interest in Minor League Baseball. More than 90 teams are playing along in 2024, and these are just a few of the unique identities.
This will be the first in a multi-part series documenting the teams taking part in this year’s festivities. All of the teams are competing for the Fun Cup. The Fun Cup trophy winner demonstrates the best experience at the ballpark, community engagement, and philanthropy impact. The leading winner for three of the last five seasons is the Albuquerque Isotopes. Their identity in the Copa de la Diversion program is Los Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico with a menacing skeleton musician as the logo.
Who will take home the cup in 2024? There’s still plenty of season left to play.
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Nate Powalie is a contributor for Back Sports Page. A 2022 graduate of Ashland University (Ashland, Ohio), Nate has five years of sports writing experience. He also has gotten the chance to call sporting events for radio and live stream. Nate also works as a cashier and can be found on X (@PNate22) and Facebook (Nate Powalie).
