SEATTLE - Baseball has always meant something else for Latinos. From the Baja California peninsula all the way down to many places in South America, baseball is more than just a sport in Latin America. And that's what the Major League Baseball is trying to show the world with its new campaign "El Béisbol es Otra Cosa."
The campaign features creators, celebrities, fans and players explaining what baseball means to them. The first ad is starred by Cuban-Dominican stand-up comedian Marcello Hernández and Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers. In the video, they show us the intricacies of being a Latino and a baseball fan. From lighting candles to making up our own words for the sounds the ball makes when it clashes with the bat, the league reaching out to some of the league's most avid fans.
According to league data, players of Latin American descent make up 30% of the total players in MLB. During opening day, 226 Latinos made the rosters with the Dominican Republic having the most representation of them all with 108.
Latin American Countries With The Most Players On Opening Day Rosters - 2024 season
- Dominican Republic - 108
- Venezuela - 58
- Cuba - 18
- Puerto Rico - 17
- Mexico - 12
- Colombia - 5
- Panama - 5
- Brazil - 1
- Honduras - 1
- Nicaragua - 1
"MLB's depth of internationally born players provides an enormous opportunity to reach fans with cultural connections globally and domestically," said Karin Timpone, Chief Marketing Officer for Major League Baseball. "The League is committed to celebrating the diversity of the sport in a way that resonates with the unique cultures that represent our game."
The league is set to release more campaign-related content throughout the season with players and events including the All-Star Game and Players' Weekend.
This new campaign is another example of the commitment MLB has with its Latino market. All MLB teams count with Spanish-language editorial coverage to further engage with those audiences. They have used that same approach in the social media world too, with Spanish platforms dedicated to teams and MLB country accounts such as MLB Venezuela and MLB Cuba for example.
According to MLB.com, the spots will appear across the league's media outlets including MLB Network, their website and across other paid digital media sites.
After seeing Latino stars such as Francisco Lindor, Elly De La Cruz and Randy Arozarena in the first spot of the campaign, fans can expect to see many other of their favorite players make an appearance to tell us that, for them, it's more than just baseball.
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