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Minor League Baseball Expands “Copa de la Diversión” for 2019

Minor League Baseball Expands “Copa de la Diversión” for 2019

 Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) this week revealed the on-field identities of the 72 teams participating in its 2019 “Copa de la Diversión™” (“Fun Cup™”) competition. Entering its second season, Copa de la Diversión (“Copa”) serves as the centerpiece of MiLB’s “Es Divertido Ser Un Fan™” (“It’s Fun to be A Fan™”) Hispanic fan engagement initiative.

The inaugural campaign in 2018 far exceeded community impact, fan engagement and game attendance projections, earning numerous awards and recognitions for its authentic approach to engaging with Hispanic communities nationwide. In 2018, Copa de la Diversión games drew significantly larger crowds – 24.4 percent larger – than non-Copa games. Overall attendance for the Copa-designated games was 12.6 percent more than attendance for the same dates in 2017.

On Monday, Sports Business Journal unveiled its 2019 Sports Business Award nominees, naming Minor League Baseball: Copa de la Diversión one of four finalists for its “Sports Breakthrough of the Year” award, with winners to be announced at the Sports Business Awards on May 22 in New York City.

“We worked for more than three years researching and developing the Copa de la Diversión platform, and we knew that if we built an authentic, culturally-relevant campaign, our entire fan base – not just Hispanic fans – would embrace it,” said Kurt Hunzeker, Minor League Baseball’s vice president of marketing strategy and research. “The way Copa resonated with our communities almost immediately after we started unveiling the identities last year truly signaled that our focus, direction and execution was correct. The positive fan feedback coupled with the quantifiable increases in key metrics helped shape our strategy as we prepare for more ‘divertido’ this season.”

Building off the inaugural season’s successes, all 33 MiLB teams that participated in Copa last year are returning in 2019, joining 39 additional teams seeking to strengthen their connections with Hispanic fans in their respective communities. By the end of this week, all 72 participating Copa teams will have held unveiling events showcasing their culturally-relevant on-field personas honoring the local Hispanic community. Each participating team will adopt these new personas via on-field jerseys and caps during 397 Copa-designated games throughout the 2019 season.

MiLB also introduced a new, Copa-specific website featuring each participating team’s unique identity, the story behind its Hispanic on-field persona and links for fans to purchase tickets to the Copa ballpark events and order merchandise, including on-field caps, T-shirts and other branded apparel.

The participating MiLB teams unveiling Copa de la Diversión brand identities this week are listed below in alpha order. Teams listed in blue debuted in 2018, while those in red are identities new to the program in 2019.

Minor League Baseball Team

Spanish-Language Name

Translation

Albuquerque Isotopes

Mariachis de Nuevo México

New Mexico Mariachis

Arkansas Travelers

Diamantes de Arkansas

Diamonds

Bowie Baysox

Cangrejos Fantasmas de Chesapeake

Chesapeake Ghost Crabs

Bradenton Marauders

Bradenton Barbanegras

Blackbeards

Brooklyn Cyclones

Brooklyn Jefes

Bosses

Carolina Mudcats

Pescados de Carolina

Fish

Charleston RiverDogs

Perros Santos de Charleston

Holy Dogs

Charlotte Knights

Caballeros de Charlotte

Knights

Chattanooga Lookouts

Montañas de Chattanooga

Mountains

Clinton LumberKings

Clinton Elotes

Mexican-Style Street Corn

Columbia Fireflies

Chicharrones de Columbia

Pork Rinds

Columbus Clippers

Veleros de Columbia

Sailboats

Corpus Christi Hooks

Corpus Christi Raspas

Snow Cones

Daytona Tortugas

Daytona Tortugas

Turtles

Delmarva Shorebirds

Gallos de Delmarva

Roosters

Down East Wood Ducks

Patos Joyuyos de Down East

Wood Ducks

Durham Bulls

Mal de Ojo de Durham

Evil Eye

El Paso Chihuahuas

Margaritas de El Paso

Erie SeaWolves

Erie Piñatas

Eugene Emeralds

Monarcas de Eugene

Monarchs (Butterflies)

Everett AquaSox

Everett Conquistadores

Fighting Spirit

Florida Fire Frogs

Coquis de Florida

Singing Tree Frogs

Fresno Grizzlies

Fresno Lowriders

Greensboro Grasshoppers

Ocelotes de Greensboro

Ocelots

Greenville Drive

Greenville Energía

Drive

Gwinnett Stripers

Xolos de Gwinnett

Mexican Hairless Dogs

Hartford Yard Goats

Chivos de Hartford

Goats

Hickory Crawdads

Llamas de Hickory

Hillsboro Hops

Soñadores de Hillsboro

Dreamers

Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino

Cucuys de San Bernardino

Bogeymen

Iowa Cubs

Demonios de Des Moines

Des Moines Demons

Kane County Cougars

Cougars de Kane County

Kannapolis Intimidators

Rápidos de Kannapolis

Fast

Lake County Captains

Picantes de Lake County

Spicy

Lake Elsinore Storm

Cadejos de Lake Elsinore

Supernatural Spirits

Lakewood BlueClaws

Medusas de Lakewood

Jellyfish

Lancaster JetHawks

Viento de Lancaster

Wind

Lansing Lugnuts

Lansing Locos

“Go ‘Nuts!”

Las Vegas Aviators

Las Vegas Reyes de Plata

Silver Kings

Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Lehigh Valley Coquis

Singing Tree Frogs

Lexington Legends

Leyendas de Lexington

Legends

Louisville Bats

Murciélagos de Louisville

Bats

Memphis Redbirds

Memphis Música

Music

Midland RockHounds

Matamoscas de Midessa

Midland-Odessa Fly Swatters

Modesto Nuts

Alebrijes de Modesto

Spirit Animals

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelícanos de Myrtle Beach

Pelicans

Nashville Sounds

Nashville Vihuelas

Guitars

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Gatos Feroces de New Hampshire

Fisher Cats

Norfolk Tides

Pajaritos de Norfolk

Baby Birds

Oklahoma City Dodgers

Cielo Azul de Oklahoma City

Blue Sky

Omaha Storm Chasers

Omaha Cazadores de Tormentas

Storm Chasers

Pawtucket Red Sox

Pawtucket Osos Polares

Polar Bears

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Rancho Cucamonga Temblores

Quakes

Reading Fightin Phils

Peleadores de Reading

Fighters

Reno Aces

Corazones de Reno

Hearts

Richmond Flying Squirrels

Ardillas Voladoras de Richmond

Flying Squirrels

Round Rock Express

Round Rock Chupacabras

Sacramento River Cats

Sacramento Dorados

Golden

Salem Red Sox

San Bernardos de Salem

Saint Bernards

Salt Lake Bees

Abejas de Salt Lake

Bees

San Antonio Missions

Flying Chanclas de San Antonio

Flying Sandals

San Jose Giants

San Jose Churros

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Vejigantes

Puerto Rican Folkloric Character

Stockton Ports

Caballos de Stockton

Horses

Tacoma Rainiers

Familia de Tacoma

Family

Trenton Thunder

Trenton Trueno

Thunder

Tri-City Dust Devils

Viñeros de Tri-City

Winemakers

Tulsa Drillers

Petroleros de Tulsa

Oilmen

Visalia Rawhide

Visalia Toros

Bulls

West Michigan Whitecaps

Calaveras de West Michigan

Skulls

Winston-Salem Dash

Winston-Salem Rayados

Striped Ones

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Cascabeles de Wisconsin

Rattle

The 397-game event series begins on April 5 with four games being played in Columbus, Ohio; Lexington, Kentucky; Richmond, Virginia; and Lancaster, California.

As a direct result of Copa’s immense success in 2018, MiLB announced an agreement with ECHO Incorporated making it the “Official Outdoor Power Tool of MiLB” and the “Official Outdoor Power Tool of Copa de la Diversión” (“Herramienta Oficial de la Copa de la Diversión”) last November. Additionally, MiLB announced in December a partnership with the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) to become an “Official Charity of MiLB Copa de la Diversión,” making it the first-ever philanthropic partner tied specifically to MiLB’s Hispanic fan engagement initiative.

About Minor League Baseball  
Minor League Baseball is the governing body for all professional baseball teams in the United States, Canada, and the Dominican Republic that are affiliated with Major League Baseball® clubs through their farm systems. In 2018, Minor League Baseball attracted nearly 40.5 million fans to its ballparks to see baseball’s future stars and experience affordable family-friendly entertainment that has been a staple of Minor League Baseball since 1901. Visit www.MiLB.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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