San Diego Padres announce expansion of outreach in Mexico
The San Diego Padres today made a series of announcements in connection with the club's commitment to expanding outreach and access to fans in Mexico. Padres President and CEO Mike Dee was on hand at the Boys & Girls Club in Tijuana this morning to announce the first-ever cross-border MLB All-Star Community Legacy project, a multi-year extension of the club's partnership with Spanish media company Uniradio, and the reorganization of the Padres' presence south of the border, in an effort create new opportunities for fans to connect with the club. Dee was joined by Tom Seidler, Padres senior vice president, community and military affairs, Dr. Jorge Astiazarán Orcí, Mayor of Tijuana, Enrique Gamboa, president and founder of the Boys & Girls Club in Tijuana, and Ricardo Astiazaran, vice president/general manager of Uniradio.
"Today's announcements are a continuation of the Padres' renewed commitment to fans in Tijuana and throughout northern Baja California," said Dee. "We know we have passionate baseball fans in this region, and it's a priority for our ownership group to be more consistent in our outreach and to create more access and opportunities to connect with fans here.
For the first time in Midsummer Classic history, MLB All-Star Community Legacy efforts in 2016 will include a cross-border, international project: the creation of an All-Star Complex at the Club de Niños y Niñas de Mexico (Boys & Girls Club of Mexico) in Tijuana, Baja California. The club, which opened in 2008 and serves 750 children daily, was the first Boys & Girls Club in Mexico. Planned renovations at the facility most notably include the conversion of a nearly 16,000 sq. ft. basketball court into a multi-use recreation area featuring a kickball/WIFFLE ball field. The project also will upgrade two batting cages by installing new netting and safety infrastructure, as well as a pitching machine. Additional improvements include the leveling and grading of a parking lot at the facility to provide protection from water damage, the aesthetic refresh of meal and rest areas, and the installation of a drop ceiling and new ventilation in the auditorium to allow for year-round use.
"As the host of the 2016 All-Star Game and a longstanding supporter of baseball in Mexico, the San Diego Padres are uniquely positioned to promote baseball around the world," said Chris Park, Major League Baseball Senior Vice President, Growth, Strategy and International. "It has become an All-Star tradition to give back not only to the host city, but also to its surrounding communities. We are delighted to extend that tradition outside the United States by partnering with the Padres to renovate the Boys & Girls Club in Tijuana."
This project is the first of several initiatives to be announced which will comprise the MLB All-Star Community Legacy efforts in 2016. Last year, in partnership with the Cincinnati Reds, MLB provided millions of dollars in funding to improve neighborhoods, community centers and baseball and softball fields throughout the Cincinnati region. This year in San Diego, a similar investment will be made into a number of projects designed to positively impact underserved youth and veterans, and leave a lasting "legacy" throughout the San Diego region. The remaining Community Legacy projects will be announced at a later date, ahead of MLB All-Star Week this July.
Also announced today, the Padres have agreed to a multi-year extension with the club's longtime Spanish radio partner, Uniradio, which will continue to broadcast all regular-season Padres games in Spanish throughout the San Diego and Baja region. Padres games will be heard live on XEMO 860 AM La Poderosa, which is entering its 14th season as the club's Spanish flagship station. The Spanish voice of the Padres, Eduardo Ortega, celebrates his 30th season with the Padres in 2016, and will be joined in the booth once again by former Padres catcher, Carlos Hernandez, for his fifth season as the club's color commentator. Beyond the broadcasting relationship, the Padres and Uniradio will work together over the next several years to further connect the Padres with Tijuana and all of Baja California.
"We're very excited about extending our partnership with the Padres," said Astiazaran. "We look forward to XEMO's 14th season as the flagship station for Spanish language radio, and to working together with the Padres to reach out to the community on both sides of the border."
In an effort to make it easier for fans south of the border to visit Petco Park, the Padres will expand the international "Ve a los Padres con los Padres" bus program. The program was the first of its kind in Major League Baseball, offering fans in Mexico the opportunity to purchase a package that includes a game ticket and bus transportation from Tijuana to Petco Park. The Padres look to expand this program in 2016 through a partnership with the Tijuana Toros of the professional Mexican Baseball League. The Padres and Toros are working toward giving fans the ability to purchase bus program tickets at various locations of Toros merchandise stores throughout Tijuana. As part of the reallocation of resources to have a presence in multiple locations, the club will be closing the doors of its Tienda de los Padres (Padres Team Store) at the Plaza Rio shopping mall in Tijuana at the end of January. The bus program will continue to operate from the mall.
As was announced earlier today in Mexico City, the Padres will play two spring training games against the Houston Astros at Fray Nano in Mexico City on March 26 and 27. The games will mark the first MLB games in Mexico City since 2004, and the first time the Padres play in Mexico since 2002. This will be the seventh Spring Training trip south of the border for the club (Mexico City 1972 and 1981, Tijuana 1982, Culiacan 1997 and 2001, and Hermosillo 2002). In addition, the Padres played three regular-season games in Monterrey, against the New York Mets in 1996, as well as the 1999 regular-season opener against the Colorado Rockies.