Hispanics are now the “most avid fans” of baseball in the United States, where the World Classic begins in a week with a growing fan base in Latin America driven by countries like Mexico, former Mexican player Édgar González and commentator Carlos Álvarez tell EFE.
More than one in three Latinos in the United States, 36%, consider themselves “avid fans” of Major League Baseball(MLB), ahead of 24% of whites and 15% of African Americans, according to Statista. The phenomenon is occurring in the face of growing Latino representation in MLB, which reports that three out of every 10 players are Hispanic, 30%.
Latino talent boosts Major League Baseball
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“I attribute it a lot to the fact that there are a lot of Latino players who have done very well here in the major league game.”
“Most of the stars or very many of the stars in Major League Baseball are Latino and that makes a Latino proud,” said Gonzalez, who played for the San Diego Padres and managed the Mexican national team.
As proof of success, the “juiciest” contract in MLB is that of Dominican Juan Soto.
He signed a historic 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets in December 2024, said Alvarez, a reporter for Fox Deportes.
“There has been an increase in the participation of Mexicans, especially Cubans, who have always been there, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.”
“But also to see how Venezuela is increasing its participation, with players, and that little flavor that we also give as Latinos to Major League Baseball,” he added.
An increasingly global championship
Specialists highlighted the growing interest outside the United States in the World Baseball Classic.
It begins on Thursday in Japan and on Friday in the United States, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Houston and Miami, where the final will be held on March 17.
Group A is made up of Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama and Puerto Rico.
B is made up of Brazil, the United Kingdom, Italy, Mexico and the United States.
While C includes Australia, Taiwan, Czech Republic, Japan and Korea.
D is made up of the Dominican Republic, Israel, the Netherlands, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
“Definitely, I believe that in our countries, too, that love for baseball has not diminished.”
“On the contrary, it has increased and the amount of talent that is being generated by that public interest and also how players are now developing in Latin America,” Alvarez noted.
MLB bets on Latin America
The Fox Deportes commentator attributes this to MLB’s interest in reaching Latin American audiences.
With Major League Baseball games in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, similar to what the NFL has done.
That selected Bad Bunny for its Super Bowl halftime show to broaden its Latino audience.
“That seems fabulous to me, even if there is not a good infrastructure, but for the interest that this can generate, yes, obviously the United States and the Major Leagues cannot ignore Latin teams or countries.
“I think that has a lot to do with and stems from the interest they saw in Major League Baseball,” he said.
That makes a Latino feel proud
Édgar González
Mexico, “a powerhouse
The baseball push also stems from the growth of the sport in Mexico, Gonzalez said.
Who noted that the Mexican team is in one of its best moments for the World Baseball Classic.
“It seems to me that Mexico is becoming a power because, if you talk about the teams that are favorites to win the classic, for me Mexico is going to be among the top five.
“And that tells you that he’s already moved up a level because he’s already considered among the best,” he said.
With information from EFE
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