The Harrisburg Senators announced on Thursday afternoon that they would be one of 92 minor league teams participating next season in the Copa de la Diversión, an initiative across Minor League Baseball aimed at engaging, embracing, and honoring Hispanic and Latinx communities.

The Senators will rebrand themselves for five games in the upcoming season as the Playeros de Harrisburg. Playeros roughly translates to beachgoers and combines the Hispanic tradition of familial bonding with the Senators’ unique home on City Island.

“We are appreciative of the Harrisburg Senators’ front office for taking the initiative to invite the greater Harrisburg Latino community to share this family pastime and celebrate the diversity and pride of the Latin American culture,” David Botero speaking on behalf of the Latino Hispanic Professional Association said.

“The Senators did their research, they invested in thought leadership, and they created a culturally relevant experience for future games. They partnered with members from the Latino Hispanic Professional Association, and we engaged in fun, creative, and out-of-the-box brainstorming sessions that prioritized the genuine Latin American experience from the lens of the families that migrated to our county.”

“We are grateful for this partnership, and we’re excited to share Copa nights with kids and families all the way from Allison Hill to all of Central Pennsylvania so they can taste, smell, feel, and hear the Latinization of baseball at our very own playa here on City Island in Harrisburg.”

The Senators will play as the Playeros on April 17, May 23, June 28, July 8, and August 8. Tickets are already available for these five dates individually and also as part of an exclusive 5-pack for all of the games.

During the 2019 season, 1.8 million fans attended almost 400 Copa de la Diversión games with a nearly 20% higher average attendance rate per game the normal. MiLB teams have also partnered with more than 200 local Hispanic/Latino organizations, donating more than $400,000 in cash and gifts-in-kind to local Hispanic philanthropies.

With a strong Latino presence on the Senators’ roster each year and Harrisburg’s vibrant Hispanic population, this is a significant first step in outreach to the community. Using the 2010 Census data, Harrisburg ranks fourth among Eastern League cities with an 18% Latinx/Hispanic rate of its population.

“We believe this is not just a one-year thing,” Senators’ team president Kevin Kulp said. “This is something that is going to be part of our seasons from now on. It’s exciting to launch something new that’s very worthwhile in our community. This is the beginning of a great run with Copa de la Diversión.”