Sports Odds and Ends
The Minnesota Twins, since their downtown ballpark opened in 2010, have promoted it as a place for everyone. Almost immediately after its opening, the MSR routinely sought the validity of its promotion as the team pushed its food offerings during home games.
In its 15th season, which opened the 2024 regular season last weekend, the stadium has several new food offerings available for fans throughout the ballpark, including two local Black-owned vendors.
Kamal Mohamad opened Parcelle in Northeast Minneapolis a couple of years ago. He has two offerings—a C.R.E.A.M. Smoothie and a BluePrint Smoothie. It is his first time as a vendor at the Twins ballpark, Mohamad told the MSR during the April 1 media tour.
“This is primarily for marketing,” he gave as his reason for wanting to be at Twins games. “We just want people to try the product, and that gives them a reason to come to the store. I think this gives us access to fans and customers from across the Twin Cities, and for them to try it and go, ‘Oh, wow.”
John Chester is back for his third season at the ballpark. His BBQ Mac N’ Cheese makes its debut this season along with his own barbecue available for purchase.
“It’s been a great opportunity to help promote our business, that we have a brick and mortar in St. Louis Park,” said Chester, who started his East Coast eatery a few years ago. “It’s helped bring a lot of business to our location from here at the stadium,” the owner pointed out.
Also new this year is the Twins X Thrivent At Bat for Impact program. Started by the team and Thrivent, a financial services organization, this is a multi-year partnership that created a $200,000 annual fund to select local nonprofits.
Twins Business Communications Director Matt Hodson told the MSR last week that the new fund is “fan-directed.” Minnesota Boys & Girls Clubs, Junior Achievement North, Achieve Twin Cities and BestPrep are the first four groups that fans can vote for during four specific voting cycles throughout the season. The group with the most votes gets $15,000, and the runners-up $12,000.
“It’s gonna be real transformative for these nonprofits. We’re really excited…that fans will help determine the money allotments for each of these nonprofits,” noted Hodson.
Asked if local Black nonprofits will be involved in the new Twins-Thrivent fund, Thrivent Chief Growth and Generosity Officer Carolyn Sakstrup claimed, “We absolutely are looking for nonprofits in the community. We look for diversity in who they serve and who’s leading these organizations. It is one of the factors we’re considering.”
Be The Change MN founder John Baker told the MSR that Thrivent has been involved with local nonprofits such as his for some time. “Thrivent is already a big sponsor of ours,” he pointed out. “They’re sponsoring a career fair that we’re putting together for the Minneapolis Public Schools [on April 23] at Orchestra Hall for kids of color and immigrants. We’ll probably have over 500 Minneapolis students.”
Hodson added, “We obviously are trying to win every year on the field, but community efforts never slump. We can’t always control the way things are gonna happen out in the field, but we can control how we show up in the community.”
Yet the Twins still seem to struggle attracting more Black fans to games. Only three U.S.-born Black players are on this year’s roster—pitcher Jay Jackson, outfielder Byron Buxton and infielder Royce Lewis.
“Our goal is to make Target Field a welcoming place for everyone of all backgrounds to feel they can come here,” said Hodson.
Baker pointed out that “offering different opportunities besides just baseball” might help bring in more Blacks. “I think it should be about community. I think it’s got to be more inclusive.”