Southwest University Park

Announcement Regarding 2020 Minor League Baseball Season (Chihuahuas Triple-A Baseball)

EL PASO – June 30, 2020 – Major League Baseball (MLB) has informed Minor League Baseball (MiLB) that it will not be providing its affiliated Minor League teams with players for the 2020 season. As a result, there will not be a Minor League Baseball season in 2020. The Chihuahuas home opener was originally slated for Tuesday, April 14 versus the Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland A’s affiliate).

MiLB originally announced the delay to the start of the 2020 season on March 12 and the postponement of games on April 16 due to COVID-19.

“This year we will certainly miss the excitement, experience, and the sense of community that Chihuahuas baseball is well known for,” said MountainStar Sports Group and Chihuahuas President Alan Ledford. “While baseball is not happening at Southwest University Park in 2020, we will continue to serve our community and engage with fans throughout the region through social media, community efforts, and the hard work of our mascot, Chico.”

It is certainly disappointing to not have a 2020 season. As an organization, we will continue moving forward serving our community while planning for an amazing 2021 season,” said MountainStar Sports Group Senior Vice President and Chihuahuas General Manager Brad Taylor. “For now, we can stay connected through our various social media platforms and modern technology. Being apart makes us appreciate how great it will feel when we can all be together again. Let us continue to support those that work daily to keep us healthy, keep us fed and keep us safe.”

Since the gates opened at Southwest University Park in 2014, more than 3.3-million guests have attended Chihuahuas games and the team has won numerous awards and continues to be a model of excellence.

During their six-year history the Chihuahuas received numerous awards including “Best New Ballpark” by USA Today and “Ballpark of the Year” by DigitalBallParks.com. Most recently, in 2019 the Chihuahuas were named the Pacific Coast League’s recipient of the John H. Johnson Award and were the winner of Ballpark Digest's Continued Excellence Award. These awards are given annually to a Minor League Baseball organization that continues to demonstrate a standard of excellence, creates an atmosphere of fun, affordable family entertainment, and serves as a great community partner.

Southwest University Park has seen its share of premier MiLB events since it opened its doors in 2014. The Chihuahuas hosted the 2015 Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game, 2019 RMHC Triple-A All-Star Game and Jarritos Home Run Derby, all of which were nationally televised and played in front of standing room only crowds. The team also hosted one of the MiLB’s major industry events, the 2019 Minor League Baseball Innovators Summit™ and Trade Show.

During their history, the Chihuahuas, having never had a losing season, have won four division titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), two conference championships in 2016 and 2017, and won the 2016 Pacific Coast League Championship title. Fifty-nine former Chihuahuas have made their MLB debut after playing in El Paso and two former Chihuahuas managers later managed in MLB.

While there has been plenty of success on the field, the Chihuahuas have also become a significant partner in community endeavors. Since 2014, the Chihuahuas staff and the El Paso Chihuahuas Foundation helped local organizations raise more than $1.5 million through in-stadium fundraising, provided $1.2 million in monetary donations and $150,000 in in-kind donations.

With the number one social media following in all of MiLB, and while the “stay-at-home” order has been in place, the Chihuahuas engaged fans via social media platforms including Opening Day at Home, the rebroadcast of the 2016 Opening Day home game, Chihuahuas Chatter presented by Budweiser Select, a variety show featuring Tim Hagerty and special guest appearances, and Turbo Trivia presented by Helen of Troy and hosted by Chihuahuas on-field emcee, Andy Imfeld.

Chico and members of the front office staff have also participated in numerous party parades around the region and partnered with area school districts to join online classrooms.

Ledford added , “While the tradition of Minor League Baseball will take a hiatus this spring and summer, rest assured that our organization will continue to serve our community and our schools, and create memories in new ways through social media, technology and other creative means. At the same time, we are already preparing for the return of Triple-A baseball to El Paso’s de facto town square, Southwest University Park, in 2021. In the meantime, stay well and we thank you all for the amazing support we’ve received during this very challenging time.”

Account Executives for Season Seat Memberships and Group & Premium Sales are hard at work contacting Season Seat Members and group leaders regarding the status of their current packages. If you would like information regarding your Season Seats or Group and Fundraising tickets, please contact your Account Executive directly via email, phone or text (915) 533-BASE.

The Chihuahuas offices and the Southwest University Park Box Offices remain closed. For information regarding 2020 single-game ticket purchases, please email info@epchihuahuas.com or text (915) 533-BASE.

El Paso Locomotive FC will resume their 2020 season beginning July 11. A revised game schedule will be released shortly. For information and updates regarding the Locomotive, visit eplocomotivefc.com.

For Chihuahuas updates and information, visit the website: epchihuahaus.com or follow the team on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.