Since 2009, the Reno Aces have entertained the public with their world-class accommodations at Greater Nevada Field in downtown Reno. If spring has sprung in Reno, it can mean only one thing: the annual sagebrush allergy attack. But, it can mean another thing—Reno’s Triple-A baseball team is ready to start its new season!
The minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Reno Aces, is coming off a championship 2022 season, playing their first home game on Friday, March 31, against the Las Vegas Aviators. If you’re new to town or the Aces fandom, here are a few things to know before taking yourself to the ball game.
The Aces’ roots run deep
The Aces pitched their first season in 2009, but the team has been around longer than most fans know. Before the Aces came to call the Biggest Little City home, they were a fixture in Tucson, Arizona, from 1969 until 2008 — known as the Sidewinders and the Toros at that time. Both the Tucson team and Aces played in the Pacific Coast League since their inception — one of only two minor leagues that play at the Triple-A level and the league that produced all-time greats like Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams.
The Tucson team won the PCL championship in 1991 and 1993, a feat they would repeat in 2012 and 2022 as the Aces. The 2012 Aces went on to win the Triple-A National Championship game. The Aces will now defend their championship as part of the Triple-A West after Major League Baseball reorganized the league in 2021.
Greater Nevada Field is one of the best in the country
Since 2008, Reno’s baseball fans have been treated to world-class accommodations in the heart of downtown Reno thanks to the aptly named Greater Nevada Field. With an official capacity of 9,100, there are plenty of ways to catch a game. General admission tickets get you access to 6,500 individual seats or picnic-style seating on the grass-covered berm behind right field — a perfect spot for parents and children who might want to stretch their legs during the game in the play area and grilling station nearby.
Fans can also find two “party zones” with picnic table seating, 22 luxury skyboxes, and a 150-person club suite in the upstairs seating over the concourse — where snack booths and drink stands serving classic ballpark pizza, burgers, hotdogs, and local beer can be found. The park has onsite medical services, a gift shop, and an adjoining bar and concert venue that operates after hours, called the Freight House District.
At 339 feet at its most shallow, home runs are rare at Greater Nevada Field, so if you catch one, hang onto it! And while it’s most known as the home field of our Reno Aces, it is open 365 days a year and hosts other community events like the high-flying motorcycle stunt show Nitro Circus, haunted house events, and concerts.
Despite management recently announcing plans for a multi-year project to update some of the park’s bars and facilities, Greater Nevada Field was named the 2022 Professional Baseball Field of the Year by the Sports Field Management Association—an honor held by only two other PCL fields in the award’s 30-plus year history.
Starting this year, the Reno Aces are also Las Micheladas de Reno
Hispanic culture has deep affiliations with American baseball and has produced some of the sport’s all-time greatest players. The Reno Aces have participated in the Copa de la Diversión initiative for the past five years to honor Hispanic culture’s influence and continued importance. Translating to “the Fun Cup,” Copa de la Diversión allows Minor League teams to take the field as culturally relevant personas highlighting Hispanic heritage.
This year, the Reno Aces have rebranded their Copa look. They are now the Las Micheladas de Reno — an homage to the delicious beer and tomato juice cocktails that are both authentically Mexican and highly individual, depending on the region. Las Micheladas are part of 76 teams participating in la Copa and will don their new uniforms for the first time on Cinco De Mayo during their game against the Las Vegas Aviators. Fans can buy official Micheladas gear at the Reno Aces gift shop and renoaces.com.
Our mascots are friendly, if a little freaky
What kind of mascot would you expect for a team called the “aces”? A deck of cards? Maybe a poker chip? How wrong you’d be. Reno Aces fans have come to know and love Archie, the round mound of red, the Sasquatch of the Sierra, for what he is — a giant, scarlet fuzz ball wearing an Aces jersey featuring an extendable, three-foot-long tongue that he uses to slurp at unsuspecting guests. He’s lovable, loyal, and has nothing to do with cards or baseball. If the last fact bothers you (and it shouldn’t if you’re a real fan), you’ll be happy to learn that the Reno Aces have a second mascot, one that is decidedly more “baseball.” His name is Mr. Baseball, and he is a giant baseball.
Mr. Baseball is a three-story high baseball with arms, a face, and a mouth. Thank goodness he doesn’t wander the park like Archie, but he makes an appearance every game during the seventh-inning stretch. You’ll find him peeking over the wall behind second base, where his life’s purpose is to sway side to side and lead everyone in a rousing rendition of “take me out to the ball game.” Our mascots have generated some decent press over the years, including this investigative piece about whether or not Mr. Baseball has a body or is simply all-ball.
However, the best mascot story of all goes to the time that Alphie — the University of Nevada Reno’s lupine mascot — took a nasty spill from the top of the dugout when he moonwalked a little too close to the edge. Don’t worry; he was OK and even got a shoutout on ESPN the following day.
The Aces love a holiday celebration
If you love a reason to celebrate, so does your hometown baseball team. The Aces are well known for finding ways to celebrate major and minor holidays, as well as special occasions and good causes however they can. Some notable occasions from the Aces promotional schedule include Pride night, a celebration of welcoming and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community; Jackie Robinson Day, paying homage to the iconic player and his impact on the game; and various cancer survivor awareness and benefit events, including the Home Run for Life ceremony.
The Aces have a full schedule of promotional events and celebrations throughout their regular season, with fun activities, different themes, and fundraising opportunities dedicated to various members of the Reno community and beyond. Plus — and this one is just for fun — look out for the evening fireworks shows during weekend games throughout the season, happening directly after games above the grass berm.
