The Minnesota Twins on Wednesday hosted 50 participants from local Best Buy® Teen Tech CentersTM for a major league lesson in how pro baseball is on the cutting edge of tech.
“Technology is an integral part of any business and is especially relevant in sports,” said Ann Miller, a Twins spokesperson. “Teens who dream of a career in sports — or tech — will be introduced to a whole new avenue to realize these goals.”
The teens’ trip to the ballpark is part of an ongoing partnership between Best Buy and the Twins to engage the community and provide educational and career-preparedness opportunities to youth. The Best Buy Teen Tech Center program enables hands-on access to the latest technology in local afterschool spaces, along with mentorship and opportunities for real-world experiences.
As part of the game-day visit to the ballpark, the teens learned:
- How the Twins’ Baseball Operations Department uses technology to measure and evaluate player performance.
- How the Game Presentation group creates digital videoboard content to engage fans at Target Field.
- How the Sales Department uses tech to interact with clients.
- About the many other behind-the-scenes jobs that help create memorable game day experiences and enhances every part of the organization.
Most of those jobs didn’t exist even a decade ago. “The future in this field is limitless!” Ann said.
On and off the field
Jayden, a member of the Best Buy Teen Tech Center at CLUES in St. Paul, was impressed with the event. “I didn’t realize how much technology was in baseball, but when it comes to scouting and judging players, I thought it was cool to see how big of a role it plays,” she said.
Before the game, teens toured Target field, participated in a panel discussion with Twins employees and got to meet TC Bear, the mascot. The game began with one of the teens throwing out the first pitch, and throughout the game teens spent time in the sound and videoboard control rooms and played music created by Teen Tech Center youth. They even led the seventh inning stretch.
Julieta, also from CLUES, was glad to hear that many people within the Twins didn’t have professional sports background. “I liked how they are open to bringing in a lot of people, even high school students. They aren’t so much focused on your degree — they just want to bring in people who have a passion for programming and technology.”
Sumaya, who goes to the Best Buy Teen Tech Center at Hope Community in Minneapolis, was blown away by the whole experience, especially pregame. “I was very excited and nervous to throw out the first pitch!” she said. “The program today was very inspirational, and it was great to see how the Twins are opening up opportunities for all ages.”
About Teen Tech Centers
Best Buy Teen Tech Centers are safe, afterschool spaces where teens from underserved communities develop technical skills through hands-on activities and explore their creative interests in a variety of technology fields. Centers provide access to tech education opportunities, mentorships, and build a foundation for school and career success. Best Buy supports 50 locations across the U.S. and Canada and has a goal of supporting 100 by 2025.
To learn more about Best Buy Teen Tech Centers, visit bestbuy.com/teentechcenter.