PREVIEW: Mat Bermudez Captures the Heart of Gamers Alaska Baseball in Anchorage
As a crucial part on Converge Media’s upcoming documentary “Diamond Of Opportunity” about the Mariners Care Foundation, videographer and producer Mat Bermudez journeyed to Anchorage, Alaska, to document the grand opening of a new indoor baseball and softball facility. What he discovered far exceeded the boundaries of a typical sports story: it was an emotional account of community revitalization, accessibility, and representation.
For nearly a decade, the Mariners Care Foundation has partnered with Gamers Alaska to stretch their impact far out of Seattle. Gamers Alaska is a youth baseball and softball organization in Anchorage that operates the RBI Alaska program, a key part of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) initiative. The program is specifically focused on providing access and opportunity to the next generation of young athletes, particularly those from economically disadvantaged areas.
Bermudez’ work in Anchorage expanded Back2Besa’s footprint to new corners of the country, demonstrating Converge Media’s dedication to uplifting underrepresented communities across the nation. From Alaska to Canada to home plate in Seattle’s Central District, Converge is honored to illuminate voices continent-wide that would otherwise go unheard.
Built in Northeast Anchorage, the facility provides unprecedented access for young athletes who lacked the means to play baseball and softball. Made possible through the Gamers Alaska program, led by founder Jamar Hill, and crucial support from the Seattle Mariners, the facility is a beacon of warmth and hope through the long Anchorage winters, boosting aspiring players to new heights.
As Bermudez found, the new facility single-handedly forged new pathways for kids in low-income neighborhoods to engage with the games they love.
"This facility is really this breath of life in the community,” he said. "And to be that step forward for the community is beautiful to see.”
Bermudez pointed out the environmental obstacles for youth baseball in Anchorage, including eight months of winter and significant geographical barriers. As an indoor facility located in the heart of many underprivileged communities, the space overcame these setbacks like never before.
“It's important to show these different movements towards accessibility, especially for low-income communities, and the opportunities that they're bringing to these kids that they otherwise wouldn't experience,” Bermudez said.
The most potent element of the story, as Bermudez found, was the players' own voices. His interviewing style, developed through his work on Back2Besa and his own sports coverage company coverage Drip Media, focused on unearthing the raw impact of representation. Bermudez even interviewed a young player entirely in Spanish, demonstrating Gamer Alaska’s commitment to making a path for all, regardless of language barriers.
Upon returning home to Washington state, Bermudez realized the full capacity of his work up north.
"What we did was give players the ability to know what it feels like to be seen." The story, he believed, was never about seeking award recognition, but simply one that "needed to be told."
The facility would not have been possible without support from the Seattle Mariners, ConocoPhillips, The Municipality of Anchorage, Rasmuson Foundation, and Major League Baseball/Major League Baseball Players Association Youth Development Fund.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in media and communications studies at the University of Washington in 2021, Bermudez hit the ground running with Converge Media. Playing a crucial role in the first season of Back2Besa in 2023, he and his partner Belinda Garcia also launched Drip Media through Converge. Bermudez also worked on many Converge films, including “Facing The Reign,” and continues to lead his own production company Bermudez Media LLC, creating engaging social media content and short-form videos tailored for small businesses and nonprofits.
Check out Bermudez’ work at bermudezmediallc.com
Catch the full story on Back2Besa this weekend, Saturday on FOX 13 Seattle at 10:30 p.m. and Sunday on FOX 13+ at 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Viewers can also stream episodes anytime on the FOX Local app.
Stay tuned for the full “Diamond Of Opportunity” documentary coming in Spring 2026.
