Interview: Zane Heinselman of SAINT PAUL SAINTS PRIDE at CHS Field

Ahead of the St. Paul Saints' Pride Night at CHS Field on June 18, I had the chance to speak with Executive Vice President and General Manager Zane Heinselman about the night's celebration and the importance of creating an inclusive experience for fans.

During our conversation, Zane shared what Pride Night means to the Saints organization, highlighted some of the special events taking place throughout the evening, and talked about the team's ongoing efforts to make CHS Field a welcoming place for everyone. We also chatted about some favorite local spots around St. Paul and what's still to come this season for Saints fans.

What does it mean for the Saints to be hosting Pride Night?

Great question. As an organization, we strive to be caring, welcoming, supportive, and inclusive of everyone. We believe that every person should feel welcome at CHS Field and at every Saints game. Tonight is an opportunity to demonstrate those values while working alongside our partners in the LGBTQIA+ community. It's exciting to highlight what we value as an organization and celebrate that with our fans.

What can fans expect from tonight's events? What's happening here tonight?

First of all, it's a doubleheader tonight, so fans get extra baseball if they come out to the game. That wasn't originally expected, but it's a fun bonus.

Over the offseason, we worked with Twin Cities Pride to help develop the theme for tonight's event. We also partnered with Nystrom & Associates to focus on mental health, health, and wellness as part of tonight's celebration. Nystrom is here with activations and resources, and the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus will be performing the national anthem.

There are a lot of fun activities throughout the evening, and, most importantly, we're reinforcing the message that everyone is welcome. We're excited to celebrate that together tonight.

What message would you like to share, either personally or on behalf of the St. Paul Saints, with the LGBTQIA+ community?

The biggest message is that everyone is welcome at CHS Field. We strive to provide a safe, welcoming environment for all fans, and we're always looking for ways to improve and grow in that commitment year after year.

We want everyone who comes to CHS Field to feel comfortable being their authentic selves—whether they're here to watch a baseball game, attend a special event, or simply spend time with family and friends. However we can help foster that environment as an organization, that's what we want to do. We hope people feel that when they come out to Saints games, and we're happy to have them here.

What are some of your favorite spots around St. Paul that you'd like to give a shout-out to? Restaurants, local businesses, hidden gems—anything you love.

That's a great question. One of my favorite places is El Burrito Mercado, just across the river in West St. Paul. I love eating there.

I'm also a big fan of The Burger Dive in St. Paul. It's a great local spot that more people should know about.

Beyond that, there are so many wonderful places around the city. Of course, CHS Field is one of my favorites. I also enjoy spending time around the St. Thomas campus. St. Paul has a lot of great hidden gems and local businesses worth checking out.

Anything else you'd like to share about the Saints or the rest of the season?

I think we've covered most of it. The season is still going strong—we're about halfway through our home schedule, and we have a lot of fun promotions and special events coming up throughout the rest of the year.

We hope everyone comes out to a game. There's always something happening at CHS Field, and we'd love to see new and returning fans throughout the season.

Thank you Zane for your time and to you and the Saint Paul Saints for supporting the LGBTQIA+ community!