Mineros de Zacatecas (basketball)

Lore & Background

The franchise was originally founded in 2001 as the Barreteros de Zacatecas and began playing in the LNBP in 2004. In 2017, the team was purchased by the Government of the State of Zacatecas for 2.5 million pesos (around US$130,000) and rebranded as Mineros for the 2018–19 season. The team's name, colors and logo are very similar to the football club Mineros de Zacatecas of the Liga de Expansión MX.

Reader's Guide

Mineros de Zacatecas represents the city of Zacatecas in Mexico's top professional basketball league. The team's rebranding in 2017, following a government purchase, marked a new era for the franchise. Their home arena, Gimnasio Marcelino González, hosted the Copa Value in September 2026, a mid-season LNBP event featuring the eight top-ranked teams. Mineros won that championship on their home court by defeating Astros de Jalisco 87-71. The team's identity shares strong visual ties with the local football club of the same name. Notable player Adonis Thomas has been part of the roster. The franchise's history reflects both local government investment in sports and the integration of basketball into Zacatecas's cultural landscape.

Did You Know?

• The team was originally founded in 2001 as Barreteros de Zacatecas.
• The franchise was purchased by the Government of the State of Zacatecas for 2.5 million pesos (around US$130,000) in 2017.
• In September 2026, Gimnasio Marcelino González hosted the Copa Value, a mid-season LNBP event.
• Mineros won the Copa Value championship by defeating Astros de Jalisco 87-71.

From Barreteros to Mineros: A Franchise Reborn

The basketball franchise that would become one of Zacatecas's most recognizable sporting brands did not begin with its current name. The organization was first established in 2001 under the moniker Barreteros de Zacatecas, a name that would remain attached to the club for several years before the team earned its place in Mexico's premier professional basketball circuit, the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional, beginning in 2004. For over a decade the Barreteros competed under that identity, building a local following in the silver-mining capital of central Mexico. A dramatic shift arrived in 2017 when the State Government of Zacatecas acquired the franchise for approximately 2.5 million pesos, roughly 130,000 US dollars at the time. That public-sector purchase set the stage for a full rebrand: starting with the following campaign, the squad took on the name Mineros de Zacatecas, deliberately echoing the identity, color palette, and crest of the city's football side in the Liga de Expansión MX. The visual kinship between the two Mineros clubs reinforced a shared civic pride rooted in Zacatecas's long mining heritage, giving basketball fans a familiar banner to rally behind while the team competed at the national level.

Copa Value Glory at Home

In September 2026, the Gimnasio Marcelino González became the stage for one of the most significant achievements in the franchise's modern history. The venue hosted the Copa Value, a prestigious mid-season tournament organized by the LNBP that gathers the eight highest-ranked teams in the league at the halfway point of the regular campaign. For the Mineros, the opportunity to compete on their own floor in front of a full house of 3,458 supporters turned out to be the perfect setting for a championship run. The squad advanced through the bracket and ultimately claimed the title by outscoring Astros de Jalisco 87 to 71 in the decisive final. The comfortable margin of victory underscored the team's dominance throughout the tournament, and the fact that the trophy was lifted in Zacatecas rather than on neutral ground gave the accomplishment a particularly resonant, homegrown quality. For a franchise that had only recently transitioned from the Barreteros era and was still building its identity under the Mineros name, winning a marquee LNBP event at home represented a defining moment that cemented the club's place among the league's competitive elite and gave the city's basketball community a shared story of triumph to carry forward.

A State-Owned Club in a 3,458-Seat Arena

The Mineros de Zacatecas occupy a distinctive position in Mexican professional basketball as a team owned and operated by a state government rather than a private enterprise. In 2017, the Government of the State of Zacatecas purchased the franchise for 2.5 million pesos, a sum equivalent to roughly 130,000 US dollars, effectively making the basketball club a public institution of the state. This arrangement means the team's survival and operations are tied to civic budgets and political will, a model that sets it apart from many of its LNBP rivals. The club calls the Gimnasio Marcelino González its home, a modest venue with a seating capacity of 3,458 spectators. While that number is far smaller than the arenas used by major football clubs, it creates an intimate atmosphere where every seat can be filled and the crowd noise is concentrated directly around the court. Being based in the city and state of Zacatecas, a historically significant mining region in central Mexico, the Mineros draw on local identity and community support. The state ownership model, combined with the intimate home venue, gives the franchise a grassroots character that resonates with fans who see the team as a genuine representative of their city rather than a corporate asset.

Competing at the Top and Building a Roster

As a member of the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional, the Mineros de Zacatecas compete at the highest tier of Mexican basketball, facing the strongest domestic talent each season. The LNBP serves as the country's premier professional circuit, and earning a place in that league—first as the Barreteros in 2004 and later as the Mineros—means the club is part of the national conversation around the sport. Among the players who have worn the Mineros jersey, Adonis Thomas stands out as a notable name in the franchise's history, representing the kind of experienced, skilled talent that elevates a roster and draws attention to the team's performances. While the roster naturally turns over from season to season, the presence of recognized players helps the club maintain visibility in a league where marketing and star power play a significant role. The team's ability to attract and retain quality athletes, even as a state-owned franchise competing in a 3,458-seat gymnasium, speaks to the growing profile of basketball in Zacatecas. Each season in the LNBP offers the Mineros the chance to prove they belong among Mexico's elite, and the Copa Value title of 2026 demonstrated that the ceiling for this franchise is far higher than many might expect from a team based in a smaller city.