When Mariano Rivera speaks, it’s rarely with unnecessary flash. Even after becoming the greatest closer in Major League Baseball history, the Panamanian athlete still carries himself with the calm, grounded demeanor that defined his legendary career with the New York Yankees. But during the Formula 1 weekend in Miami, Rivera showed a different side of himself: one rooted not just in baseball, but in culture, entrepreneurship, and legacy.
On May 1, Latinos in Sports (LiS) brought its Miami Convening to the Kaseya Center during Formula 1 weekend, gathering athletes, media figures, executives, and entrepreneurs from across the sports world. Rivera received the organization’s highest honor, the PIONERO Award, recognizing not just his baseball career but the impact he’s had as a Latino figure in sports.
During the conversation, Rivera reflected that, for young Latino athletes entering the spotlight, protecting their reputation is the key message, far more important than statistics, fame, or money.
“There’s nothing out there that has more value than your reputation,” Rivera told Remezcla. “Your reputation has no price. No matter how much people can offer you, there’s no money enough in the world to buy your reputation.”
The advice comes from someone who spent nearly two decades under the bright lights of New York, pitching for 19 seasons with the Yankees and becoming the only player in MLB history to be unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Yet Rivera insists his proudest accomplishment was never about statistics.
“Being able to wear the pinstripes for 19 seasons and represent the Yankees with dignity as a Latino — that has no price,” he said. “Representing the Latino community in Yankee history, that has value.”
At the LiS event, Rivera unveiled his newest business venture: Mo’s Heat, a line of hot sauces inspired by flavors from Panama and officially sanctioned by MLB and the Yankees. The sauces — named The Cutter, The Sinker, and The Curve — nod to the pitches that defined his career.
According to Rivera, the project has been years in the making.
“I’ve been trying this hot sauce for the last 15 or 20 years,” Rivera said when asked Why hot sauce?. “At the beginning, I wasn’t interested. But then my partner came back with a different vision, and that caught my attention.”
For Rivera, the appeal wasn’t simply putting his name on another celebrity-backed product. It was about culture, history, and authenticity.
“I believe in this because it represents us as Panamanians,” he explained. “This recipe has been around for over 120 years. It came to Panama when Caribbean people arrived to work on the canal. Bringing it back to its originality and having passion for it makes me happy.”
Rivera emphasized that he’s deeply involved in the business, from branding conversations to personally helping get the product into stores.
“If I need to go there walking, I’ll be there to sell this hot sauce,” he said with a laugh. “I truly believe in it.”
Rivera’s hot sauce launch reflected a larger trend at the event: Latino athletes are moving beyond playing to build brands, invest, and create opportunities outside sports. This broader theme was a major focus of the LiS Convening, centering on Latino leadership.
For Rivera, organizations like LiS matter because they create space for Latino contributions to be recognized properly.
“Sometimes people take what Latinos do for granted,” Rivera said. “Having an organization like Latinos in Sports is something we really need.”
The conversation eventually turned to baseball’s cultural evolution, particularly how today’s Latino stars are bringing more emotion, celebration, and personality to the game. Rivera, who played during a much more restrained era, embraces the shift — with one important caveat.
“It’s all about emotion and passion,” he said. “Celebrate. Enjoy the game. Represent your country. But always respect the game. You will never, ever be bigger than the game.”
Even while discussing modern baseball’s flashier energy, Rivera’s perspective remained rooted in humility and discipline, the same qualities that made him one of the sport’s most respected figures.
Asked what baseball ultimately gave him outside of championships and accolades, Rivera pointed to something deeper.
“The school that I didn’t finish, baseball gave it to me,” he said. “I learned how to be a better person, husband, son, friend, and businessman. That was the university I didn’t have.”
Rivera now applies these values off the field, mentoring Latino athletes and launching Mo’s Heat. His main message centers on representing culture with dignity and leaving a meaningful legacy.