Malibu Sports Spotlight: Rachael Vizcarra Banvard

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Rachael Vizcarra Banvard. Photo by Dick Dornan / TMT

Few people know sports quite like Rachael Vizcarra Banvard. A 30-year veteran of the sports entertainment business, Banvard helped represent more than 100 professional baseball players while serving as Director of Public Relations and Marketing for the Beverly Hills Sports Council from 1989 to 1995. These players included Major League Baseball stars Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Mike Piazza and Malibu resident Scott Erickson, to name a few.

In 1995, she formed her own company, “Rachael Vizcarra Public Relations,” and continued to represent Bonds and other MLB players such as Eric Young and Eric Karros. Her boutique agency boasted an eclectic client list that ranged from athletes to actors, producers and screenwriters.

Banvard was Bonds’s personal publicist from 1992 until 2008, when she retired from the profession to spend more time at home with her children. Regan, 14, is a freshman at Oaks Christian School and Riley, 9, is a third-grader at Echo Horizon School. Banvard and her husband, Navy, an architect, have been Malibu residents since 2003.

Born in Santa Monica and raised in Thousand Oaks, Banvard first became involved with the entertainment industry in 1976. As a page at ABC television, Banvard worked on television series such as Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, American Bandstand, Donny & Marie, and Welcome Back, Kotter, in addition to numerous awards shows.

Banvard’s journey would lead her to working as an assistant at Rogers & Cowan, a prestigious entertainment public relations firm in Los Angeles, and later to the Beverly Hills Sports Council in the summer of 1989. At Rogers & Cowan, Banvard worked with some of the biggest stars in the industry, including her idol, actress and singer Ann Margret.

The Malibu Times caught up with Banvard as she reflected upon her career in the sports entertainment business world and her new job as a home and carpool mom for her two kids.

How was your experience working at the Beverly Hills Sports Council?

It was great! They liked my background in public relations and wanted me to work with the baseball players they represented. My primary job was to get the players mainstream publicity, which would open up marketing opportunities for them. My goal was to get their name known off the sports pages. I came up with different angles and personal interest pieces for them.

Sports Council signed Barry Bonds in the summer of 1992 when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. I worked with him directly from that point forward. A great moment was when I helped put together a fundraiser hosted by Barry and singer Michael Bolton. It was called “Field of Dreams.” In all, there were more than 20 Major League Baseball players involved. The biggest thrill of that night was meeting Joe DiMaggio.

What was a special moment in your sports profession that you will never forget?

Barry’s 2001 home run chase was pretty special. I was traveling from ballpark to ballpark watching history being made. But I will never forget Game One of the World Series that year between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees. Barry was given the opportunity of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch because he had just set the single-season home run record that year with 73.

It had only been six weeks earlier when the 9/11 attacks happened. Baseball had been shut down and the beginning of the World Series was postponed. President Bush said it was time for our country to heal and baseball to start back up. The entire opening ceremony was dedicated to the people who lost their lives in that tragedy. The flag was brought out. We sang God Bless America. Players were crying. Everyone was in tears. It was just something very special, very powerful to see and be a part of.

Describe your working relationship with Barry Bonds as a player and as a person.

I was Barry’s spokesperson, so I handled all his interviews and media requests. His agent was at Beverly Hills Sports Council, and Pro Access Marketing handled his marketing efforts. I was primarily responsible for his publicity but that crossed over to a lot of his personal work and his charitable foundation because of the trust factor.

To this day Barry is like a brother to me. We are very close. Contrary to his public persona, he is kind, compassionate and caring. Most people only saw the “image.” People have to remember the difference between image and reality. I know him well and I can tell you with certainty that it’s not always just what you read. I wouldn’t be working with someone for 17 years and endorse somebody like him if he wasn’t a good person. He is just amazing. The memories working for him are incredible. There were so many great ones, especially the road to 756 [career home runs, an MLB record]. I’ll always be here for him.

Do you hope one day to return to the sports public relations business in the future?

I do because I think it’s in my blood. I loved it. I am constantly calling my former assistant and asking her “Why don’t you pitch this?” or “Why don’t you pitch that?” Also, I have the unique opportunity to handle some public relations for a good friend, Darren McGrady, the personal chef for the late Princess Diana and the royal family.

Right now I’m happy taking care of Riley and Regan. I really enjoy it. I’ve been very fortunate to have met and worked with so many great people throughout the years. Eventually I will go back.

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