With Gov. Abbott’s blessing, Texas Rangers expect packed home opener at ‘new’ ballpark
There are still several thousand tickets available for the Texas Rangers’ home opener at Globe Life Field next week.
The Rangers host the Toronto Blue Jays at 3:07 p.m. Monday after opening the season with three games against the Kansas City Royals at Kaufman Stadium, starting with Opening Day at 3:10 p.m. Thursday.
The $1.2 billion, retractable roof stadium officially seats 40,518 and opened in 2020, but the Rangers were unable to invite fans to their new home because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Fans were finally able to watch their first Rangers games in the new ballpark for two exhibition games Monday and Tuesday. Although full capacity was available, only 12,911 and 10,859 fans attended the two games.
With a full or near capacity crowd in attendance, the Rangers’ home opener could be largest gathering of fans at a sporting event since the pandemic shuttered large crowds across the country more than a year ago.
“We know Opening Day is traditionally one of the best-attended games of the year,” Rangers executive vice president of business operations Rob Matwick said. “We do expect it to sell out.”
The Rangers are trying to thread a logistic needle for their home opener. They’re trying to balance a desire to allow long-waiting fans a chance to experience the new park while also being mindful of potential pandemic risks. Gov. Greg Abbott gave businesses the green light to open up at full capacity on March 10. It didn’t take long for the Rangers to announce that Globe Life Field would be fully open with no social distancing requirements, for at least the home opener.
Matwick called the decision to do so, in part, a reward for the long-time season-ticket holders. The club also knows that huge crowds are unlikely to be an issue after the opener. “Attendance will vary after [Monday], but we were excited to have the opportunity when the governor opened it up,” he said. “We also understand there’s an obligation to continually remind people we can only be successful if they work with us.”
Matwick said fans will be required to wear mask to enter the ballpark and required to wear a mask at all times unless they’re eating or drinking in their ticketed seat.
“As excited as we are to welcome Rangers fans back to the ballpark, our organization also understands that we’re still in the midst of a global pandemic and this is not the time to back away from the protocols that we’ve had in place the past 12 months,” he said.
Basically, the Rangers plan to forgo any attempt at social distancing in the seating areas for the home opener. To help mitigate the lack of social distancing, the Rangers plan to enforce mask wearing. Hand sanitation stations are peppered throughout the ballpark’s concourses.
The entire stadium, including all concession stands and souvenir shops will be completely cashless, in an attempt to eliminate passing germs from patron to staff. There are five cash-to-card machines located in the ballpark that allow fans to put cash to a card.
Parking lots open at 11:30 a.m. and the ballpark gates open at noon. The early forecast calls for temperatures in the low 80s, and Matwick expects the roof to be open for the first two games.
To help protect the players, Globe Life Field — along with all MLB stadiums — have added large Plexiglass sheets above both dugouts and behind both bullpens.
After the home opener, sections 241 to 245 will be used as open space for fans who prefer to social distance from other fans. Matwick said fans will be allowed to move around in their section during games if they’re looking to social distance.
“In spite of the challenges the pandemic presents, there is a safe way, a responsible way to conduct events,” he said. “We look forward to doing that but we also understand it takes everybody’s cooperation for it to be successful.”
