Aside from a few awful seats, Globe Life Field accomplishes what the Rangers wanted
A quick glance in reviewing the new Globe Life Mall shows there is not a bad spot to watch a Texas Rangers game in the 40,300-seat venue.
A second glance, however, reveals there are a few spots that are good, provided you are perfectly OK not watching the batter.
The poles down the lines have always bedeviled designers of baseball stadiums, but the left field foul poll at Globe Life Mall merits its own special four-letter description.
Tickets for a handful of seats in Section 142 and Section 33 in left field should have tickets that come with the disclaimer: “Great seats — if you don’t care about seeing the batter.”
These seats would be in the left field reserve and outfield mezzanine areas.
The Rangers should sell these seats as “obstructed view.” If you sit in the wrong seat, you will not be able to see any of home plate.
“It’s not a surprise to have this problem because baseball facilities’ foul poles are part of it,” Texas Rangers vice president of business operations Rob Matwick said. “It is something that we will recognize with the customer. That it’s an obstructed view seat, or that we can possibly move (the fan) if needed.”
There are similar problems down the right field line, in Section 128.
It does not matter how much time or how much Arlington taxpayer money you give an architect or contractor, there will always be a problem or two.
If there is a benefit to opening a new stadium during COVID-19, the Rangers are using the time to correct these problems before fans can attend an event.
“There is a punch list, like maybe an electrical outlet that is not in the right place,” Matwick said. “It’s a process that can take several months. Because it’s inevitable there are things that are missed and need to get fixed.
“The feedback we’ve gotten so far from the umpires, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks has been positive. I’m more excited to get customers in the building. Until they come in, you don’t know how they feel.”
Fans will surely find other issues within the stadium, because that’s how these things evolve. These foul pole seats appear to be the only real issue in a stadium that will do exactly what the Texas Rangers want.
Unlike the Ballpark in Arlington, baseball was never the main priority for the new sister stadium across Randol Mill Road. The new place can be open for business beyond the Texas Rangers’ schedule, and its ample concourse offers fans space to mill around and buy food and drink.
Unlike the Ballpark, where fans could not see the game while in the concourses, spectators at the new place can see the field from virtually anywhere.
Some comparisons have been made between this Arlington mall and Minute Maid Park in Houston. There are some similarities because most indoor baseball facilities are similar — they all put a premium on functionality.
Some social media types have lobbed complaints at the roof, and how the place looks from the outside and that it looks like a barn.
It does. Who cares?
The mall should thrive in hosting baseball, football and potentially basketball, hockey and concerts. That’s the goal.
Aside from some bad seats down the lines, Arlington’s new mall is fine. It’s not great, it’s not bad, it’s fine.
And, whenever you are allowed in, you’ll notice it’s always 72 degrees.
This story was originally published July 30, 2020 at 3:37 PM.
