Texas Rangers: ready to pop the top of new “Field”
By David Mullen
At 72 degrees and with many amenities, Texas Rangers fans will appreciate comfort like never before.
Social media pundits have had their fun. Many bloggers have called the façade of baseball’s latest billion-dollar stadium, Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and the new home of the Texas Rangers, having all of the charms of a Costco or an airplane hangar.
Others have said that the best thing about Globe Life Field is that it looks out at the Rangers’ former home of Globe Life Park. Those statements couldn’t be further from the truth.
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People forget that walking into Globe Life Park for a game often felt like opening the oven door to check on the progress of the cookies. It was a blast of heat to the face that one will ever forget, without the aroma of melting chocolate chips.
In fact, the only falsehood may be that it is a dome, not an open-air stadium, making the term “Field” a bit of a stretch. Yes, it has a 24 million-pound, single panel, 5.5-acre retractable roof that can open in 12 minutes for simulated outdoor baseball. But based on how many times its neighbor AT&T Stadium pops its top for competitive play, chances are that domed baseball it will be.
The stadium will be kept at 72 degrees year-round. There are many summer days in Arlington where the overnight low never gets down to anywhere near 72 degrees.
With 40,300 seats, Globe Life Field offers the best sightlines in baseball. While the old outdoor Globe Life Park sat 49,115 for sellouts, the upper left-field line was devoid of fans because of oppressive heat, a stifling lack of breeze, and a view only a bar-headed goose could appreciate.
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The concourse offers all of the amenities now expected at new venues. Unlike Globe Life Park and the old, minor league park converted for the arrival of the Rangers from Washington in 1972 – Arlington Stadium – Ranger fans will have a 360-degree unobstructed view of the field along the main concourse and most of the upper concourse. That means fans can still watch the game while ordering a slice of pizza from the “High Cheese” stand or a beer from the many “Barrel’s Up” beer stations around the park.
The turf is made from the latest technology, using coconut husks and fibers, instead of synthetic pellets. No small black cloud of dust kicking up when a ball hits the outfield. Traditional clay makes up the infield and warning tracks.
Dimension are similar to those of the retired Globe Life Park. The left-field line is 329 feet, the right-field line is 326, and straightaway center is 410. The outfield wall is eight feet high.
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So relax, fans. When Globe Life Field opens and allows in ticket holders, baseball purists and bloggers alike are in for a treat. Much like when the cookies have left the oven.