Globe Life Field - Texas Rangers

Photos by Michael Davis, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86

Globe Life Field 734 Stadium Drive Arlington, TX 76011

Year Opened: 2020 Capacity: 40,300

Globe Life Field – Texas Rangers

Globe Life Field is the third home to Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers – the Rangers organization began in 1972 when the Washington Senators relocated to Arlington, Texas. Formerly a minor league stadium for the Dallas/Fort Worth Spurs, the Rangers first stadium opened in 1965. Originally called Turnpike Stadium, it was renamed Arlington Stadium in time for Texas Rangers first season as a franchise.

After 22 years of playing in Arlington Stadium, the Rangers opened their updated and impressive new ballpark, The Ballpark in Arlington, in 1994. The Ballpark would undergo a few name changes during the Rangers tenancy – the last name while the Rangers still played there was Globe Life Park, but the name was changed to Choctaw Stadium (the venue’s current name) after the Rangers left.

The third and current home is Globe Life Field, a retractable roof stadium that opened in 2020, with a seating capacity of just over 40,000; the new ballpark is just across the street from the Rangers former home.

Globe Life Field’s opening was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the first game being played without fans on July 24, 2020. However, although the pandemic pushed back the 2020 MLB season and cost the Rangers fan attendance in their new ballpark, there was a bright side, as Globe Life Field was selected to host the 2020 National League championship series and the 2020 World Series. Baseball Fans were allowed to attend those playoff games, and people finally got to see the Rangers new home firsthand.

In the five seasons of Globe Life Field’s existence, the ballpark has hosted many events – these include the National and American League Championships, the 2020 and 2023 World Series, and the MLB All-Star Game, as well as college football games and year-round concerts.

Food & Beverage 5

The Texas Rangers have had food and beverages at their stadium since the 1970s. One of the most common food items at sporting events began in Arlington, as the Rangers were the first team to introduce nachos to fans. The same nacho company, Rico’s, has been supplying the chips to Rangers fans for decades. One of their most recent nacho offerings comes in the form of the Boomstick, a three-pound two-foot-long hot dog covered with chili, nacho cheese, jalapenos, and caramelized onions.

Last season the Rangers created a spin-off, the Boomstick Burger, which substitutes two feet of burger for the hot dog, while this season the Boomstick Triple Play, the Texas Rangers classic 2-foot feast features all three of the following – 1) two Nolan Ryan Beef patties topped with Rico’s nacho cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles, served on an 8-inch bun; 2) a foot-long Texas Chili Company hot dog topped with Texas Chili Company chili, Rico’s nacho cheese, grilled onions, and jalapenos; and 3) a towering helping of Tostitos tortilla chips, topped with chili, nacho cheese, grilled onions, and jalapenos.

This stadium also has other creative menu items, enough so that a whole article on just the food offerings could be written. Globe Life Field also has local vendors, such as Hurtado Barbecue, Golden Chick, Pluckers, and a Texas favorite, Whataburger. The Rangers also connect with fans looking for vegan options, who can choose from a full menu including vegan burgers, sandwiches, nachos, and chicken nuggets at the Visiting Vegan.

Concession prices are a bit high here, but fans are getting plenty of food for what they are paying. Soft drinks include Coke products, along with PowerAde and Dasani for non-carbonated options.

In addition, Globe Life Field does not stop at just an abundance of food options, as all sorts of beer and alcohol can be found just by turning your head. There are several full-service bars and beer carts around the stadium that serve seltzer, wine, mixed drinks, and beer from both national brands and local brewing companies; Hopadillo Hazy IPA from Karbach Brewing Co. and Estrella Jalisco are two of the more popular choices.

Also, starting after Memorial Day, Karbach Sky Porch hosts a happy hour on Fridays and Saturdays, where beers are served for $4 two hours before the first pitch.

Overall there are plenty of choices for any fan that attends a Rangers game, and you get a lot for what you are paying.

Atmosphere 4

Globe Life Field is not an attractive ballpark from the outside, especially when you compare it to the team’s old facility across the street. However, once you are inside the ballpark it transforms into one of the better retractable roof stadiums in the country, and the glass used around the stadium lets in enough light that you don’t feel like you’re inside a warehouse. Originally fans compared this venue to the other major league ballpark in the state, Minute Maid Park in Houston, but Globe Life Field has a lot more character than the home of the Astros.

Globe Life Field has a large video board suspended high above right field, which is the main source of gameday information. There are also two other large videoboards showing information during the game – one is a vertically hung auxiliary scoreboard in centerfield, for the game’s lineup, and the other is situated high above the party porch in left field.

As fans enter the ballpark they can walk around the different concourses, and see Rangers history throughout, including a Texas-sized clock and Ranger Hall of Famer uniforms in centerfield. There is also not a better moment leading up to the first pitch than when long-time public-address announcer Chuck Morgan makes his standard announcement, as the umpires and managers wrap up their pre-game meeting – “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is Baseball Time in Texas!”

Chuck Morgan has been the voice of the Texas Rangers for the past 41 years; he is in the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame, and one day Cooperstown should be calling him to fill his place among the great baseball announcers.

The Rangers game presentation is basic and simple – the Rangers have created the Rangers Six Shooters, the team’s spirit squad, and the mascot Rangers Captain, a palomino-style horse dressed in the team’s uniform wearing number 72, marking the first year of the Rangers organization. The staff also entertains by leading fans in singing throughout the game, including the fifth inning “Deep in the Heart of Texas” and the 7th inning stretch with “Take Me out to the Ballgame” and “Cotton Eye Joe”.

A popular mid-inning activity is the Dot Race, which started at Arlington Stadium with Chuck Morgan stating “As a reminder, this is an exhibition. No wagering, please.” – this is now a Rangers tradition that helps set the experience here apart from what you will see anywhere else.

Overall, the Ballpark, Chuck Morgan, and the Rangers fans provide an above-average atmosphere compared to other ballparks around Major League Baseball.

Neighborhood 3

Where once there were only warehouses, back when Choctaw Stadium (formerly Globe Life Park) first opened in 1994, Globe Life Field now has a neighborhood. The ballpark is next to Texas Live!, a place filled with various restaurants for fans to visit during pre and post-game.

The restaurants are Guy Fieri’s Taco Joint, Pudge’s Pizza owned by Rangers legend Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, Lockhart Smokehouse, Troy’s (owned by Hall of Famer Troy Aikman), and Texas Live! not only has restaurants but also a hotel, called Live by Loews – Loews recently opened a convention center adjacent to Texas Live!, Globe Life Field, and Choctaw Stadium.

Also just to the west of Globe Life Field is AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, while just to the north, across the street from Choctaw Stadium, is the home of the new Medal of Honor Museum.

There are also other places to spend time while on your visit to Arlington – Six Flags over Texas and Hurricane Harbor Waterpark are both within a mile and a half of Globe Life Field. The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame are also within that 1.5-mile radius, as well as the Arlington Museum of Art.

Fans 4

The saying that everyone loves a winner holds for Texas Rangers fans if going by attendance. Rangers fans have increased their attendance from the bottom half of Major League Baseball to currently being the 11th-highest, with a current average of 33,367 fans per game. This season Globe Life Field fills approximately 83% of its 40,000-seat capacity, an increase of 11% since the team won the World Series last season.

There are plenty of true Rangers baseball fans in the DFW area. Many Rangers fans have renewed their season tickets for many years before the team’s recent success, finally being rewarded with the 2023 championship year. The fans here are loud, knowledgeable, and respond accordingly in all game situations. Globe Life Field’s roof being enclosed adds to the loudness of the fans here, but overall, the fans themselves are above average.

Access 3

Globe Life Field is located in the heart of Arlington’s entertainment district. Arlington is in the middle of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, making up the fourth-largest metropolitan population in the United States.

Two airports support the DFW area, including Love Field near downtown Dallas, about twenty-one miles from Globe Life Field, for Southwest Airlines flights. However, the majority of flights arrive at DFW International Airport, which is ten miles from the ballpark.

The City of Arlington is the largest populated city in the United States that does not have public transit, so the only way to get to Globe Life Field from either airport is a rental car or rideshare. The cost from either airport on average is $40 one-way.

Driving to Globe Life Field is easy, as it is located off Interstate 30. There are plenty of options for parking around the ballpark, with prices ranging from $20 to $40. Pre-paid parking is offered and is a fantastic way to minimize cost and time searching if you book ahead. Also, if you are staying in a hotel near the ballpark, many have a shuttle to the stadium.

Once at the ballpark, there are six entrances into Globe Life Field. The most common, the north entrance, is adjacent to Texas Live! Gates open about 2 hours before the first pitch.

When walking inside the ballpark, there is plenty of signage to help you navigate throughout the facility – the wide concourses provide plenty of space for fans to walk around and see the sights. Note that when buying tickets, however, the lower field-level seats are only accessible to those who have tickets there.

Return on Investment 3

Major League Baseball has gone to flex pricing across the league, so the cost of Texas Rangers tickets truly depends on the night, opponent, and even specific popular promotional giveaways. Since supply and demand flex pricing is a guessing game, the earlier you can lock in a price, the more protected you are against rising costs.

For example, the Rangers website lists tickets as low as $23 and as high as $567 for one game, but on a different night the low and high prices rise to $33 and $723, which doesn’t include service fees, which can add $10 to $20 to each ticket. For some games, it would be more economical to look at third-party sellers, as season ticket holders sometimes sell their seats. Despite all of this, however, Major League Baseball is still the most affordable of the major league sports.

The parking cost here is average compared to the rest of Major League Baseball, starting anywhere from $20 to $45 for lots around Globe Life Field. However, the parking is also on a flex pricing schedule, so the more popular the game the higher the cost – popular games can add another $10 to the parking cost in the same location as a different game. Nevertheless, there is pre-sale parking available, which is a good option, especially for out-of-town fans.

Globe Life Field’s concessions have the typically high costs common at sports venues, and when the Rangers create new food items, or if you choose one of their already popular items like the Boomstick, the food and drink costs can go above your normal expectations.

The days of baseball being low-cost entertainment are no longer here when it comes to Globe Life Field. However, Major League Baseball still provides the lowest cost among all the major sports.

Extras 5

The obvious extra to Globe Life Field is that the ballpark has a retractable roof – although the venue is an eyesore to some looking in from the outside, the constant 72 degrees indoors keeps fans and players from enduring the Texas summer heat.

Other things add to fans’ enjoyable time at Globe Life Field. For example, behind home plate on the main concourse there is a unique opportunity for fans to see and visit with the Texas Rangers longtime public address announcer Chuck Morgan, who welcomes baseball fans to Arlington with his announcement of “It’s Baseball Time in Texas.” In addition, outside Chuck Morgan’s office are display cases full of Rangers memorabilia – this season, the 2023 World Series trophy has been a constant attraction for fans to see and photograph.

In addition, outside Globe Life Field there are plaques of Texas Ranger Hall of Fame inductees, on display outside the stadium's northeast entry point, adjacent to the statue of Benjie Molina and Neftali Feliz celebrating the Rangers 2010 American League Championship.

There are also two bronze statues of Texas Rangers Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan and Ivan “Pudge” Rodriquez, on opposite sides of the ballpark. The Rangers have also announced that the Rangers third Cooperstown inductee, Adrian Beltre, will be joining them as a bronze statue, to be completed in time for the 2025 season.

Another perk is that former Rangers players sign autographs for an hour before Friday and Saturday night games, in the New Era Alumni Alley behind section 103 in the northwest corner of the ballpark.

Globe Life Field’s outfield wall recognizes numbers of significance throughout Rangers history – the distance markers are the numbers worn by players that are in the Rangers Hall of Fame, namely 29 – Adrian Beltre, 34 – Nolan Ryan,10 – Michael Young, 7 – Ivan Rodriguez, and 26 – Johnny Oates. Lastly, Globe Life Field’s distance from home plate to the backstop is 42’ in recognition of Jackie Robinson’s retired number throughout baseball.

Final Thoughts

Although the former Rangers ballpark, Choctaw Stadium, is still standing and in use, Globe Life Field has become a better asset to the Rangers and to the Arlington community. Globe Life Field has succeeded in every reason for which it was built – especially the indoor retractable roof, which keeps Rangers fans in a perfect climate of 72 degrees and away from the Texas summer heat.

Although Globe Life Field is not as nice, architecturally speaking, as the stadium it replaced, the new ballpark is a year-round venue, bringing in summer concerts, college football games, PBR World Finals, and the most important thing of all, a Texas Rangers World Series Championship.