Ryan Sanders Baseball, which is promoting two exhibition games between the MLB Rangers and the Padres, has "collaborated with AstroTurf" to "build a 133,000 square-foot custom field for the Alamodome floor," according to Richard Durrett of ESPN DALLAS. The games will mark the "first time baseball has ever been played at the Alamodome." Other modifications "include custom fencing, walls, padding, netting, dugouts, bullpens, foul poles and more" (ESPNDALLAS.com, 11/16). In Ft. Worth, Jeff Wilson noted the Rangers' affiliate Triple-A PCL Round Rock Express President & CEO Reid Ryan "came up with the idea as an effort to spread the Rangers' brand into San Antonio in conjunction with their games being shown all season" on FS Southwest. Ryan said, "It's going to be a great way to spread the Rangers' brand to the second largest city in Texas." The Rangers have to "purchase a new artificial field for the games, and the field will have unique outfield dimensions." More than half of the 52,295 tickets will be "priced at $15 or less" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 11/16). In San Antonio, John Whisler noted the series will be called "Big League Weekend." Rangers President Nolan Ryan said, "We've been trying to expand our fan base. We have a lot of fans in South Texas that come up to our ball games." Officials "announced the specially made AstroTurf field would include no synthetic turf cut outs." Only the pitcher's mound "will have dirt" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 11/16).
