After three years of "meticulously planning the fan experience" for Globe Life Field's inaugural season, the MLB Rangers have spent the past four months "planning a new component: complex stadium seating configurations for smaller gatherings of fans that may be allowed to attend a couple dozen home games this season, if at all," according to a cover story by Eric Prisbell of SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL. Rangers Exec VP and Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer Joe Januszewski said, “You can’t sugarcoat the bitterness of not being able to have a full house for your first game. Our first game is literally going to have nobody there other than players, training staff and security. That is not what you dreamed up. But our day will come.” Team execs "stress that grave national health and economic concerns dwarf their issues." But Prisbell notes while the Rangers’ concerns have "mostly mirrored those of other teams throughout MLB, in some ways theirs have been more acute, both financially and emotionally, because so much has been geared toward opening the ballpark." Like many MLB teams, the Rangers have worked with the league office in "planning where to display virtual or fixed signage." MLB provided the club with "areas in foul territory along the first- and third-base lines where it plans to exhibit fixed signage." The Rangers also are "planning signage on the back of the pitcher’s mound," and they are "working with their regional sports network, Fox Sports Southwest, on virtual signage possibilities" (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/20 issue).
WHERE THE COOL KIDS PLAY: In Dallas, Evan Grant notes the ballpark "is cool. Literally." When the roof is in place -- and "expect that to be the case for all of this first season and the great majority of seasons thereafter -- the climate will be a cool, dry 72 degrees." It will be a "huge change from Globe Life Park, which featured 762 games with a game-time temperature above 90 degrees in 26 seasons, more than double the next closest site (St. Louis)." It "might pay longer-term dividends, too," as the Rangers have "long had issues drawing pitchers to Arlington." They always said that it was "too hot" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/21).
