Major League Baseball

[Laramie]

Former Oklahoma City based Globe Life (Chase Tower) which has expanded its base & brand now headquartered in McKinney, Texas; has obtained naming rights for the new Texas Rangers' ballpark.

Globe Life Field

Rangers to build $1B stadium with retractable roof, to open in 2021: http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...roof-open-2021

[shawnw]

I'm sure it will be nice, but I still can't believe they're replacing a 27 year old stadium (by the time the new one opens) that seems in great shape still.

[OKCretro]

I'm sure it will be nice, but I still can't believe they're replacing a 27 year old stadium (by the time the new one opens) that seems in great shape still.

Yea kind of surprising but i get it, they really needed a dome or retractable roof in dallas. With the roof they can play day games on getaway days which is needed now with the travel logistics involved.

[TheSteveHunt]

Another massive tax-payer swindle in Arlington, and still no public transit! Amazing. I remember
riding on the Subway from S Boston to Fenway, freaking amazing experience.....crazy fans having
good times. Y'all missin' out Ranger fans!

anyway, good take over @ Field of Schemes: Rangers unveil stadium model to show how cool retractable roof will look from passing airplanes

[mugofbeer]

You are correct there is really nothing wrong with the current baseball stadium except that it is outside and it prevents the Rangers from playing daytime games for a large portion of the summer. Ranger management wants to be able to do this and have admitted to borrowing design from the Houston stadium. I used to be a season ticket holder there and can admit to leaving my seat a couple of times very early in the game because it was 105 and just too boiling hot. I also remember a series after a long dry spell was broken by rain and being subjected to a deluge of millions of flying and falling crickets that were swarming over the stadium after dark. It was horrible. People in the upper decks who remained had umbrellas and were intentionally sitting away from the lights. This is one case where I support an indoor stadium.

As far as financing, the citizens voted approval to help pay for the new stadium but the only part the citizens will be required to pay is a half cent sales tax increase. The rest is from hotel/motel and car rental taxes. The vast majority of this will, of course be paid for by tourists. Lastly, bonds used to help pay for ATT stadium will be refinanced and reissued which costs the citizens minimal amounts.

[shawnw]

they should have built the original thing with adding a roof later or something. So short sighted.

[Dob Hooligan]

they should have built the original thing with adding a roof later or something. So short sighted.

How topical: IIRC George W. Bush was hired to be Texas Rangers team president for the expressed purpose of getting the Ballpark at Arlington approved and built. I think he achieved all performance goals and was paid accordingly.

[mugofbeer]

they should have built the original thing with adding a roof later or something. So short sighted.

That type of retro-throwback baseball only stadium was the "in" thing back then and are still loved in places like Denver where climate isn't an issue. Old Arlington is still a beautiful, functional park but they want to be able to play day games June thru Sept which isn't wise when it's 108 out. Day games in 1995 weren't desired as much as now with them being preferred by players before they depart for a road trip. It wasn't short-sightedness but a change in game preference.
If the Rangers make it in the playoffs, they sometimes have to play day games. In Sept, it can still hit the high 90s but rain can be frequent so to close a roof would be nice.
Finally, grass technology is now better for indoor stadiums now.

[MagzOK]

Having an indoor stadium will allow me and my family more opportunities throughout the summer to catch games. Day games are terrible during the summer, but it's also no fun to go to a game when even at night conditions at 10PM can still be in the upper 90s with no wind. The stadium blocks out a lot of any wind that may be blowing outside. I think having a better environment will bring more ticket sales being in this part of the country.

[bluedogok]

We went to games in Houston, never did go to the Ballpark in Arlington and they were building it when I moved from Dallas back to OKC. I went to many games at the old Turnpike Stadium. I did a tour at the ballpark close to completion, it was absolutely miserable in there in comparison to the old stadium. No air movement in the seating area. One of the main reasons why we would drive to games in Houston rather than Dallas from Austin.

My office is a block from Coors Field, games are nice there.

[borchard]

Havent been to the Ballpark in many years, but i DO remember it being miserably hot in the lower bowl

[mugofbeer]

Its like the first 2-3 games now at OU. Miserably hot for day games. I saw they moved OUs opening game to Sunday nite and am very happy about it.The

[gopokes88]

Anybody in OKC pushing to try and get OKC on the list? It's a snowball's chance in hell but a visit would be a good thing perception wise.

https://twitter.com/mickakers/status...617338883?s=20

[aDark]

Anybody in OKC pushing to try and get OKC on the list? It's a snowball's chance in hell but a visit would be a good thing perception wise.

https://twitter.com/mickakers/status...617338883?s=20

This link is dead. Almost as dead as MLB.

[Laramie]

Anybody in OKC pushing to try and get OKC on the list? It's a snowball's chance in hell but a visit would be a good thing perception wise.

https://twitter.com/mickakers/status...617338883?s=20

That snowball would melt in purgatory.

We (OKC) don't have the corporate base to support major league baseball along with NBA; marginal for fan support even though you would also draw from Tulsa, Wichita, Wichita Falls-Lawton and Fort Smith, but you would have some potential for great rivalries with St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Houston & Dallas. As to getting a stadium built, we have tremendous stadium potential.

If you could build a venue between OKC and TUL (which should be considered one TV market), that would be a good feasibility study for a state supported team than MLB in either of our most populous cities.

Portland is big on MLS, they ditched AAA-baseball in favor of MLS. The Rose City would be marginal.

Cities being considered for Major League Baseball need at least 2 million MSA if there are other major franchises in the area like NBA, NHL and NFL.

San Antonio-Austin (IMO) would be better suited for the A's. They have the billionaire pool & corporate base who could support MLB in San Antonio-Austin where there's a better chance for long-term survival. San Antonio and Austin are 80 miles apart; put a venue in between, you have a 40 mile stretch.

Trouble with putting another MLB franchise in Texas is Dallas & Houston wants that market all to themselves--Just like the NBA Dallas Mavericks wanted all of Oklahoma for its market.

San Antonio (2,550,960)-Austin (2,227,083) market boasts close to 5 million with a good retirement base; build a twin-stadium complex between both cities and you could support MLB & NFL.

MLB hasn't done anything significant to speed up the game. Sure it's America's past time; however time continues to past.

[amocore]

Few mores years, some renovations and expansion and our current Bricktown ballpark will be fine to get a MLB team. You wont need to have more than 20.000 seats in a MLB ballpark when you see the how things go for Baseball in general.

[BoulderSooner]

Few mores years, some renovations and expansion and our current Bricktown ballpark will be fine to get a MLB team. You wont need to have more than 20.000 seats in a MLB ballpark when you see the how things go for Baseball in general.

no and you couldn't be more wrong

[gopokes88]

This link is dead. Almost as dead as MLB.

Try this one?

https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports...month-2362383/

[Laramie]

Few mores years, some renovations and expansion and our current Bricktown ballpark will be fine to get a MLB team. You wont need to have more than 20.000 seats in a MLB ballpark when you see the how things go for Baseball in general.

It would be very difficult to expand Bricktown Ballpark to meet MLB minimum requirements with prime seats. You would be better off investing $500 million thru MAPS 5 or special bond-sales tax election building a new 40k park equipped for baseball, football and soccer.

One thing you could consider is delay building the Multipurpose MAPS 4 Stadium ($37 million) for upgrading to a multi-use facility that could involve a private-public partnership supported stadium funded thru naming-rights to lure MLS with plenty of room for baseball and football.

Tropicana Stadium seats 31,042 in St. Petersburg, it's the smallest MLB venue--it's also an indoor stadium, considered not a long-term solution to keep MLB in the Tampa Bay area.

[WheelerD Guy]

This link is dead. Almost as dead as MLB.

You’re right about that, my friend!

[borchard]

Was there any attempt to get OKC to host the Blue Jays until Canada reopens the border? I saw that they are playing in AZ? FLA? Just curious

[amocore]

You can not have multi use stadium for Baseball. It did not work. Football and soccer okay but baseball, no.

After building a baseball stadium for MLB with more than 35,000 seats is pure utopia. The one the MLB crew lives in.

[Laramie]

You can not have multi use stadium for Baseball. It did not work. Football and soccer okay but baseball, no.

After building a baseball stadium for MLB with more than 35,000 seats is pure utopia. The one the MLB crew lives in.

Not sure what is meant by your quote. As well as fans thinking the NBA being a pipe dream for Oklahoma City when we opened The Peake back in 2002. We know NBA & NHL are no where near the level of NFL & MLB.

Globe Life Field was home to the XFL Dallas Renegades, some collegiate football and MLB. Respect the fact that Globe Life Field is a baseball specific stadium.

[Southsider2]

Hmm from a revenue standpoint the MLB is #2 behind the NFL. The sheer amount of games gives a boost but for a dying league, the revenue is there. I'm a biased former baseball player but I would love the MLB here and wouldn't blink purchasing season tickets. Not saying the MLB would do well here but I personally would love it. I find it much more convenient to mingle with clients at baseball games than basketball/football.

[BoulderSooner]

Hmm from a revenue standpoint the MLB is #2 behind the NFL. The sheer amount of games gives a boost but for a dying league, the revenue is there. I'm a biased former baseball player but I would love the MLB here and wouldn't blink purchasing season tickets. Not saying the MLB would do well here but I personally would love it. I find it much more convenient to mingle with clients at baseball games than basketball/football.

and baseball in person attendance is not far off their all time high levels ... baseball just doesn't have the national appeal of the NFL but it is huge in the markets that it is in