Globe Life Field
Globe Life Field is a baseball park in Arlington, Texas. Since 2020, it is the home ballpark of the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball. Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company, a subsidiary of McKinney-based Globe Life, owns the naming rights for the facility through 2048. The new ballpark is located across the street just south of Globe Life Park in Arlington, the Rangers' former home ballpark.
History
Background
On May 20, 2016, the Rangers announced that they would vacate Globe Life Park in Arlington. The new stadium will be constructed in a public/private partnership and have a retractable roof. The ballpark was approved on the following Election Day. HKS, Inc. was announced as the architect on January 5, 2017.On January 31, 2019, the Rangers announced that the playing surface of Globe Life Field will be carpeted with synthetic grass supplied by Shaw Sports Turf, making them one of only five major league teams to play its home games on artificial turf.
The Rangers cited weather as the reason attendances at Globe Life Park were lower than in other baseball stadiums in major metropolitan areas, since it was prone to high temperatures and rain delays. Therefore, the Rangers proposed their new ballpark be constructed with a roof. Unlike its predecessors, the new stadium's center field will face northeast, instead of southeast.
A new shopping mall, as well as a Loews Hotel, and a ballpark village are planned to go along with the new stadium. Globe Life Park in Arlington will be renovated for football and soccer use.
The plans to build the stadium have generated a mixed reaction. The new stadium will mean a more comfortable environment to watch baseball but will extend existing taxes used to pay for AT&T Stadium. According to The Dallas Morning News, "The deal calls for the city to issue $500 million in bonds to help pay for the stadium. A half-cent of sales tax, 2% hotel occupancy tax and 5% car rental tax would pay off those bonds over an estimated 30 years. Voters also approved a ticket tax of up to 10% and parking tax of up to $3 at the new stadium. That money would be used for some of the Rangers' portion of the debt, which was criticized by the opposition campaign."
On December 14, 2019, a section of the under-construction roof caught on fire.
Opening
Globe Life Field was originally scheduled to open on March 23, 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season was delayed for several months. Globe Life Field opened for a high school graduation on May 29, 2020.On July 24, 2020, the Rangers hosted its first regular season game against the Colorado Rockies. The Rangers played two exhibition games against the Rockies on July 21-22 at Globe Life Field.
Dimensions
The marked dimensions of Globe Life Field pay extensive homage to Rangers history, honoring all of the team's retired numbers plus key seasons in team history:| Location | Distance | Honoree | Significance |
| Left field line | 329 | Retired #29 | |
| Left field just inside line | 334 | Retired #34 | |
| Left field power alley | 372 | 1972 Rangers | First season in Arlington |
| Deepest distance | 410 | Retired #10 | |
| Center field | 407 | Retired #7 | |
| Right field power alley | 374 | 1974 Rangers | First winning season in Arlington |
| Right field line | 326 | Retired #26 | |
| Home plate to backstop | 42 | Number 42 retired throughout MLB |