I worked for the Rangers in the front offices while this stadium was being discussed and the first year of its existence. Here's the deal. The Rangers got the stadium they wanted, and a retractable roof was never seriously considered.. At the time, all any baseball fan wanted was the next Camden Yards, and the examples of stadiums with a roof on it were the astrodome and the SkyDome, which as you said, nobody wanted. The development of modern retraceable roofs like Enron weren't an option in the early 90's, so there really wasn't much discussion about it. If they had toughed it out in old Arlington Stadium for 5 more years, I can promise you things would have been very different. Also, the old owners were baseball purists, and believed in outdoor games and real grass. After the team was sold, the new owners stopped their objections to day games, knowing the more the more uncomfortable they made it for the fans, the more press would talk about the need for a new stadium. Not only that, but the lied about the ability of surrounding cities having the ability to steal the team away (no logistically viable city in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex had the tax base wiggle room to fund a new stadium) and the press went along with the lie to blackmail the city into funding a new stadium. Oh,, one more thing. The DAY AFTER the new stadium was voted in by the city, they started dismantling a playoff caliber team.
I get the purists thing but my team, the Brewers, broke ground on Miller Park (AmFam) in 1996. The Arlington stadium broke ground in 1992. They could have done a retractable. And I DO prefer a completely open stadium but Miller Park having a retractable certainly allows them to get in more games with more fans. But it is what it is.
@@frednich9603 I read that Miller park needs huge money to fix something about the roof. And the WI taxpayers are pissed as they are AGAIN going to be asked to pay.
@@paulweeldreyer7457 I prefer the beautiful retractable stadiums like Miller Park So Nice As well as Minute Maid or whatever Houston’s called That thing is another gorgeous BP New Rangers Stadium is Nice Vegas will be building something like Miller They’ll have to Because of the weather as well as the room for the park So thankfully Miller has set the precedents for A’s Beautiful MLB Park It can be done and has been done I Love Miller Park
Right field was done as a nod to the porch at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. The right field upper deck at Tiger Stadium did in fact hang over the field by ten feet. At the Ballpark in Arlington this wasn’t the case, but still a nice way to incorporate features from the old time ballparks.
Lifelong Rangers fan here. I grew up going to the old Arlington Turnpike Stadium. When Rangers Ballpark at Arlington opened, it was such a relief, but there were two fatal flaws. The heat (as you mentioned) was oppressive for 4 months of the 6 month season. The second thing was that the winds from the south would whip around and create the "jet stream" effect that made homeruns way too easy. Both of these factors made signing elite pitchers difficult. The new Globe Life solves both of these problems. It's a much more neutral offensive stadium. The Rangers have taken advantage of that and put together a pretty good pitching staff this year. My biggest gripes with the new stadium are that it's ugly from the outside and that they keep the roof closed too much. There are days that I've been recently where it was in the upper 80s and the roof was closed. I know in some parts of the country, 87 degrees sounds oppressively hot, but here it's amazing, especially if it's a night game. Inside the new Globe Life is a great fan experience. I was recently at a game where there was a raging thunderstorm outside. The game continued on without a single second of delay. I miss the old stadium, but I don't miss the heat exhaustion and I don't miss the rain delays.
I loved Arlington Stadium, I was visiting my brother about 200 miles away and drove to the stadium to take pictures a couple of months before it was torn down. The 'new' stadium was ready for its first season and I took pictures. They where going to open it for the public to walk around in the next day.
You were younger. Less things bother you when you're younger. It's why people think things are always getting worse as they age. Reality has changed. Your experience with it has.
5:38 88 degrees would be a “cool” day. 100+ is uncommon in Texas in the summer. There are summers where we have an entire month of consecutive 100 degree days. Even at 6-7pm, it’s regularly in the high 90’s in July and August.
Here in Arizona we couldn't have a team without a retractable roof. But our summers aren't nearly as bad as the Dallas area in the summer because of the humidity. How they managed to play baseball with fans in the summer is beyond me.
I grew up going to this stadium, it was always a great atmosphere there, but I remember going to a gave vs. the then Indians, and it was 108 degrees, keep in mind that this is Texas heat where it is also more humid unlike Arizona heat. When I went to a game at the new stadium, it was nice to have ac, but it just didn’t have the same charm at the old one.
I remember going to a day game in July against the A's and it was in the 100's. It was like sitting in a charcoal grill with lid off for 3 hrs. None the less, it was a gorgeous ballpark.
Actually, the offices in center field are still owned by the Rangers and they are leased to area buisnesses. Six Flags recently moved their corparate headquarters into the offices actually. And because the Rangers still hold the lease on the Ballpark, they collect revenue on events held there, and it's still people employed by the Rangers that work ticket booths, conncessions, and serve as ushers. So even tho it is no longer the home of the Rangers, it's still a large income source for the team.
I absolutely loved going to the ballpark with my family and friends. It opened the year I was born and I pretty sat everywhere and experienced the game from different angles and the sun was a problem but it was worth it.
I grew up in Arlington and you’d be shocked at how many people say they prefer the old stadium. I’m not one of those people. I absolutely love the new stadium it’s pretty bad ass
If you're gonna have a stadium with a retractable roof, then you MUST have an AC system built in already. If you build JUST a retractable roof after the fact, it will still be hot even with the roof closed. The Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, NY has this same problem.
It depends on how you do it. If you have good air flow management along with the shade a some provides the atmosphere is very reasonable. Not as comfortable as air conditioning, but a good compromise over baking in the sun when it's 100+ degrees.
@@AEMoreira81 The Metrodome didn't have A/C its first year because they thought the air blower that kept the bubble roof up was enough to keep the stadium cool. It wasn't, and they put in A/C the next year. I was there the first year.
Lifelong Rangers fan here. I grew up going to Arlington Stadium. When the Ballpark at Arlington was built, I was in heaven. I thought it was the most beautiful ballpark in MLB. I went to so many games there and felt so proud of it as a fan. I was even fortunate enough to play on the field in a high-school showcase game my senior year. What an amazing experience. I absolutely loved the place. The older I got, the hotter it seemed to get, and there were many afternoon games that we just didn't go to, or we left early because it was just too hot. I never thought I would want to leave that stadium, but it became unbearable to watch day games there. Like, I got physically ill a few times (no beer involved). I finally stopped going. I was bitter when the new stadium was built and I begrudgingly began to accept the new indoor stadium. I will always miss the beauty of the old stadium, and the feeling that I got watching games there. The way the ballpark was constructed, I felt like I had stepped back in time every time I went there. But now, at almost 50 years old, I love the new ballpark. We can go watch a game, rain or 110 degrees. Actually headed to my 3rd game of the season tonight. I plan on going to a lot more now that I've settled into the new digs.
Center and right were 8 and left was significantly higher (14 iirc) to the point where people got seriously hurt falling from it to catch home runs. It was definitely a hitters park, heat and fatigue being contributing factors.
@@Pandemicjoe kinda like deaths at concerts that arent by performers, there are a lot of stadium deaths that are often overlooked. Hope his folks are doin okay.
The ballpark is the one instance where they should’ve followed through on the roof. I went there all the time as a kid, that stadium was awesome. The A/C is nice in the new one though but my problem with it is it’s built with corporations in mind more than the fans. If you ever go there and see the seating you’ll understand
The offices may well outlast the stadium as a going concern. After the Rangers moved their offices to the new retractable roof park, Six Flags moved its corporate headquarters from Grand Prairie into this ballpark.
It was a fun place to watch a game. The covered section was absolutely awesome in the summer. Our society is so wasteful....ballparks need to go a minimum of 50 years.
Well W and his pals were too cheap to pay for the roof. If they would have put the money down up front, there would have been no need for another new stadium.
The ball park is a beautiful facility. I for one hated to see it go, but man, it was HOT in the afternoon games. BTW, 88 in June is manageable for us. It starts hurting when it hits 98 and up.
My two cents. Future President George W. Bush bought the team with partners and in old Arlington Stadium, they signed Nolan Ryan. For the first time sellouts were frequent, the anticipation of Nolan striking out or no-hitting became legend. Given the golden signing of Nolan Ryan, such a fortuitous thing, revenue flowed in. All of a sudden, a new Ballpark was planned. Bush longtime Associate, Tom Schieffer (brother of CBS Newsman, Bob Schieffer), dove deeply into the new design. Schieffer wanted a Retro Park, with similarities from the classic ballparks, like Tiger Stadium. It was a beautiful, beautiful Ballpark. Ballpark only. Two things sadly happened. First year it opened, 1994, was the year of the strike. When play ended, Rangers were in 1st place, at 10 games below .500.....but, in first place in the division. 2nd, ironically, the first year of our present Globe Life Field, was the Covid Year, and the Rangers brand new indoor Park never got the "SPLASH" it deserved in publicity due to Covid, and the old Ballpark opened in a Strike year---the Rangers' luck. Another point: Two Major Book-ends, Fort Worth and Dallas, with Arlington in Fort Worth's county, Tarrant, so all the "New" 90's Ballparks" built, were built near the downtowns of the prospective cities right beneath: PNC Park, Camden Yards, CoMerica Field, and all the rest. SO, since neither Fort Worth or Dallas' downtowns could be featured (Arlington has no highrise-type downtowns), so that is why the Offices/railings were built---to in some way replicate a "City Skyline" with buildings, since there was none in the immediate area. I think no other Major League Baseball Team is "shared" like Fort Worth/Arlington and Dallas........so, no beautiful downtowns to feature, thus the Offices and railings. Another point: The Ballpark in Arlington was built RIGHT BEFORE the wave of fiber-optics hit, with enhanced scoreboards, graphics, wifi, tablets, cellphone explosion---so, the "NEW" Ballpark was built and opened right as a technological wave was hitting, which really immediately "dated" the Ballpark, unfortunately. Another and the most important point, as to your TITLE: "The Stadium that was ruined by the sun" Tom Schieffer wanted the Rangers to play NIGHT GAMES, in the 3 hottest months in Texas (June-July-August), and play those games at night.....when theoretically, it had cooled down by 7:30pm, to maybe 90 degrees, instead of daytime games, which might be 103. Playing in the desired "open air" Ballpark, on natural grass, built retro style, with native red brick and artisan Texan and Southwestern detailing, made it a true crown jewel.....................BUT.................. The Rangers signed or traded for players like Adrian Beltre, Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, etc.....leading up to the back to back World Series appearances in 2011 and 2012. Great Ranger teams. The problem with all those good players joining Mike Napoli, and other sluggers, was that the Rangers' WINNING put them in high demand, to have "FEATURED MLB GAMES" which (UNFORTUNATELY for the team), was to be played in June-July-August at 2:00PM, when one day, Tampa Bay came to play, and on the Saturday game of the week, a field level thermostat read: 105 degrees, and National broadcasters were making light of this, and fans dutifully sat in the stands with newspapers over their heads, sombreros, and hydrating as well---but when you had a game in June through August at 2PM in Texas, you were in for TROUBLE. . . . . .SO, I would posit that the Rangers' success post 1994 opening of the Ballpark, and the team much improved once Nolan Ryan's group took over, that the Team's success, caused them hardship in that MLB and the Networks demanded more and more the Rangers to be highlighted in Prime Baseball time, which was then, Saturday Afternoon at 2pm Central. The team's success at that time, forced them to have a retractable roof..........if the team had remained mediocre, like it had been for a long while previously, then no demands that they would be wanted to play those Summer day games, and the Ballpark in Arlington, might well still be played in. Success caused the Ballpark's demise in all honesty. One last thing. The George W. Bush/Tom Schieffer ownership wanted NO SIGNAGE, or minimal, but once Tom Hicks bought the team, he put in a Diamond Club, behind home plate, and what that did to the prevailing fly balls to right center, was to hold them up, whereas it was a jet stream OUT previously. Bush/Schieffer spent alot of money to monitor wind flow studies before building the Ballpark, and Tom Hicks came in, just seeking to make money, and built that Diamond Club, which played havoc with the wind-pattern flow, and making homers harder to come by...........AND added UGLY, UGLY signage. Anyway, bottom line: The Rangers success in the late 2000's and early 2010's, caused them to be TOLD to play at 2PM in the summer in Texas, and if you haven't been here then, it's HOTTTTT! Bush/Schieffer envisioned day games ONLY in April, May and September. NEVER during June-July-August.
I agree with you 2 guys it's very ugly outside but who cares the inside is lovely and this team is kicking ass. That stadium is a big reason we have guys that want to be where.
My home ballpark. I'm a lifelong Ranger fan, worked here as a vendor for 12 years, and saw numerous other games here as a fan. When a new stadium was proposed, I joined a political action group that attempted to prevent people from supporting the construction of a new stadium. Not only did I love the Ballpark, but I thought it was a waste of taxpayer money to fund a new stadium. Unfortunately the mayor of Arlington was in ownership's back pocket and he was able to coerce citizens into supporting the new stadium proposition. His primary argument was that the city of Arlington was going to lose the Rangers to the city of Dallas, which at the time couldn't afford to properly pay the police department, let alone come up with $500 million to finance a new stadium. Arlington voters bought it though and up the new stadium went. Any opposition, notably from our political action group, was censored on social media on the team's home page among other social media pages. Even with all of that we gave a very heavily funded campaign a run for their money with the new stadium group only getting about 60% of the vote. We went to war with rocks and sticks. They had tanks and bazookas. I miss the old ballpark and have countless great memories there. When the new park opened I felt disconnected from the team, and while I still love them it just isn't the same. Admittedly the new park is nice and comfortable, but it feels like an office building rather than a city park. FWIW Cowboy's Stadium has the exact same feel.
Sorry, but the rangers were never going to find themselves fighting for depe playoff runs again if we didn't get a new indoor stadium. Players don't want to play dozens of games a year standing out in 100+ weather. Fans don't want to go and sit for 3 hours in that either. The stadium was necessary in order to help the Rangers build a team that could compete. Just looks how quickly we have built up since the new stadium was opened.
Part of my Bucket List is to visit every MLB ballpark, so when I found out that the Ballpark at Arlington was going to be replaced, I made it a priority to visit it. I was able to see their 6th-to-last game at the Ballpark, and it did not disappoint. Beautiful stadium, wide-open green area outside, incredible architecture.... Hands down the nicest stadium I've visited. Thankfully it was a night game and the weather was in the low-80s. I'm so happy that they re-purposed this stadium. It's just too nice to tear down.
visiting every park has been my dream since i was about 12... i even sat down and estimated how much it would cost to do it all in one season..(this was in the early 70's and i figured even back then about 25 grand..lol..of course i never did it, but i have been to a more than a few over the years, Chomisky, Tigers', metrodome in Minni, king dome in Seatle , Shea, Olympic in Montreal, both stads in Toronto and all the stadiums in California- saw an NLCS game in LA in "88 and remember paying 30 bucks for a field level seat from a scalper,,(same seat today in a PO game might be closer to 3000!) ..was even heading to the 89 world series when a little thing like an earthquake turned me around...not bad for a kid from Canada where there was only one Canadian team when i was young, and it wasn't the blue jays.. cheers.. hope you get to them all!
I live in Arlington, and I didn’t vote for the new stadium! They could’ve took 1/3 to 1/2 the money they’re spending on the new stadium and renovated Choctaw Stadium, preferably putting some sort of roof or canopy over it and some Air Conditioning! This stadium was, and still is , a beautiful ballpark. It’s just that the brainiacs that came up with this design totally forgot how hot it gets down here in North Texas in the summertime, and NO ONE wants to sit out in 100+ degree heat for 2-3 hours to watch a baseball game and then have to pay $5+ for a bottle of water!
I used to work at that ballpark 04-07. Working for the Texas Rangers. The names were Ballpark in Arlington, Ameriquest Field and Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. It suck working there in the summer time. I work in the third level a lot of times. It would be so hot up there. It would be 100 to 105 degrees. I would almost pass out because of the heat. I would see a lot fans pass out. Around the 04-07 season lot of the Rangers games on Sundays. They would play home games in the afternoon. I'm glad the Rangers have the new Ballpark. I work @ Globe Life Field. It's a beautiful ballpark. No more dealing with the heat. The only thing I don't like about the ballpark is the seating. It's so confusing. I love the old ballpark. But it was time to have a new ballpark with a roof.
Well the XFL has it's HQ Offices there at the stadium, so it's getting a good use. And the Renegades are drawing better crowds than the rugby and MLS next teams are.
This stadium was actually really nice and unique. Unfortunately being in Texas I can't imagine the heat. I went there once to visit my sister it was during the winter and it was hot then. I can't imagine being out there in July for a 9 inning game! One of my favorite things about this park is that center field area that you can jump if a ball is hit out there. It's so cool the stadium allowed that!!
I got a slightly better idea, Six flags should buy the old Globelife Park and turn it into a indoor waterpark. Then built a hotel or resort to connect it.
I went to the old stadium. It was decent but I like the new stadium too. Not sure why it gets the hate, I think it has its own charm with the brick arches and plenty of places to stand and watch.
The reason they don't add retractable roofs is because retractable roofs are unable to be installed on parks that don't have the existing infrastructure to supply one.
I loved going to Rangers game at Rangers Ballpark. It's such a beautiful ballpark and is perfectly suited for a baseball game. I hated the move to the Texas Toolshed. Rangers Ballpark ranks second from the top in my ballpark rankings, while Globe Life Field ranks second from the bottom. I'd much rather go to a game in the summer heat at the Ballpark than in the air conditioned environment in the Grill, and I was at the game with the 107-degree first pitch.
Interior of the new ballpark is stunning, and they did a great job of incorporating team history into the artwork. The Ballpark In Arlington is the most beautiful architecture piece that happens to be a stadium I've laid eyes on. The "renovation" they did to convert it to a football stadium is tragic. They don't even open up the upper levels for the football games, makes the stadium lifeless and depressing. I love the roof, and I love the interior, but the outside shed is ROUGH.
I went on a trip to Fort Worth a few years ago and the Rangers just so happened to be playing that weekend so I went to a couple games. I grew up going to games in Seattle but I was thoroughly impressed by The Ballpark in Arlington and very pleased with the experience. It was a beautiful stadium with a lot of character and I'm still sad the Rangers decided to leave it this soon. I know it was almost 30 years old when they moved but The Ballpark still had so much life left.
Globe Life Park was a beautiful stadium. We love baseball and went to some opening day games, during the stretch of Globe Life Park. Went to day games and night games, but if it’s June, July or August it’s just too darn hot and you would sweat your butt off, unless you were in a suite. We have been to more games this season alone than we had at Globe Life Park over the past few years. Is the new ballpark as majestic looking as the old ballpark…no. Is it more comfortable watching a game during the hot summer days in Texas, absolutely! It’s temperature controlled to be a cool 74 degrees in the new ballpark, when during the summer months in Texas we have many consecutive days over 100 degrees. We’ve been to the ballpark when they open the roof and it’s beautiful. I prefer real grass and views of the sky for baseball, but the reality is, that the summers in Texas makes it difficult for nearly all fans to enjoy baseball games. We’ve been to many ballparks across the country and they all have their unique architecture and design. If you’re in an area of the country that has many summer days over 100 degrees like Texas, than a retractable roof makes sense. Just my 2 cents.
Spent some day games there and always came back sunburned and dehydrated. We'd joke about it as "The Broilpark in Arlington", "Global Warming Park", etc. The grass batters eye in center was a nice idea but local wags referred to it as the Grassy Knoll. Tacky but funny. It's just that summer in Dallas is not a surprise to anyone. Why wouldn't they have seen this coming?
The new stadium is very beautiful inside. No actually good pitcher wanted to play at the old stadium. Literally no one wanted to come to Texas and play in that heat. Look at Texas they are legit contenders and pitchers actually like being there. Texas also has the best offense in the league.
The Ballpark in Arlington was the original name. It is still a beautiful ballpark. Actually the reason they did not build a dome was because, 1. The retractable roof concept option was not popular and 2. Rangers ownership t the time felt baseball games should be played outdoors. The office building was built because there was no view except parking lots. Unfortunately the office building blocked most of the southern wind that would have swept into the stadium. Also, Tom Hicks when he owned the team in the late 90’s decided to build a club behind home plate in the area were the winds when blowing in would exit thru the stadium. By building the club behind home plate concourse the wind would hit the club and blow back towards the outfield creating a big time hitters ballpark. No FA pitcher would sign with the Rangers do to the excessive summer heat and the hitters ballpark reputation. do miss this beautiful ballpark but I do not miss sitting in my seat during the middle of summer and sweat running down my back 13:43
This stadium was killed by a T-Shirt… The fallout from “The West is Ours” 2015 postseason shirt that featured the Dallas skyline domino’d into Globe Life Field. Dallas started chirping about a down town ballpark, the Rangers chirped back. Arlington leadership collectively shit itself and gave the Rangers exactly what they wanted in a new stadium deal.
It's taken a couple years to accept the new Rangers stadium because this ballpark just had so much character. And it had a pretty good run. Over 25-years. But yes...there were no day games in the summer. My dad had season's tickets when I was younger just behind first base. The only day event I ever went to was the home-run derby the day before the all-star game in 1995 the year (or year after, maybe) that it opened. I couldn't sit down the entire time. The new stadium doesn't have the same nostalgic feel. However...it grows on you QUICK when it's 116 heat-index in August outside and then you walk into the stadium and it's 74 degrees! Maybe it would've grown on us more if the Rangers didn't shit the bed and drop 3 in a row to Houston this week.
My first game (the second game ever played there) I got to sit directly behind George W Bush (and family). I bought the ticket from a scalper outside for $10. Of course he wasn't the President or even governor at that point, but shortly thereafter he would be. I thought the Ballpark was dreamy but admittedly I would usually only go to games in April, May and September. I have zero interest in going to watch a game in that new livestock barn, I've been spoiled by greatness.
was able to see a game here during its final season. it really was a nice stadium and i was surprised by how much I liked it, but the Texas heat was definitely brutal.
I was sitting in the right field bleachers at Arlington Stadium when they announced for the first time what the new venue would be called. It was against the Oakland A's. Many jokingly believed it would be the International House of Nachos. Some folks thought Nolan Ryan Park would be appropriate. But when they announced the Ballpark at Arlington you could hear boos. It took some time. But, the Ballpark at Arlington was absolutely the perfect name. For years, I could not make myself call it Globe Life Park. Thanks for the video.
I remember dying as a kid baking in the sun… I kinda had to take the pain cause going to a rangers game for my family is like a once in a life time thing didn’t have much money growing up 😅
We were there last November for a pregame reception before Army Air Force football game played across the street at New Rangers Park. Thought new park a bit dark with roof closed.
With Six flags over Texas being next door. Six flags corporate headquarters moved into Choctaw Stadiumand are renting out some of the office spaces. That Stadium is too nice to demolish. So they are going to get any use out of it they can. As well as local Arlington high schools play football games there too now.
One thing you missed in this video, there is a Six Flags directly across the street! A family or fans can come to Dallas for a weekend, catch a Cowboys game, Rangers game, and visit the Six Flags all within walking distance of each other
I never got a chance to visit Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, but some family members had gone and had a great time, except for the heat. I recently went to Globe Life Field for the first time and it was the worst MLB stadium experience I've had. It feels like a soundstage inside a warehouse. It doesn't feel like a baseball stadium. In many ways I'd say its similar to AT&T and other NFL superstadiums, which is just wrong for baseball. Also, I wanted to buy a regular blue 59Fifty Rangers cap and I could not find one for sale in the entire ballpark. Every kiosk said to check out the big store in the outfield but they didn't have any either.
It breaks my heart that they don't play there anymore. It was hot but when the sun went down it wasn't too bad. I've only been to the new stadium a few times. The A/C is awesome and the stadium is nice inside. But it just doesn't feel the same. Like it's got no soul.
Yeah tell that to the players that had to play in it every single day in that heat. If it wasn't for this new stadium we wouldn't have these players whatsoever we needed a neutral stadium like this to attract big name players.
Rangers ballpark had an identity that I loved. It looked and felt Texas. Unfortunately there were multiple times I saw people getting stretchered out due to heat stroke. My family I nearly had a few ourselves in the times we’d visit Arlington. As you said, Globe Life Field is a huge visual downgrade. Despite this, I’m excited to visit it for the first time here in a few days. May not look as good but at least our seats won’t be as hot as the surface of the sun.
On top of AT&T stadium and both Globe life stadiums there is also Six Flags Theme park next to all of them. Traffic is a nightmare and if you get lucky you can have all 4 places going at once
The big grandstand in right field reminds me of a stadium that probably very few may recall or even know about it. Olive Memorial Stadium in Burbank, California. I looked up the history. That was spring training home for the St Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles). It had a giant grandstand behind home plate just like the right field grandstand at Rangers ballpark. Now, obviously I'm nowhere near old enough to say I saw some games there, because I looked up the history. But that stadium was part of a park that had 4 baseball fields. It was abandoned for many years before it was torn down. We were kids and we always wondered why that field in the park had a giant grandstand with a ton of seats compared to the other fields there that had just the small bleachers. We were playing in the park leagues and we always wanted to play in that big, yet abandoned stadium. But of course, nobody was allowed to play there.
Did a baseball trip with my family in 2000, second stop was The Ballpark at Arlington......BEAUTIFUL stadium, as a lifelong Oriole fan I ADORED Camden Yards, and could see the resemblance....... we got left field bleacher seats and COULD NOT sit in our seats until the sun went down... they would have blistered our posteriors.... still a very beautiful park and we had a great time after we could sit down but the sun was dreadful!!!
August 11, 2016 - Rangers vs Rockies. The Rangers were 20 games over .500 and a playoff caliber team. Attendance for the game was just over 20,000. It was a day game. The temperature on the field got up to 104. 4 hours long and started at 1 PM. They had to turn off the left field scoring panels because it got too hot. The thing is, this is every summer in the Dallas area now. For all of the marvels of the old stadium, that kind of heat was not good for anyone.
As a rangers fan I wish they would’ve went with the old stadium exterior and not the grill looking exterior we got. I wish they also would’ve moved the center field scoreboard into the new stadium
Fc dallas plays in a roofless stadium somehow in frisco texas. Even though its the exact same design as the mls stadium is Salt lake, philly, chicago and colorado. Just build a roof/canopy in dallas already. Its an easy addition.
I loved the Ballpark in Arlington myself and went to a few days games when I was younger. It was really miserable. The new stadium is really nice though and appreciated the roof on Father’s Day weekend. I do like that they tried to bring some of the aesthetics over from Globe Life Field over to Globe Life Park, but even still, the old one was just beautiful and had charm. One flaw that is also never mentioned, is that geographically speaking, that area, during spring time seemed to ALWAYS have storms to all through the area in the evening which could cause delays or cancellations. I totally understood why the new stadium was built because, as someone who works in the New Mexico sun every day, shade during working hours would be awesome.
I believe the Ranges Ballpark faced the wrong direction from home plate to center field, southeast when it should have faced northeast... When the left side of the diamond grandstand is the north stand, its going to get much more sun..
I was never as hot in day games in Globe Life as I was in the old Arlington Stadium. The seats in the infield were these plastic tubs, where you stewed yourself like you were in a slow cooker. The outfield seats were worse .They were aluminum benches. You needed to bring a towel or cushion to set on to avoid blistering your legs. Globe Life was better. The most comfortable seats were on the lower level in right field under the awning. That area had huge ceiling fans, which actually kept the seats pleasant. Plus the wind was always blowing to right field.
I went to that stadium on opening day as a kid. I had an uncle that lived in Arlington we were visiting at the time. The first game was an old timers game and they had a home run derby as well.
Visited Dallas two years ago. Took a morning to find some souvenirs. Buddy and I drove down the street with the old ball park on the right side. I said “there it is! That’s where the Rangers play.” He’s looking out the left side at the new ballpark going “well then what’s that?” Uhhhh…. Lol I had no idea….we stopped, great park, I was stunned because the “old” park was still new in my mind.
rangers fan and metroplex resident. the new globe life looks so darn ugly on the outside but the inside is cool. my only grip is there are just way too many seats that will never sell out unless the rangers make the world series. ive already been to a few games and have yet to see them fill up all the seats
yeah I had to check it out in one of their final games at globe life park...it was hot in the club seats but man that was one beautiful ball park...had a great time...too bad they didn't play the dodgers that year...go doyers
FYI BC Place in Vancouver used to have an air pressure supported roof. It was a wonder of engineering. Well, the converted it to a retractable roof, ruining its look. But there ya go, you said it never would happen, well it has happened. PS It is primarily used for Soccer and Canadian Football, but is configurable for Baseball.
Yes, you're absolutely right.. BC Place had a retractable roof added in 2011. It totally ruined its look! I believe Commerzbank Bank stadium in Frankfurt Germany added a retractable roof in 2005.
I went to the first regular season MLB game ever played at The Ballpark. When they were building this in the early 90’s, I was screaming from the rooftops about he fact it wasn’t a dome. I even called into sports talk radio stations and bitched about it. It’s friggin’ HOT here in Texas. If it wasn’t an early or late season game, I didn’t go. 88°? Yesterday it was 109° in DFW! Forget the crowd, it’s brutal on the team. They don’t just get used to it, heat wears you down. If another team has an issue with their stadium, at least this place is available. BTW: they also have monster truck rallies and motocross races there.
I had season tickets in the late 90s to 2004. Left field 3rd and 4th rows from the wall directly next to opponents bullpen. The sun would literally bake you in day games. Night games we'd cheer when the sun finally went down around 830 or so. Had many good times at the old Arlington stadium also even though it was a dump. Lol
I live in Arlington and have been going to rhe old ballpark since I was a little kid. I loved it! Yes it was hot. But it had character. It had a personality. The new stadium does not. Its like a warehouse. I was hoping they would do something to give it personally like Minute Maid or something like but nope.
I was kicking around a crazy idea of building a roof shaped blimp they could float over the stadium and provide a roof. Building a open stadium after enduring over 20 years in the first stadium was Gomer Pyle stuff.
They built an amazing stadium....such an amazing look, right up there with Baltimore in my mind. But, if public money is involved....I CAN'T believe making fans sit in the scorching heat wasn't considered. You could design a pretty unique looking park with a retro-feel that would offer plenty of shade.
I love The Ballpark, we always had a great time…except for the first I bought tickets. I got us seats on the 3rd base side for an afternoon game in July. We just melted and after 2 innings had to hide in the tunnel to stay out of the sun. It was just brutal. Since then we would only go in the spring and maybe a game in September, and never get seats along 3rd base.
They use it for High School football in the fall, 2 Arlington ISD high schools play their home games here and the other 4 AISD Schools also get to play at least 1 other game there.
I just went to a day game at the new park where it was 108 degrees outside. It was really nice getting to watch baseball without having to sweat and be miserable.
Why don't we just take this stadium and push it to Oakland!
Patrick Star: PUSH!!!!! PUSH!!!!!!
Or make like they did with the old London Bridge in Lake Havasu: dismantle it brick by brick and girder by girder, then move it to Howard Terminal...
We gotta watch out for the Alaskan Bull Worm
@Danimal Gallhorn, that idea just might be crazy enough *TO GET OURSELVES KILLED*
They could have copied the ballpark in Arlington design in the new domed one.
I worked for the Rangers in the front offices while this stadium was being discussed and the first year of its existence. Here's the deal. The Rangers got the stadium they wanted, and a retractable roof was never seriously considered.. At the time, all any baseball fan wanted was the next Camden Yards, and the examples of stadiums with a roof on it were the astrodome and the SkyDome, which as you said, nobody wanted. The development of modern retraceable roofs like Enron weren't an option in the early 90's, so there really wasn't much discussion about it. If they had toughed it out in old Arlington Stadium for 5 more years, I can promise you things would have been very different. Also, the old owners were baseball purists, and believed in outdoor games and real grass. After the team was sold, the new owners stopped their objections to day games, knowing the more the more uncomfortable they made it for the fans, the more press would talk about the need for a new stadium. Not only that, but the lied about the ability of surrounding cities having the ability to steal the team away (no logistically viable city in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex had the tax base wiggle room to fund a new stadium) and the press went along with the lie to blackmail the city into funding a new stadium. Oh,, one more thing. The DAY AFTER the new stadium was voted in by the city, they started dismantling a playoff caliber team.
I get the purists thing but my team, the Brewers, broke ground on Miller Park (AmFam) in 1996. The Arlington stadium broke ground in 1992. They could have done a retractable. And I DO prefer a completely open stadium but Miller Park having a retractable certainly allows them to get in more games with more fans. But it is what it is.
@@paulweeldreyer7457 I don't think the technology was developed yet. Besides, isn't Miller park falling apart?
@@frednich9603 I read that Miller park needs huge money to fix something about the roof.
And the WI taxpayers are pissed as they are AGAIN going to be asked to pay.
This comment was very informative. Thank you!
@@paulweeldreyer7457
I prefer the beautiful retractable stadiums like Miller Park
So Nice
As well as Minute Maid or whatever Houston’s called
That thing is another gorgeous BP
New Rangers Stadium is Nice
Vegas will be building something like Miller
They’ll have to
Because of the weather as well as the room for the park
So thankfully Miller has set the precedents for A’s Beautiful MLB Park
It can be done and has been done
I Love Miller Park
The Ballpark in Arlington was the site of some of the greatest moments of my childhood. Will always hold a special place in my heart.
Right field was done as a nod to the porch at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. The right field upper deck at Tiger Stadium did in fact hang over the field by ten feet. At the Ballpark in Arlington this wasn’t the case, but still a nice way to incorporate features from the old time ballparks.
Lifelong Rangers fan here. I grew up going to the old Arlington Turnpike Stadium. When Rangers Ballpark at Arlington opened, it was such a relief, but there were two fatal flaws. The heat (as you mentioned) was oppressive for 4 months of the 6 month season. The second thing was that the winds from the south would whip around and create the "jet stream" effect that made homeruns way too easy. Both of these factors made signing elite pitchers difficult. The new Globe Life solves both of these problems. It's a much more neutral offensive stadium. The Rangers have taken advantage of that and put together a pretty good pitching staff this year.
My biggest gripes with the new stadium are that it's ugly from the outside and that they keep the roof closed too much. There are days that I've been recently where it was in the upper 80s and the roof was closed. I know in some parts of the country, 87 degrees sounds oppressively hot, but here it's amazing, especially if it's a night game.
Inside the new Globe Life is a great fan experience. I was recently at a game where there was a raging thunderstorm outside. The game continued on without a single second of delay. I miss the old stadium, but I don't miss the heat exhaustion and I don't miss the rain delays.
I was at that game too and we lost :(
@@Rockett16 the game I went to recently was against the Colorado Rockies, so the Rangers won that one.
Ranger fan too, 100 percent agree
I loved Arlington Stadium, I was visiting my brother about 200 miles away and drove to the stadium to take pictures a couple of months before it was torn down. The 'new' stadium was ready for its first season and I took pictures. They where going to open it for the public to walk around in the next day.
I'm an Astros fan they do that here too they had a nice day 80 degree weather and they didn't even open the roof at MMP
Arlington residents still refer to it as "the ballpark." The heat never seemed to bother us 20 years ago...
You were younger. Less things bother you when you're younger. It's why people think things are always getting worse as they age. Reality has changed. Your experience with it has.
@@itheuserfirst3186reality has definitely changed and the future looks bleak
Was there for a 107 degrees first pitch . Didn’t seem to be a problem then.
5:38 88 degrees would be a “cool” day. 100+ is uncommon in Texas in the summer. There are summers where we have an entire month of consecutive 100 degree days.
Even at 6-7pm, it’s regularly in the high 90’s in July and August.
Remember the 10105 degrees on the texas weather channel
Here in Arizona we couldn't have a team without a retractable roof. But our summers aren't nearly as bad as the Dallas area in the summer because of the humidity. How they managed to play baseball with fans in the summer is beyond me.
Facts
I was shocked at the humidity in Dallas / Ft Worth
I did not expect that
Center and left field would be 110 + degrees. On a sunny hot afternoon.
@johndoh4573 Dry heat vs high humidity. Big difference.
I was watching a Rangers game on TV and they put a heat gun on the left field seats. The reading said 120 degrees.
Arizona summers? hell
I grew up going to this stadium, it was always a great atmosphere there, but I remember going to a gave vs. the then Indians, and it was 108 degrees, keep in mind that this is Texas heat where it is also more humid unlike Arizona heat. When I went to a game at the new stadium, it was nice to have ac, but it just didn’t have the same charm at the old one.
I remember going to a day game in July against the A's and it was in the 100's. It was like sitting in a charcoal grill with lid off for 3 hrs. None the less, it was a gorgeous ballpark.
The new park is very generic
@@nachobroryan8824 So you would rather sweat in a pretty stadium than watch a game in comfort in an ugly one. Whatever.
Actually, the offices in center field are still owned by the Rangers and they are leased to area buisnesses. Six Flags recently moved their corparate headquarters into the offices actually. And because the Rangers still hold the lease on the Ballpark, they collect revenue on events held there, and it's still people employed by the Rangers that work ticket booths, conncessions, and serve as ushers. So even tho it is no longer the home of the Rangers, it's still a large income source for the team.
Did you got to UNT? I went there 😂
Oh you're just a UNT FAN
I absolutely loved going to the ballpark with my family and friends. It opened the year I was born and I pretty sat everywhere and experienced the game from different angles and the sun was a problem but it was worth it.
It was such a beautiful stadium. Love the old jewl box influence. I wish more stadiums had the jewl box aesthetic.
Yes it was awesome, a great retro rendition.
Great looking stadium too bad they couldn't make it work.
@@othgmark1 and it won't be torn down, a lot of the office space is used for rangers employees, and Six Flags for extra space
I grew up in Arlington and you’d be shocked at how many people say they prefer the old stadium. I’m not one of those people. I absolutely love the new stadium it’s pretty bad ass
If you're gonna have a stadium with a retractable roof, then you MUST have an AC system built in already. If you build JUST a retractable roof after the fact, it will still be hot even with the roof closed. The Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, NY has this same problem.
As with The Metrodome in 1982.
It depends on how you do it. If you have good air flow management along with the shade a some provides the atmosphere is very reasonable. Not as comfortable as air conditioning, but a good compromise over baking in the sun when it's 100+ degrees.
But Arthur Ashe Stadium’s retractable roof is to prevent rain delays. The summers are not nearly as oppressive as Texas summers are.
@@AEMoreira81 The Metrodome didn't have A/C its first year because they thought the air blower that kept the bubble roof up was enough to keep the stadium cool. It wasn't, and they put in A/C the next year. I was there the first year.
Miller Park absolutely sucks for this.
Lifelong Rangers fan here. I grew up going to Arlington Stadium. When the Ballpark at Arlington was built, I was in heaven. I thought it was the most beautiful ballpark in MLB. I went to so many games there and felt so proud of it as a fan. I was even fortunate enough to play on the field in a high-school showcase game my senior year. What an amazing experience. I absolutely loved the place. The older I got, the hotter it seemed to get, and there were many afternoon games that we just didn't go to, or we left early because it was just too hot. I never thought I would want to leave that stadium, but it became unbearable to watch day games there. Like, I got physically ill a few times (no beer involved). I finally stopped going. I was bitter when the new stadium was built and I begrudgingly began to accept the new indoor stadium. I will always miss the beauty of the old stadium, and the feeling that I got watching games there. The way the ballpark was constructed, I felt like I had stepped back in time every time I went there. But now, at almost 50 years old, I love the new ballpark. We can go watch a game, rain or 110 degrees. Actually headed to my 3rd game of the season tonight. I plan on going to a lot more now that I've settled into the new digs.
Very Texas that itd only last 25 years as nice as it was. Would be like the marlins dump or the rays dump being fully outdoors.
@@antonioreconquistadorwas it "very Seattle" that the kingdome lasted from 1976-2000?
@@Tyler_Kent im referrin to a Pantera song called 25 years. Very texas.
Center and right were 8 and left was significantly higher (14 iirc) to the point where people got seriously hurt falling from it to catch home runs. It was definitely a hitters park, heat and fatigue being contributing factors.
@@Pandemicjoe kinda like deaths at concerts that arent by performers, there are a lot of stadium deaths that are often overlooked. Hope his folks are doin okay.
The ballpark is the one instance where they should’ve followed through on the roof. I went there all the time as a kid, that stadium was awesome. The A/C is nice in the new one though but my problem with it is it’s built with corporations in mind more than the fans. If you ever go there and see the seating you’ll understand
The offices may well outlast the stadium as a going concern. After the Rangers moved their offices to the new retractable roof park, Six Flags moved its corporate headquarters from Grand Prairie into this ballpark.
It was a fun place to watch a game. The covered section was absolutely awesome in the summer. Our society is so wasteful....ballparks need to go a minimum of 50 years.
Well W and his pals were too cheap to pay for the roof. If they would have put the money down up front, there would have been no need for another new stadium.
The ball park is a beautiful facility. I for one hated to see it go, but man, it was HOT in the afternoon games. BTW, 88 in June is manageable for us. It starts hurting when it hits 98 and up.
My two cents. Future President George W. Bush bought the team with partners and in old Arlington Stadium, they signed Nolan Ryan. For the first time sellouts were frequent, the anticipation of Nolan striking out or no-hitting became legend. Given the golden signing of Nolan Ryan, such a fortuitous thing, revenue flowed in. All of a sudden, a new Ballpark was planned. Bush longtime Associate, Tom Schieffer (brother of CBS Newsman, Bob Schieffer), dove deeply into the new design. Schieffer wanted a Retro Park, with similarities from the classic ballparks, like Tiger Stadium.
It was a beautiful, beautiful Ballpark. Ballpark only. Two things sadly happened. First year it opened, 1994, was the year of the strike. When play ended, Rangers were in 1st place, at 10 games below .500.....but, in first place in the division. 2nd, ironically, the first year of our present Globe Life Field, was the Covid Year, and the Rangers brand new indoor Park never got the "SPLASH" it deserved in publicity due to Covid, and the old Ballpark opened in a Strike year---the Rangers' luck.
Another point: Two Major Book-ends, Fort Worth and Dallas, with Arlington in Fort Worth's county, Tarrant, so all the "New" 90's Ballparks" built, were built near the downtowns of the prospective cities right beneath: PNC Park, Camden Yards, CoMerica Field, and all the rest. SO, since neither Fort Worth or Dallas' downtowns could be featured (Arlington has no highrise-type downtowns), so that is why the Offices/railings were built---to in some way replicate a "City Skyline" with buildings, since there was none in the immediate area. I think no other Major League Baseball Team is "shared" like Fort Worth/Arlington and Dallas........so, no beautiful downtowns to feature, thus the Offices and railings.
Another point: The Ballpark in Arlington was built RIGHT BEFORE the wave of fiber-optics hit, with enhanced scoreboards, graphics, wifi, tablets, cellphone explosion---so, the "NEW" Ballpark was built and opened right as a technological wave was hitting, which really immediately "dated" the Ballpark, unfortunately.
Another and the most important point, as to your TITLE: "The Stadium that was ruined by the sun"
Tom Schieffer wanted the Rangers to play NIGHT GAMES, in the 3 hottest months in Texas (June-July-August), and play those games at night.....when theoretically, it had cooled down by 7:30pm, to maybe 90 degrees, instead of daytime games, which might be 103. Playing in the desired "open air" Ballpark, on natural grass, built retro style, with native red brick and artisan Texan and Southwestern detailing, made it a true crown jewel.....................BUT..................
The Rangers signed or traded for players like Adrian Beltre, Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, etc.....leading up to the back to back World Series appearances in 2011 and 2012. Great Ranger teams. The problem with all those good players joining Mike Napoli, and other sluggers, was that the Rangers' WINNING put them in high demand, to have "FEATURED MLB GAMES" which (UNFORTUNATELY for the team), was to be played in June-July-August at 2:00PM, when one day, Tampa Bay came to play, and on the Saturday game of the week, a field level thermostat read: 105 degrees, and National broadcasters were making light of this, and fans dutifully sat in the stands with newspapers over their heads, sombreros, and hydrating as well---but when you had a game in June through August at 2PM in Texas, you were in for TROUBLE. . . . . .SO, I would posit that the Rangers' success post 1994 opening of the Ballpark, and the team much improved once Nolan Ryan's group took over, that the Team's success, caused them hardship in that MLB and the Networks demanded more and more the Rangers to be highlighted in Prime Baseball time, which was then, Saturday Afternoon at 2pm Central.
The team's success at that time, forced them to have a retractable roof..........if the team had remained mediocre, like it had been for a long while previously, then no demands that they would be wanted to play those Summer day games, and the Ballpark in Arlington, might well still be played in. Success caused the Ballpark's demise in all honesty.
One last thing. The George W. Bush/Tom Schieffer ownership wanted NO SIGNAGE, or minimal, but once Tom Hicks bought the team, he put in a Diamond Club, behind home plate, and what that did to the prevailing fly balls to right center, was to hold them up, whereas it was a jet stream OUT previously. Bush/Schieffer spent alot of money to monitor wind flow studies before building the Ballpark, and Tom Hicks came in, just seeking to make money, and built that Diamond Club, which played havoc with the wind-pattern flow, and making homers harder to come by...........AND added UGLY, UGLY signage.
Anyway, bottom line: The Rangers success in the late 2000's and early 2010's, caused them to be TOLD to play at 2PM in the summer in Texas, and if you haven't been here then, it's HOTTTTT! Bush/Schieffer envisioned day games ONLY in April, May and September. NEVER during June-July-August.
Crazy to think I went to games there for 20+ years but the new stadium isn't really as bad as people make it out to be.
The older stadium definitely has a better looking outside facade but the inside of the new stadium looks great on TV.
I agree with you 2 guys it's very ugly outside but who cares the inside is lovely and this team is kicking ass. That stadium is a big reason we have guys that want to be where.
I think globe life field is over hated. Yeah the exterior looks bad but the inside is amazing
My home ballpark. I'm a lifelong Ranger fan, worked here as a vendor for 12 years, and saw numerous other games here as a fan. When a new stadium was proposed, I joined a political action group that attempted to prevent people from supporting the construction of a new stadium. Not only did I love the Ballpark, but I thought it was a waste of taxpayer money to fund a new stadium. Unfortunately the mayor of Arlington was in ownership's back pocket and he was able to coerce citizens into supporting the new stadium proposition. His primary argument was that the city of Arlington was going to lose the Rangers to the city of Dallas, which at the time couldn't afford to properly pay the police department, let alone come up with $500 million to finance a new stadium. Arlington voters bought it though and up the new stadium went. Any opposition, notably from our political action group, was censored on social media on the team's home page among other social media pages. Even with all of that we gave a very heavily funded campaign a run for their money with the new stadium group only getting about 60% of the vote. We went to war with rocks and sticks. They had tanks and bazookas.
I miss the old ballpark and have countless great memories there. When the new park opened I felt disconnected from the team, and while I still love them it just isn't the same. Admittedly the new park is nice and comfortable, but it feels like an office building rather than a city park. FWIW Cowboy's Stadium has the exact same feel.
I voted for the new stadium, and Id vote for it again and again. Life long Arlingtonian here….
Sorry, but the rangers were never going to find themselves fighting for depe playoff runs again if we didn't get a new indoor stadium. Players don't want to play dozens of games a year standing out in 100+ weather. Fans don't want to go and sit for 3 hours in that either. The stadium was necessary in order to help the Rangers build a team that could compete. Just looks how quickly we have built up since the new stadium was opened.
Part of my Bucket List is to visit every MLB ballpark, so when I found out that the Ballpark at Arlington was going to be replaced, I made it a priority to visit it. I was able to see their 6th-to-last game at the Ballpark, and it did not disappoint. Beautiful stadium, wide-open green area outside, incredible architecture.... Hands down the nicest stadium I've visited. Thankfully it was a night game and the weather was in the low-80s. I'm so happy that they re-purposed this stadium. It's just too nice to tear down.
eh its a solid 6.5/10
visiting every park has been my dream since i was about 12... i even sat down and estimated how much it would cost to do it all in one season..(this was in the early 70's and i figured even back then about 25 grand..lol..of course i never did it, but i have been to a more than a few over the years, Chomisky, Tigers', metrodome in Minni, king dome in Seatle , Shea, Olympic in Montreal, both stads in Toronto and all the stadiums in California- saw an NLCS game in LA in "88 and remember paying 30 bucks for a field level seat from a scalper,,(same seat today in a PO game might be closer to 3000!) ..was even heading to the 89 world series when a little thing like an earthquake turned me around...not bad for a kid from Canada where there was only one Canadian team when i was young, and it wasn't the blue jays..
cheers.. hope you get to them all!
If you haven't been to Oakland wait until the A's are in Vegas.
I live in Arlington, and I didn’t vote for the new stadium! They could’ve took 1/3 to 1/2 the money they’re spending on the new stadium and renovated Choctaw Stadium, preferably putting some sort of roof or canopy over it and some Air Conditioning! This stadium was, and still is , a beautiful ballpark. It’s just that the brainiacs that came up with this design totally forgot how hot it gets down here in North Texas in the summertime, and NO ONE wants to sit out in 100+ degree heat for 2-3 hours to watch a baseball game and then have to pay $5+ for a bottle of water!
It would have cost over 600 million to add a roof plus renovations to the old ballpark. It wasn’t feasible
I used to work at that ballpark 04-07. Working for the Texas Rangers. The names were Ballpark in Arlington, Ameriquest Field and Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. It suck working there in the summer time. I work in the third level a lot of times. It would be so hot up there. It would be 100 to 105 degrees. I would almost pass out because of the heat. I would see a lot fans pass out. Around the 04-07 season lot of the Rangers games on Sundays. They would play home games in the afternoon. I'm glad the Rangers have the new Ballpark. I work @ Globe Life Field. It's a beautiful ballpark. No more dealing with the heat. The only thing I don't like about the ballpark is the seating. It's so confusing. I love the old ballpark. But it was time to have a new ballpark with a roof.
I still call it ballpark in Arlington 😂
Well the XFL has it's HQ Offices there at the stadium, so it's getting a good use. And the Renegades are drawing better crowds than the rugby and MLS next teams are.
100% xfl needs to use two or three stadiums.
This stadium was actually really nice and unique. Unfortunately being in Texas I can't imagine the heat. I went there once to visit my sister it was during the winter and it was hot then. I can't imagine being out there in July for a 9 inning game! One of my favorite things about this park is that center field area that you can jump if a ball is hit out there. It's so cool the stadium allowed that!!
Dallas gets kinda cool in the winter like 32 degrees at night
I got a slightly better idea, Six flags should buy the old Globelife Park and turn it into a indoor waterpark. Then built a hotel or resort to connect it.
5:38
As a Rangers fan and Arlington native, 88 degrees is nothing. Not sure where you came up with that number. Summers here are 100-110 easily
I went to the old stadium. It was decent but I like the new stadium too. Not sure why it gets the hate, I think it has its own charm with the brick arches and plenty of places to stand and watch.
It's the roof. That's it. I call it Costco stadium cause it looks like a huge warehouse.
HKS factor
It has the charm of a turd because thats what it looks like. The only nice thing about it is the AC. Everything else about it sucks
I agree. This was a beautiful park. Never attended but it always looked great on TV
I drove from New Jersey to Dallas but never got to this ballpark. I was devastated I never got to see this place. Thank you for posting this
The reason they don't add retractable roofs is because retractable roofs are unable to be installed on parks that don't have the existing infrastructure to supply one.
Ummm ……duh
I loved going to Rangers game at Rangers Ballpark. It's such a beautiful ballpark and is perfectly suited for a baseball game. I hated the move to the Texas Toolshed. Rangers Ballpark ranks second from the top in my ballpark rankings, while Globe Life Field ranks second from the bottom. I'd much rather go to a game in the summer heat at the Ballpark than in the air conditioned environment in the Grill, and I was at the game with the 107-degree first pitch.
You couldn't have paid me to sit in that stadium in July or August. April or May was nice.
Interior of the new ballpark is stunning, and they did a great job of incorporating team history into the artwork. The Ballpark In Arlington is the most beautiful architecture piece that happens to be a stadium I've laid eyes on. The "renovation" they did to convert it to a football stadium is tragic. They don't even open up the upper levels for the football games, makes the stadium lifeless and depressing. I love the roof, and I love the interior, but the outside shed is ROUGH.
They play alot of high school football at the old ballpark. Which is huge in Texas.
I went on a trip to Fort Worth a few years ago and the Rangers just so happened to be playing that weekend so I went to a couple games. I grew up going to games in Seattle but I was thoroughly impressed by The Ballpark in Arlington and very pleased with the experience. It was a beautiful stadium with a lot of character and I'm still sad the Rangers decided to leave it this soon. I know it was almost 30 years old when they moved but The Ballpark still had so much life left.
Globe Life Park was a beautiful stadium. We love baseball and went to some opening day games, during the stretch of Globe Life Park. Went to day games and night games, but if it’s June, July or August it’s just too darn hot and you would sweat your butt off, unless you were in a suite. We have been to more games this season alone than we had at Globe Life Park over the past few years. Is the new ballpark as majestic looking as the old ballpark…no. Is it more comfortable watching a game during the hot summer days in Texas, absolutely! It’s temperature controlled to be a cool 74 degrees in the new ballpark, when during the summer months in Texas we have many consecutive days over 100 degrees. We’ve been to the ballpark when they open the roof and it’s beautiful. I prefer real grass and views of the sky for baseball, but the reality is, that the summers in Texas makes it difficult for nearly all fans to enjoy baseball games. We’ve been to many ballparks across the country and they all have their unique architecture and design. If you’re in an area of the country that has many summer days over 100 degrees like Texas, than a retractable roof makes sense. Just my 2 cents.
Spent some day games there and always came back sunburned and dehydrated. We'd joke about it as "The Broilpark in Arlington", "Global Warming Park", etc. The grass batters eye in center was a nice idea but local wags referred to it as the Grassy Knoll. Tacky but funny. It's just that summer in Dallas is not a surprise to anyone. Why wouldn't they have seen this coming?
The Broilpark In Arlington. 😀🔥
88 degrees in Arlington? What is it February?
The new stadium is very beautiful inside. No actually good pitcher wanted to play at the old stadium. Literally no one wanted to come to Texas and play in that heat. Look at Texas they are legit contenders and pitchers actually like being there. Texas also has the best offense in the league.
should have just put a retractable roof instead of making that ugly barn looking thing for 1.5 billion
The Ballpark in Arlington was the original name. It is still a beautiful ballpark. Actually the reason they did not build a dome was because, 1. The retractable roof concept option was not popular and 2. Rangers ownership t the time felt baseball games should be played outdoors. The office building was built because there was no view except parking lots. Unfortunately the office building blocked most of the southern wind that would have swept into the stadium. Also, Tom Hicks when he owned the team in the late 90’s decided to build a club behind home plate in the area were the winds when blowing in would exit thru the stadium. By building the club behind home plate concourse the wind would hit the club and blow back towards the outfield creating a big time hitters ballpark. No FA pitcher would sign with the Rangers do to the excessive summer heat and the hitters ballpark reputation. do miss this beautiful ballpark but I do not miss sitting in my seat during the middle of summer and sweat running down my back 13:43
This stadium was killed by a T-Shirt…
The fallout from “The West is Ours” 2015 postseason shirt that featured the Dallas skyline domino’d into Globe Life Field.
Dallas started chirping about a down town ballpark, the Rangers chirped back. Arlington leadership collectively shit itself and gave the Rangers exactly what they wanted in a new stadium deal.
Yeah i forgot about that! The Rangers are a Tarrant County team they didn't belong in Dallas County
It's taken a couple years to accept the new Rangers stadium because this ballpark just had so much character. And it had a pretty good run. Over 25-years. But yes...there were no day games in the summer. My dad had season's tickets when I was younger just behind first base. The only day event I ever went to was the home-run derby the day before the all-star game in 1995 the year (or year after, maybe) that it opened. I couldn't sit down the entire time. The new stadium doesn't have the same nostalgic feel. However...it grows on you QUICK when it's 116 heat-index in August outside and then you walk into the stadium and it's 74 degrees! Maybe it would've grown on us more if the Rangers didn't shit the bed and drop 3 in a row to Houston this week.
88 degrees ... that's a good one, dad.
("A Christmas Story" reference seemed like a good idea with all this talk of heat ;)
My first game (the second game ever played there) I got to sit directly behind George W Bush (and family). I bought the ticket from a scalper outside for $10. Of course he wasn't the President or even governor at that point, but shortly thereafter he would be.
I thought the Ballpark was dreamy but admittedly I would usually only go to games in April, May and September. I have zero interest in going to watch a game in that new livestock barn, I've been spoiled by greatness.
was able to see a game here during its final season. it really was a nice stadium and i was surprised by how much I liked it, but the Texas heat was definitely brutal.
In 2026 is the FIFA World Cup in The 3 North American countries
Dallas Cowboys at Choctaw Stadium
I was sitting in the right field bleachers at Arlington Stadium when they announced for the first time what the new venue would be called. It was against the Oakland A's. Many jokingly believed it would be the International House of Nachos. Some folks thought Nolan Ryan Park would be appropriate. But when they announced the Ballpark at Arlington you could hear boos. It took some time. But, the Ballpark at Arlington was absolutely the perfect name. For years, I could not make myself call it Globe Life Park. Thanks for the video.
I remember dying as a kid baking in the sun… I kinda had to take the pain cause going to a rangers game for my family is like a once in a life time thing didn’t have much money growing up 😅
That is XFL champions “ Arlington Renegades”
That stadium was freaking beautiful. Wish I could have gone to a game there.
We were there last November for a pregame reception before Army Air Force football game played across the street at New Rangers Park. Thought new park a bit dark with roof closed.
With Six flags over Texas being next door. Six flags corporate headquarters moved into Choctaw Stadiumand are renting out some of the office spaces. That Stadium is too nice to demolish. So they are going to get any use out of it they can. As well as local Arlington high schools play football games there too now.
I think they have played Texas high school football playoff games there.
When I was in high school we got to play a game here a few years before they built the new stadium. It was incredible.
If UT Arlington brings back football, they would play at Choctaw.
One thing you missed in this video, there is a Six Flags directly across the street!
A family or fans can come to Dallas for a weekend, catch a Cowboys game, Rangers game, and visit the Six Flags all within walking distance of each other
When the taxpayer puts in so much money - it's like yea, we want a new stadium.
If the team had to foot the bill - they would all be in older venues.
I never bought into the idea that a good retractable-roof arena was technically impossible in the early 1990s. We put people on the moon in 1968!
The Moon landing was fake.
The SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) in Toronto was the first practical retractable roof sports stadium. It opened in 1989.
Its sad but im glad they at least kept it and still use it for football and rugby
I never got a chance to visit Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, but some family members had gone and had a great time, except for the heat. I recently went to Globe Life Field for the first time and it was the worst MLB stadium experience I've had. It feels like a soundstage inside a warehouse. It doesn't feel like a baseball stadium. In many ways I'd say its similar to AT&T and other NFL superstadiums, which is just wrong for baseball. Also, I wanted to buy a regular blue 59Fifty Rangers cap and I could not find one for sale in the entire ballpark. Every kiosk said to check out the big store in the outfield but they didn't have any either.
I went to a couple games at that stadium. Left field was the worst, with the sun shining right on you.
Perfect Obituary! I loved the Ballpark in Arlington! Loved the visual presence. The new stadium is nice inside but an eyesore outside!
It breaks my heart that they don't play there anymore. It was hot but when the sun went down it wasn't too bad. I've only been to the new stadium a few times. The A/C is awesome and the stadium is nice inside. But it just doesn't feel the same. Like it's got no soul.
Yeah tell that to the players that had to play in it every single day in that heat. If it wasn't for this new stadium we wouldn't have these players whatsoever we needed a neutral stadium like this to attract big name players.
Rangers ballpark had an identity that I loved. It looked and felt Texas. Unfortunately there were multiple times I saw people getting stretchered out due to heat stroke. My family I nearly had a few ourselves in the times we’d visit Arlington.
As you said, Globe Life Field is a huge visual downgrade. Despite this, I’m excited to visit it for the first time here in a few days. May not look as good but at least our seats won’t be as hot as the surface of the sun.
Loved that ballpark. Had a old-school feel with the brick
On top of AT&T stadium and both Globe life stadiums there is also Six Flags Theme park next to all of them. Traffic is a nightmare and if you get lucky you can have all 4 places going at once
The big grandstand in right field reminds me of a stadium that probably very few may recall or even know about it.
Olive Memorial Stadium in Burbank, California.
I looked up the history. That was spring training home for the St Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles). It had a giant grandstand behind home plate just like the right field grandstand at Rangers ballpark.
Now, obviously I'm nowhere near old enough to say I saw some games there, because I looked up the history.
But that stadium was part of a park that had 4 baseball fields. It was abandoned for many years before it was torn down. We were kids and we always wondered why that field in the park had a giant grandstand with a ton of seats compared to the other fields there that had just the small bleachers. We were playing in the park leagues and we always wanted to play in that big, yet abandoned stadium. But of course, nobody was allowed to play there.
Did a baseball trip with my family in 2000, second stop was The Ballpark at Arlington......BEAUTIFUL stadium, as a lifelong Oriole fan I ADORED Camden Yards, and could see the resemblance....... we got left field bleacher seats and COULD NOT sit in our seats until the sun went down... they would have blistered our posteriors.... still a very beautiful park and we had a great time after we could sit down but the sun was dreadful!!!
Make everyone a star link clone and complain about the sun to prove not one real man exists.
August 11, 2016 - Rangers vs Rockies. The Rangers were 20 games over .500 and a playoff caliber team. Attendance for the game was just over 20,000.
It was a day game. The temperature on the field got up to 104. 4 hours long and started at 1 PM. They had to turn off the left field scoring panels because it got too hot.
The thing is, this is every summer in the Dallas area now. For all of the marvels of the old stadium, that kind of heat was not good for anyone.
Ik I’m high af but someone please tell me I’m not the only one seeing the face in the clouds looking down over the field at 8:41 😳
No, you're not tripping 😅
@@MarloSoBalJr thank god man that shit terrified me when I saw it
As a rangers fan I wish they would’ve went with the old stadium exterior and not the grill looking exterior we got. I wish they also would’ve moved the center field scoreboard into the new stadium
Fun Fact:
In the old stadium, people used to go the left field upper deck to get a lil freaky… 🤭🥴
til they get caught ofc
Blue Jays fan, love the retractable roof at the Sky Dome (now Rogers Centre). Obviously, we don't have real grass, but the fan experience is great!
Fc dallas plays in a roofless stadium somehow in frisco texas.
Even though its the exact same design as the mls stadium is Salt lake, philly, chicago and colorado.
Just build a roof/canopy in dallas already. Its an easy addition.
I loved the Ballpark in Arlington myself and went to a few days games when I was younger. It was really miserable. The new stadium is really nice though and appreciated the roof on Father’s Day weekend. I do like that they tried to bring some of the aesthetics over from Globe Life Field over to Globe Life Park, but even still, the old one was just beautiful and had charm. One flaw that is also never mentioned, is that geographically speaking, that area, during spring time seemed to ALWAYS have storms to all through the area in the evening which could cause delays or cancellations. I totally understood why the new stadium was built because, as someone who works in the New Mexico sun every day, shade during working hours would be awesome.
12:37 it’s hard to believe they didn’t build a roof from the get-go, I mean, they knew it gets hot in Texas
I believe the Ranges Ballpark faced the wrong direction from home plate to center field, southeast when it should have faced northeast... When the left side of the diamond grandstand is the north stand, its going to get much more sun..
I was never as hot in day games in Globe Life as I was in the old Arlington Stadium. The seats in the infield were these plastic tubs, where you stewed yourself like you were in a slow cooker. The outfield seats were worse .They were aluminum benches. You needed to bring a towel or cushion to set on to avoid blistering your legs. Globe Life was better. The most comfortable seats were on the lower level in right field under the awning. That area had huge ceiling fans, which actually kept the seats pleasant. Plus the wind was always blowing to right field.
The new park has recovered this year due to Bruce Bochy and the Rangers performance.
I went to that stadium on opening day as a kid. I had an uncle that lived in Arlington we were visiting at the time. The first game was an old timers game and they had a home run derby as well.
I've only been to one game there but I thought it was a great stadium. What a shame it's already irrelevant but then again, Texas summers are brutal.
Visited Dallas two years ago. Took a morning to find some souvenirs. Buddy and I drove down the street with the old ball park on the right side. I said “there it is! That’s where the Rangers play.” He’s looking out the left side at the new ballpark going “well then what’s that?” Uhhhh…. Lol I had no idea….we stopped, great park, I was stunned because the “old” park was still new in my mind.
I'm an Orioles fan 🐦 but wouldn't have been easier to play all the games in the summer at night?
Not a Rangers fan (Yankees), but I always loved the overhang in right field.
This overhang was an homage to the right field overhang in old Tiger Stadium in Detroit.
rangers fan and metroplex resident. the new globe life looks so darn ugly on the outside but the inside is cool. my only grip is there are just way too many seats that will never sell out unless the rangers make the world series. ive already been to a few games and have yet to see them fill up all the seats
I agree, ugly on the outside, nice in the inside
And they waited about 4 years too long to get rid of Jon Daniels.
I still miss this ballpark. So many fond memories
yeah I had to check it out in one of their final games at globe life park...it was hot in the club seats but man that was one beautiful ball park...had a great time...too bad they didn't play the dodgers that year...go doyers
Since you're not a bad guy and you're not a good guy but you're THE guy....do we need to acknowledge you ?
FYI BC Place in Vancouver used to have an air pressure supported roof. It was a wonder of engineering. Well, the converted it to a retractable roof, ruining its look. But there ya go, you said it never would happen, well it has happened.
PS It is primarily used for Soccer and Canadian Football, but is configurable for Baseball.
Yes, you're absolutely right.. BC Place had a retractable roof added in 2011. It totally ruined its look! I believe Commerzbank Bank stadium in Frankfurt Germany added a retractable roof in 2005.
I went to the first regular season MLB game ever played at The Ballpark. When they were building this in the early 90’s, I was screaming from the rooftops about he fact it wasn’t a dome. I even called into sports talk radio stations and bitched about it. It’s friggin’ HOT here in Texas. If it wasn’t an early or late season game, I didn’t go. 88°? Yesterday it was 109° in DFW! Forget the crowd, it’s brutal on the team. They don’t just get used to it, heat wears you down. If another team has an issue with their stadium, at least this place is available. BTW: they also have monster truck rallies and motocross races there.
I had season tickets in the late 90s to 2004. Left field 3rd and 4th rows from the wall directly next to opponents bullpen. The sun would literally bake you in day games. Night games we'd cheer when the sun finally went down around 830 or so. Had many good times at the old Arlington stadium also even though it was a dump. Lol
It hurts walking past this stadium when I go to games nowadays
I live in Arlington and have been going to rhe old ballpark since I was a little kid. I loved it! Yes it was hot. But it had character. It had a personality. The new stadium does not. Its like a warehouse. I was hoping they would do something to give it personally like Minute Maid or something like but nope.
I was kicking around a crazy idea of building a roof shaped blimp they could float over the stadium and provide a roof. Building a open stadium after enduring over 20 years in the first stadium was Gomer Pyle stuff.
They built an amazing stadium....such an amazing look, right up there with Baltimore in my mind.
But, if public money is involved....I CAN'T believe making fans sit in the scorching heat wasn't considered.
You could design a pretty unique looking park with a retro-feel that would offer plenty of shade.
I love The Ballpark, we always had a great time…except for the first I bought tickets. I got us seats on the 3rd base side for an afternoon game in July. We just melted and after 2 innings had to hide in the tunnel to stay out of the sun. It was just brutal. Since then we would only go in the spring and maybe a game in September, and never get seats along 3rd base.
I wish they got more use out of this stadium. Maybe for exhibition games or something or minor league games.
They use it for High School football in the fall, 2 Arlington ISD high schools play their home games here and the other 4 AISD Schools also get to play at least 1 other game there.
I just went to a day game at the new park where it was 108 degrees outside. It was really nice getting to watch baseball without having to sweat and be miserable.