Rangers fans expected to pack Globe Life Field for home opener Monday

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Rangers take the field Monday for their home opener. It’s expected to be a packed house – the first anywhere in the country in more than a year.

The Rangers are out in front of the rest of Major League Baseball on the issue of seating capacity.

The team opened its ballpark to 100% capacity for the home opener. No other big league team has allowed all their seats to be filled since the pandemic began.

Last week the Rangers played a couple of exhibition games at Globe Life Field but both of those games had crowds that were less than half capacity.

On Monday, all fans will be required to wear masks in the stadium unless they are eating or drinking. And social distancing should be observed when entering the stadium, at concession stands, when moving on the concourse and around the perimeter of the field.

The team said it opted for full capacity when Gov. Greg Abbott lifted restrictions on Texas businesses regarding the number of customers allowed at any one time.

"We waited for one year to open this business with Rangers fans in it. Certainly excited when the governor issued the executive order on March 2 to give us that capability," said Rob Matwick, the Rangers executive vice president of ballpark operations. "When we found out that would be the opportunity we certainly look forward to welcoming as many fans as we can this season."

The Rangers got their first win of the season in Kansas City on Sunday. They’re now 1-2 for the season.

Monday’s game starts at 3:05 p.m. but fans can start entering the ballpark at noon.

Gov. Abbott is scheduled to throw out the first pitch.

For the rest of the home games this season, the team said it will sell as many tickets as the public wants. But attendance after the home opener is expected to vary widely.