The Texas Rangers have called the same stadium home for the past 20 years, and now it has its fourth name: Globe Life Park in Arlington.
The Rangers announced Wednesday that they have sold the ballpark's naming rights to Oklahoma City-based Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company, which is owned by McKinney-based Torchmark Corporation. The deal is for 10 years, which just so happens to be the remaining time left on the lease with the City of Arlington.
The extra money coming in for the naming rights should help out nicely in paying for the likes of Prince Fielder, Shin-Soo Choo and others in what will be another high payroll in 2014.
The Ballpark in Arlington originally opened for the beginning of the 1994 season, and it stayed under that name for 10 years until Ameriquest bought the naming rights just after the 2004 season began. That relationship lasted until 2007, when Ameriquest reneged on the deal due to larger financial difficulties, at which time the team changed the name to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
The name is the latest in a series of changes at the ballpark, including new seating arrangements behind home plate and in center field, the relocation of the visitors bullpen, and a new two-story sports bar and huge high-definition video board.
The naming rights announcement comes just 11 days before Rangers pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training in Arizona. That spring training may or may not include Super Bowl champion QB Russell Wilson, who was taken by the Rangers in the Rule 5 Draft last December.
Rangers Ballpark in Arlington will now be known as Globe Life Park in Arlington.
