Football in a Ballpark
Texas Rangers and Arlington ISD team up for football at Globe Life Park
Globe Life Park in Arlington is set to have a new tenant in fall 2020, as the Texas Rangers and the Arlington Independent School District have finalized an agreement to play at least 14 regular season high school football games at the stadium during the upcoming football season.
The agreement, which was approved by the AISD at its board meeting on April 16, will see six of Arlington’s high schools host at least one game at Globe Life Park. The stadium was converted to a multi-purpose facility with a synthetic grass surface after the 2019 baseball season.
However, a statement from the Rangers in the announcement release indicated that these plans are contingent upon the world returning to a somewhat normal state amid the current coronavirus pandemic.
“We are certainly hoping to have the honor of hosting these high school games this fall," says Rangers Executive Vice President, Sports & Entertainment Sean Decker. "However, the safety and health of everyone in Arlington is the main consideration, and we’ll await further guidance and information from the City.”
The XFL's Dallas Renegades were the first to play football at the former home of the Rangers, but they were only able to play three home games before their inaugural season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. The XFL filed for bankruptcy and suspended operations on April 13, so it's unclear if the league will return.
The opening game on the Globe Life Park schedule will feature a matchup between Lamar and Euless Trinity on Thursday, August 27. Martin and Arlington High are scheduled to host five games each, with Bowie, Lamar, Sam Houston, and Seguin hosting one game apiece. Games will be played on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
