Name Change News

Choctaw Nation gets to name the old Texas Rangers stadium in Arlington

"Hmmm, what sounds good? Hey, Choctaw Stadium has a nice ring."

Courtesy rendering

Globe Life Park in Arlington, former home to the Texas Rangers baseball team, has a new name.

The Texas Rangers entered into a naming rights partnership with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts for the sports and entertainment venue, and it will now be called Choctaw Stadium.

The venue opened in 1994 and served as the home of the Texas Rangers until 2019. It's currently home to soccer team North Texas SC and Dallas Renegades, the XFL football team, and will host college and high school football, pro soccer, and Major League rugby.

The naming rights agreement expands a partnership that the Rangers and Choctaw Casinos & Resorts have had since 2010. In May 2019, Choctaw became the Official and Exclusive Casino and Resort of the Texas Rangers.

The venue was previously named for Globe Life, the life insurance company for which the Rangers' new Globe Life Field ballpark was named in a partnership that extends until 2048.

Texas Rangers Chairman and Managing Partner Ray Davis says in a statement that the newly named Choctaw Stadium expands Choctaw's presence in the Arlington Entertainment District, which also includes Globe Life Field and Texas Live!

Choctaw does have a presence already at Texas Live! via its Choctaw VIP Lounge, described as a one-of-a-kind, upscale experience with an exclusive beverage menu and premier seating overlooking Live! Arena.

The now Choctaw Stadium was reconfigured from a baseball diamond format to a multi-purpose facility after the Rangers moved across the street in 2019, and was the site of XFL pro football, USL League One pro soccer, and 50 Texas UIL high school football games a year ago.

Pro soccer and high school football return this year and the expansion team Dallas Jackals of Major League Rugby will call Choctaw Stadium home in 2022.

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is the third largest Indian Nation in the United States with close to 200,000 tribal members and 10,000 employees. They own Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, which encompasses a variety of gaming, hotel, and resort properties throughout southeastern Oklahoma including Durant, Grant, Pocola, Idabel, Broken Bow, McAlester, Stigler, and Stringtown.

In August 2021, they just completed a major expansion at the Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant with the addition of the Sky Tower, featuring 1,000 new luxury hotel rooms, 3,300 additional slot machines, table games, a new poker room, new restaurants, bars, movie theaters and three acres of swimming pools.

Choctaw Stadium already has 19 games scheduled through early November, beginning Thursday, August 26, when Arlington Sam Houston hosts Lakeview Centennial High School from Garland at 7 pm.

That will be the first of 14 regular season games involving high schools from the Arlington Independent School District. A total of 16 regular season high school games are scheduled.

In addition, Choctaw Stadium will host three college football games:

September 11: Texas A&M-Commerce of the Lone Star Conference will host Midwestern State University
September 18: Tarleton State University of the Western Athletic Conference will host Southern Utah University
October 9: The Arlington Football Showdown features the Southwestern Athletic Conference matchup of Texas Southern University and Southern University

Parking for games at Choctaw Stadium will be available in Toyota Lot D, Avalon Lot E, Sequoia Lot L, Sienna Lot M, and Highlander Lot N. Parking lots will open 90 minutes prior to kickoff with the Choctaw Stadium gates opening one hour prior to kickoff.

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FIFA in on the big screen

Dallas' Klyde Warren Park turns into free World Cup watch party hub

Photo courtesy of Klyde Warren Park

Klyde Warren Park will host free watch parties for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Dallas' Klyde Warren Park is set to become one big watch party for 2026 FIFA World Cup. The park will host free public viewing events for nearly the entire tournament, showing dozens of matches on a giant outdoor LED screen in the heart of downtown Dallas.

According to a release, the park's "Global Watch Parties" will run from June 11-July 19, turning the 5.4-acre green space into a gathering spot for both devoted soccer fans and those who just want to experience the excitement of the tournament with others.

The watch parties will be free to attend and are expected to draw thousands of local residents and international visitors. Matches will be broadcast live from FOX and Telemundo in both English and Spanish. The park's viewing schedule can be found here.

Games will be shown every day of the tournament except Saturday, July 4 and designated tournament "rest" days on July 8, 12, 13, 16, and 17. Programming could begin as early as 6 am and continue until 10 pm, according to the release.

In addition to the matches themselves, visitors can expect food trucks, dining options, live music, fitness classes, family activities, public art installations, and appearances by local soccer organizations and community partners.

On weekends, Olive Street between the east and west sides of the park will be converted into a pedestrian plaza to improve access and accommodate larger crowds, organizers say.

“Klyde Warren Park has always been Dallas’ town square — a place where people from every neighborhood, background and culture come together to celebrate the moments that define our city,” says Kit Sawers, president and CEO of Klyde Warren Park, in the release. “The FIFA World Cup will bring the world to North Texas, and we’re proud to provide a free, welcoming space where fans and families can experience the excitement together in the heart of Dallas.”

Fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to watch games from the lawn, while surrounding restaurants and food vendors will help create a festival atmosphere throughout the tournament.

The schedule overlaps with Klyde Warren Park's annual Independence Day celebration (including the fireworks) on July 4, adding another major event to a busy summer in Dallas.

“These watch parties extend the World Cup experience far beyond the stadium,” Sawers says. “Whether you have match tickets or not, this gives everyone an opportunity to be part of the energy, pride and global connection that comes with hosting one of the world’s biggest sporting events.”

Nine FIFA World Cup matches (more than in any other host city) will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, dubbed "Dallas Stadium," for the tournament. They will start with Netherlands vs. Japan on June 14, followed by England vs. Croatia on June 17, Argentina vs. Austria on June 22, Japan vs. Sweden on June 25, and Jordan vs. Argentina on June 27.

The stadium will also host two Round of 32 matches (June 30 and July 3), one Round of 16 match (July 6), and one Semi-Final match (July 14).

Early estimates said Dallas-Fort Worth could welcome nearly 4 million visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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