Near-capacity crowd gathers at Globe Life Field as Rangers fans seek return to normalcy in largest documented event during pandemic

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ARLINGTON — A near-capacity crowd of 38,238 gathered Monday afternoon at Globe Life Field to watch the Texas Rangers take on the Toronto Blue Jays, marking the largest publicly documented attendance at an event during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The stadium was open to 100% capacity — 40,158 — for Monday’s home opener and was officially announced as a sellout, but health protocols established by the stadium proved difficult to enforce as thousands of people poured into the stadium throughout the afternoon.

The vast majority of seats in the new stadium were filled by people of all ages, who shared feelings of excitement and nostalgia to be at a baseball game despite the public health risks posed by the gathering.“I’m excited to not have to wear a mask and see live baseball,” said Anthony Smith, who traveled from Las Vegas for opening day and was tailgating with friends and family.

Rangers officials installed hand sanitizing stations and established protocols at the stadium meant to prevent virus spread, including “safe distancing” and a requirement to keep masks on when not eating or drinking.

But enforcing those protocols was a different matter as the afternoon wore on.

Large clusters of fans congregated in long lines at the stadium’s entrance around 3 p.m. when the game began. Many attendees sat without masks as the game progressed.

“If you’re not comfortable being in the crowds yet, don’t come,” Missy Walker, 40, of Plano, said, adding that she was vaccinated weeks ago and wasn’t worried about the game potentially acting as a superspreader.

“Those that are comfortable with it come. It’s time to get back to life, you can’t shelter forever.”

A controversial decision

The decision to reopen the stadium at full capacity wasn’t without controversy. President Joe Biden last week said opening the stadium to full capacity was a mistake, especially as coronavirus cases begin to climb in the U.S. with the spread of the virus’ more-contagious variants.

And on Monday morning, Gov. Greg Abbott announced he was withdrawing from the first pitch ceremony to boycott Major League Baseball after the league moved its All-Star Game from Atlanta in response to Georgia’s new election laws.

In and around the stadium, however, fans said the game represented a slice of normalcy after an especially abnormal year.

It was the first time people were allowed to attend a Rangers regular-season game at Globe Life Field, which opened in 2020 but was closed to fans because of COVID-19. It also marked the first American pro sports team to allow a full house during the pandemic.

“Everyone’s in the environment and it’s a positive time,” said Stephanie Warner, 40, of Forney, who surprised her 13-year-old son, Landry, with tickets to the game Monday morning for his birthday. “Everyone’s happy.”

Though tailgating wasn’t allowed in official Rangers parking lots, plenty of tailgaters celebrated opening day in private lots directly across the street from Globe Life Field. A stadium employee encouraged attendees to wear masks and socially distance as they approached the entrance in large groups.

“I thought it was a little contradictory you’d let 40,000 people come in a stadium and sit together but you wouldn’t let them tailgate,” Kelly Nellor, 57, said. “I just thought that was weird.”

Inside the stadium, signs reading “wear your masks” were plastered on various walls and occasional reminders to keep masks on and social distance rang out over a loudspeaker. Most fans remained masked as they posed for photos, shopped at stores or bought food and drinks to take to their seats before the game.

But once the game started and fans took their seats, many took off their masks and kept them off.

“I am just amazed at the number of people who aren’t wearing masks,” said Randall Henley, 61, a season-ticket holder.

Henley said there was little policing throughout the game and the usher in his section was “non-existent.” He said he didn’t hear a single person tell others to put on a mask.

“It would be nice to know that most of these people are vaccinated, but I know they’re not,” Henley said.

“People are still testing it, trying to get comfortable and see what it’s like,” said Jerry White, 35, an employee at a stadium bar.

White said he lost 30% of his income over the last year after COVID-19 shut the stadium down. He said he was excited to be back working, and had expected more people to come.

Schick Schickedanz, 65, and his wife, Brenda, 72, drove about an hour and a half to Globe Life Field to celebrate opening day with 33 friends and family members. They said they’ve gone to every home opening day for the Rangers since the mid-1980s, save for last year when COVID-19 forced the stadium’s closure.

“We have so been waiting for this,” Schick Schickedanz said.

Sporting matching red sunglasses with a white “T” on top for Texas Rangers, the couple said they bought their tickets months in advance and being at the new stadium felt like a “beautiful” experience after the last year.

Brenda Schickedanz said she wasn’t concerned about COVID-19 since she and her husband do “whatever they need to do to stay healthy.”

“I’m not going to not live my life,” she said. “I’m going to live. If it means I die tomorrow, OK, God needed me there. So I’m not going to be scared.”

Mixed feelings

While many attendees professed some indifference to the COVID-19 risks of attending a full-capacity stadium, both Justin Treaster and John Cantu said they took time to weigh the pros and cons of attending.

They’d been to opening day for 15 consecutive years with a group of fans Cantu jokingly described as a “bunch of drunks.” They were out tailgating before the game, but said they only decided to come after getting at least one vaccination and planned to wear masks in the stadium.

“The first place to open at 100% definitely gives you some pause,” Cantu said. “… I’m sure it’s going to get a lot of negative publicity for the people that aren’t masked.”

Canto speculated that the Rangers were likely making the decision to open at full capacity as a revenue driver for the team and the city of Arlington. Regardless, he said he was happy to continue a tradition with his former co-worker and to do so “as safely as possible.”

“It’s on you,” Treaster said. “I’ve been taking my precautions. I’m half vaccinated.”