There will be fans in the stands for at least part of the Major League Baseball postseason. MLB announced that a limited number of tickets would be available for fans at Arlington’s Globe Life Field, which is hosting the National League Championship Series and World Series. Commissioner Rob Manfred had confirmed that plans for fans were in the works last week, but had not released specific details and sale information until Wednesday.
“I feel like a 10-year-old boy coming down the stars Christmas morning, and they’ve got all of the presents wrapped up, and I can’t open a present,” Texas Rangers owner Ray Davis said. “That’s the way I felt about our stadium this year. And that’s why, frankly, I’m excited about having the [NL] Division Series and League Championship and World Series here in our stadium.”
Texas has become something of a haven for event organizers during the pandemic. In September, both Professional Bull Riding and National Finals Rodeo events were relocated from Nevada to Texas due in part to its allowing fans.
Approximately 11,500 tickets are expected to be available for each game, with 10,550 in seating areas and 950 in suites. The fans will mark the first for the brand new $1.2 billion ballpark, which opened this year and has not yet allowed fans during the coronavirus-shortened regular season. The number of tickets allowed represents approximately 28 percent of the venue’s capacity. Texas allows up to 50 percent capacity at large events, so long as approved safety measures are in place.
Tickets will be sold in groups of four, with each “pod” separated from others for social distancing requirements, and unable to be split up for resale. Individuals will be limited to the purchase of one set of tickets per game in the NLCS and World Series. The ballpark will also see the first neutral site World Series in history.
“To see fans in our ballpark is going to be very exciting,” said Rob Matwick, Rangers executive vice president for business operations. “This is what we have been pointing for since we started the construction back four years ago. To see it come to fruition is pretty significant. Not necessarily the circumstances we hoped to have — we hoped to have the Rangers on the field — but it will be exciting to see fans come into Globe Life Field in the fall of 2020.”
Tickets went on sale Thursday at MLB.com and TexasRangers.com. The NLCS is scheduled to see its first game on October 12, with the World Series planned to begin October 20. The American League Championship Series, held in California, will not have fans due to ongoing restrictions on live event attendance mandated by the state.
