Globe Life Field make neutral site history

Article posted by Coliseum, September 21^st, 2020

Image: Texas Rangers

Globe Life Field in Texas, United States – the new home ground of the Texas Rangers – will be the site for the first World Series played entirely at one location since 1944. An announcement in this regard was made by Major League Baseball (MLB) recently.

Major League Baseball (MLB) is an American professional baseball organization and the oldest of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. A total of 30 teams play in MLB: Fifteen teams in the National League and 15 in the American League.

Globe Life Field is a baseball park in Arlington, Texas. Since 2020, it is the home ballpark of the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Texas Rangers compete in MLB as a member club of the American League West division.

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MLB has revealed its schedule for the 2020 postseason, which is set to kick off with the American League’s inaugural Wild Card Series on September 29^th and the National League’s first Wild Card Series openers on September 30^th.

In the first neutral site Fall Classic in modern history, Game One of the 2020 World Series is scheduled for October 20^th at Globe Life Field. A potential Game Seven is slated for October 28^th.

MLB’s 2020 season was due to have commenced on March 26^th, but in June it was announced that it would consist of a 60-game regular season leading into the playoffs. The regular season was due to have 162 games over 186 days, and the new schedule, which commenced on July 23^rd , is MLB’s shortest since 1878 as sports leagues continue to tear their hair out with the fallout from COVID-19, which is still continuing to ravage the world.

Globe Life Field’s World Series will be the first played entirely at one site since 1944, when the Cardinals defeated the Browns 4-2 at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis (US), a ballpark which both teams shared.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told mediapersons, “The elimination of travel is obviously a positive because it cuts exposure. Less interaction outside with the group that you’re looking to protect is a huge positive. It’s all about what the risk of interacting with the community is.”

Rob Matwick, the Rangers’ Executive Vice-President, Business Operations, told the club’s official website, “From an organization standpoint, with owners Neil Liebman and Ray Davis, we built a fantastic building. It is now an opportunity for us to show it off to more people; hopefully, fans, but if not, the eyes of the nation and the eyes of the world will be on Arlington and Globe Life Field for the 116^th World Series.”

“And that, in and of itself, is a great compliment to our organization with great thanks to Commissioner Manfred and his team for being willing to make the commitment to us and to believe in us. We’re the newest, and we believe we are the best ballpark in Major League Baseball,” Matwick added.

The State of Texas presently allows up to 50 percent capacity for sporting events. While MLB has yet to announce whether fans will be allowed to attend postseason games, officials are keeping fingers crossed that fans can go to Globe Life Field, with a 50 percent limit equating to around 20,000 fans per game.

Stated Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams, “We hope we can have fans. But we’ve learned throughout (the pandemic) we need to look at what is happening and respond accordingly. I’m sure we will wait to see how things are going with this virus.”

The United States is still fighting a huge battle with this deadly virus.

All best-of-three Wild Card Series will be played at the regular season home ballparks of each league’s top four seeds. Then, beginning with the Division Series, clubs will shift to neutral site locations for the duration of the postseason due to health, safety and competitive reasons.

American League games from the Division Series forward will be held in Los Angeles and San Diego – Dodger Stadium and Petco Park – and National League games from the Division Series forward will be played in Arlington and Minute Maid Park in Texas, home of the Houston Astros.

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