New tech in new Rangers stadium

When the Texas Rangers move into the brand new Globe Life Field in 8 months time, fans will benefit from a 5.5-acre retractable roof and air-conditioned comfort. Another unparalleled experience will be provided by the video boards being installed at the ballpark, according to Katie McIntyre’s Sports Venue Business.

Combining more than 13,000 square feet, the video boards at Globe Life Field will provide a new element of in-game entertainment. The size and location of the video boards was designed with brand identity in mind, making sure the addition of the video boards didn’t distract from the overall concept of Globe Life Field.

HKS Principal Architect, Fred Ortiz, said, “If we can leverage the fact that we’re actually designing a board that’s properly placed in composition with the super structure, so when people see the large video board is part of the roof structure they’ll say, that’s Globe Life Field, that’s the Rangers.”

The video boards merge with the super structure by being directly installed onto the roof trusses creating a seamless transition from roof to video board.

At nearly 8,700 square feet, the primary video board in right field is 72% larger than the primary board at Globe Life Park, but pushing the size envelope wasn’t the primary goal of the upgraded video boards, as Ortiz explained: “It wasn’t about let’s get the biggest video board possible, it was more about what is appropriately scaled for the room we’re creating here. I think the location and size of the video boards are all kind of working together.”

The secondary video board is 50% larger than its counterpart at Globe Life Park. At 40ft tall by 111ft wide, the left field video board will be roughly the same size as the primary board at the Rangers current home.

The video boards were created not to take away from the action on the field, but to enhance the viewing experience at the ballpark. The size and location of the two primary video boards provide a viewing experience for every fan in the facility, regardless of seat location.

Texas Rangers Executive Vice President, Ballpark Entertainment, Chuck Morgan, said, “The new home of the Texas Rangers, Globe Life Field, will have the most comfortable seat in baseball, and with this new technology from Daktronics, that seat just got better. The Daktronics Show Control System, coupled with Live Clips and Camino, gives the Texas Rangers a complete control system and powerful platforms to create a game presentation for Rangers fans that will be second to none in all of baseball. We are looking forward to bringing this game changer in the industry to our fans and enhancing their experience at Globe Life Field.”

Not only are the video boards going to be bigger at Globe Life Field, but the proximity to the field provides an intimate setting that in return also brings fans closer to the video boards.

The Rangers once again collaborated with Daktronics for game presentation at Globe Life Field. Daktronics will provide the two main video boards, ribbon displays throughout the seating bowl, as well as 1,400 LCD displays throughout the ballpark.

The experience is actually over 1,000 times larger than your home experience, as it would take 1,220 60-inch televisions to cover both outfield displays.

The quality of the video boards will also be an incomparable experience, as Globe Life Field will be the first Major League Ballpark with SMD technology, the best picture and quality technology around.

The upgraded technology will also expand into the control room, allowing the production crew to provide a unique experience for fans.

While the video boards are upgraded in both size and technology, there will be a familiar look coming over from the Rangers’ current home. The current left field video board at Globe Life Park is being relocated to the new facility, and will serve as the out of town scoreboard in centerfields. The scoreboard is being flipped to a vertical orientation, making it 80 x 20’ in its future home.

The Texas Rangers will join the newly upgraded video boards in eight months time, unveiling the upgraded in-game presentation and technology for the 1.8 million square foot project.

The new Globe Life Field, which is being built as a public-private partnership between the City of Arlington and the Rangers, will not only be the team’s new home but also a multipurpose sports and entertainment venue that will include capabilities for hosting high school, college and international sports, as well as entertainment tours. Globe Life Field – designed by HKS and being built by Manhattan Construction – is expected to open in March 2020 in time for the Rangers’ season.

The new ballpark’s seating capacity is expected to be approximately 43,000.

See renderings here