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12/16/2008 3:55 PM ET
New scoreboards and premium seating areas to be added to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington for 2009 season
Color auxiliary scoreboards and home plate seating highlight series of Rangers Ballpark upgrades
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ARLINGTON -- The Texas Rangers today announced a series of upgrades to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington for the 2009 season.
The improvements represent the most extensive series of upgrades made to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington since the facility opened for the 1994 season. New LED auxiliary scoreboards, premium seating behind home plate and past the third base dugout, and an extension of the home plate screen to provide added safety highlight the list.
"We feel that these upgrades to Rangers Ballpark will enhance the experience for our fans in 2009," commented Rangers President Nolan Ryan. "That's why we are introducing elements that provide more in-park information, greater seating options, and enhanced safety. The Rangers are committed to providing the best possible experience for fans attending the games."
The 2009 upgrades to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington will include:
NEW SCOREBOARDS: Rangers Ballpark will undergo the first set of scoreboard improvements in the facility's history:
Three full color LED linear panels, Daktronics ProAd© Displays will be installed:
• On the Lower Suite Level fascia from foul pole to foul pole measuring three feet high with a total length of 948 feet
• On the Lower Home Run Porch fascia measuring three feet high with a total length of 193 feet
• On the fascia that is current a matrix board below the Diamond Club in left field measuring three feet high with a total length of 135 feet.
The total length of the LED linear panels will measure 1276 linear feet, the 3rd longest of any major league park behind Dolphins Stadium (2118 feet) and the new Yankee Stadium (1285 feet). The new panels will allow for more key game information in addition to serving as advertising space.
A full color Daktronics Pro Star© Video Display Board will replace the manual scoreboard that has been located on the left field wall since 1994. The Video Display Board will be approximately 12 feet high and 84 feet wide and will provide more complete information on other major league games as well as serve as a video replay board. This improvement will be a significant addition for those fans who have had compromised views of the existing video board that is located on the right field roof.
HOME PLATE SEATS: A brand new premium seating option will be introduced for 2009 with the addition of two rows of Home Plate Seats. Up to 91 seats will be located in front of sections 21-30 between the two dugouts. This is the first time that the Rangers have ever offered premium seating behind home plate, a category which exists in the majority of Major League ballparks. The Home Plate Seats will include the following amenities:
• Proximity to Home Plate: The distance from the home plate screen to the plate will be 52 feet, eight feet shorter than the current configuration, with the new seats.
• Wider Seats: The new Home Plate Seats will be 22 inches in width and will have additional leg room from the regular Ballpark seating rows. The new seats will be cushioned and feature higher backs. There will be a metal drink rail for the first row and cup holders for the second row of Home Plate Seats.
• Complimentary Food, Beverage, Programs: Each seat holder will receive a complimentary buffet in the Diamond Club before every game. Complimentary soft drinks, bottled water, popcorn, and peanuts will be delivered to all seat holders until the middle of the seventh inning for every game. Texas Rangers souvenir game programs are also complimentary in the Home Plate Seats.
Season ticket packages for the new Home Plate Seats are expected to go on sale in late February, when construction is completed and after current season ticket holders have the opportunity to upgrade to the new seating.
THIRD BASE COMMISSIONER'S BOX: The Rangers will also add 66 seats in two rows with the addition of a Third Base Commissioners Box, which will be an extension of Sections 16 and 17 past the third base dugout. Those seats will be similar to the First Base Commissioner's Box, which was added as a fulltime location in 2000. Season ticket packages for the Third Base Commissioner's Box are expected to go on sale in late February, when construction is completed and after current season ticket holders have the opportunity to upgrade to the new seating.
WIDER HOME PLATE SCREEN: With the addition of the Home Plate Seats, the width of the screen behind home plate will be extended from 60 to 110 feet, running from the inside first base photo well to the inside third base photo well. This will provide increased protection for fans sitting in those seating areas.
"We want to make certain that fans sitting in the locations closest to home plate are adequately protected from foul balls and broken bats," explained Ryan. "A number of teams have widened their screens, and we feel it is an important initiative."
Season ticket packages in all areas other than the new seating locations are now on sale for the 2009 season. For more information, please call 972.RANGERS or go to texasrangers.com.
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