ARLINGTON (CBSNewsTexas.com) — If you’re a Texas Rangers fan, you know it’s been a long, hard wait.
The Rangers will be playing in their first playoff game at Globe Life Field Tuesday, and surrounding that game is excitement—and hope—like we haven’t seen in years.
“I’ve been waiting for this since 2016,” said fan Josh Schaefer. “We’re young, we’re hungry, and we’re ready to roll the dice and see what happens.”
The team store at Globe Life Field reflected that excitement. Retail supervisor Carmen Delgado said sales have skyrocketed over the last week.
“A lot of upkeep of getting the new merchandise out, the postseason and the division series as well. So it’s been pretty busy. It’s exciting,” she said.
Fans have endured losing seasons and a playoff drought for the past seven years.
And while 2010 and 2011—when the Rangers made the World Series back-to-back—might feel like a lifetime ago, John Blake, the team’s executive vice president of public affairs, remembers it well.
“Those ’10 and ’11 clubs were pretty much good from the beginning to the end, but this club has really been resilient,” Blake said. “It’s been fun to watch the young players here during the postseason. So it may have a little something special here.”
Both the game and the Rangers’ home are different now. Blake said he’s looking forward to seeing the new stadium shine hosting the Rangers in the playoffs.
“I think it’s going to be outstanding here on Tuesday night,” he said. “This will be the first real test for our fans at a postseason game.”
It remains to be seen, whether the retractable roof will be open or closed. But Blake said a closed roof would add to the ambiance. “It’ll be really loud in here, and when we built this building, that was part of the thing we said, ‘If we ever get to the playoffs, it’s going to be a great home field advantage."”
And fans hope that translates into a sweep.
“It gets me emotional, because I just love this team,” said Schaefer. “And what they’re doing. They have the grit, and we’ve just got to believe. All we’ve got to do is believe.”
