ARLINGTON, TX - MARCH 29: Vintage aircraft from the Cavanagh Flight Museum fly over the Opening Day ceremonies before the game between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on March 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)It’s been a little over a year since all of the ballparks and stadiums shut their doors to fans and suspended all games indefinitely. But the Texas Rangers now rank among the first to open up their stadium to a packed crowd for their home opener.
In a video that is going viral on social media, Globe Life Field in Arlington is packed to the brim as the action gets underway. The Rangers are playing the Toronto Blue Jays today.
The biggest reaction to seeing so many fans in the stadium – some visibly without masks – has been one of frustration. Just about everyone in the comments is criticizing the Rangers and the state of Texas for allowing this as the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the country.
Given that Texas is still experiencing thousands of new COVID-19 cases per day, it’s surprising that they’re so ready to let everyone into the stadium – even with safety measures in place. But they made their decision and they’re getting crushed for it:
"Sorry Grandma, you've had your time but I need to watch baseball now."
— Dimforest (@dimforest) April 5, 2021
Texas and Florida having a hell of a competition for our nation’s biggest embarrassment
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) April 5, 2021
When a sports reporter is giddy over a packed ballpark in the midst of a deadly pandemic. What a sight!
— Bryan Smith (@bryrsmith) April 5, 2021
Good luck to you. Looks like a Petri dish to me.
— Brett Baker (@BrettSBaker) April 5, 2021
The 2020 MLB season was almost canceled by the onset of the pandemic in March of last year. What we got instead was a 60-game season with a lot of games canceled due to clubhouse infections or breaches of protocol.
It was the same story in the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS and college sports for the most part.
All we can do right now is hope that any infections that come from people going to stadiums in droves are kept to a minimum.
