After governor reopens Texas, will Rangers fans find a packed ballpark on Opening Day?

Gov. Greg Abbott appears to have made it possible for Globe Life Field to be full April 5 for the Texas Rangers’ home opener.

Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley did his part, too.

The Rangers, though, said they will review Abbott’s executive order Tuesday that ends the statewide COVID-19 mask mandate March 10. Whitley unilaterally brought to an immediate end to the mandate in Tarrant County.

A key word in in the statement from Neil Leibman, a member of the ownership group who also serves as the club’s president of business operations and COO, was “responsibly.”

Another was “encouraged.”

“We are encouraged by Governor Abbott’s announcement today, and we will be reviewing his executive order for full details,” Leibman said. “In the coming days we will work through the necessary operational logistics to put the required protocols and health measures in place. We look forward to responsibly welcoming fans to a Rangers game at Globe Life Field for the first time at the start of the 2021 season.”

The Rangers were already planning to allow fans this season after they were not allowed for in 2020, the maiden season for Globe Life Field. Fans wearing masks were permitted for the three MLB postseason rounds staged there, with the typical crowd size around 11,000.

That’s 27.4% of the 40,300 seating capacity.

“Our new home was well received on the national stage as a National League playoffs and World Series venue last year,” Leibman said. “We are excited for Rangers fans to experience all that Globe Life Field has to offer.”

The Rangers will play two exhibition games in Arlington on March 29-30 before heading to Kansas City for their season opener April 1. The home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. April 5.

TCU has home events scheduled all week, including a baseball game Tuesday night and men’s and women’s basketball games Sunday. Athletic director Jeremiah Donati said there are no immediate plans to change protocols in place, but TCU will evaluate if changes can be made.

“With Governor Abbott’s executive order today, we are assessing as a university the potential impact on home athletics events,” Donati said. “We will have discussions with public health officials, our medical team of advisors and university leadership. Our top priority is always the health and safety of our campus community.”

The Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars will have multiple home games at American Airlines Center before the Rangers return from spring training. The Mavs play the first day the mask mandate ends, and the Stars have a home game the next night, March 11.

Stars team president Brad Alberts said they won’t be changing their mask policy and that attendance will remain at around 5,000, and the Mavs said they are also holding to their current policy and will keep attendance at 3,900.