Opinion | The Rangers shouldn’t be completely opening their stadium

Joe Perrino, Sports Editor

I guess everything — including stadium crowds — really is bigger in Texas. 

A March 10 statement released by the Texas Rangers stated the organization will hold its home opener April 5 at 100% stadium capacity. This means approximately 40,000 fans will be permitted at Globe Life Field during a pandemic that has killed more than 540,000 people in the U.S., as of March 21.

Nice.

What makes the state of Texas think it’ll be a good idea to have tens of thousands of people mushed together in the same vicinity without social distancing? What’s more, Texas lifted its mask mandate March 2. Now people waiting in line at concession stands — which aren’t the most sanitary places in the world to begin with — will be coughing and sneezing all over each other’s food without any protection. 

I hope Texans are ready for some spring baseball followed by a slight chance of death. 

What baffles me is why the state, and the Rangers organization, couldn’t have waited just a couple more short months. COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out rather quickly, to my surprise, and we could get back to safe, large crowds sooner than once thought. If President Joe Biden’s goal of a COVID-19-free “Independence Day” this July 4 comes to fruition, people would be able to gather at stadiums with much less risk. 

Rather than this scenario, which will probably skyrocket COVID-19 cases in Texas like its temperatures in the summer, let’s come up with an alternate plan that’s safer and works for all parties involved.

First off, that 100% capacity at Globe Life should be lowered to 66% at the minimum. Yes, that’s a lot of people, but there are still options for distancing throughout the stadium. Have a few pods of, say, three or four fans in each row, depending on how far they can be spaced out. Additionally, fans should be required to wear masks when they venture into concession areas, which will help limit transmission.

My recommendations should be obvious. It should be second nature. But Americans are entitled and impatient.

Only when a larger percentage of America has been vaccinated will I say it’s OK to take part in big gatherings like these. For now, I pray the Rangers aren’t able to sell out that home opener — just to spite the organization for disregarding COVID-19 and the thousands of families that have lost loved ones to this pandemic — but the sad reality is that the ballpark will be filled. 

Let the devastating repercussions roll.