Arlington will celebrate the historic World Series win of the Texas Rangers with a parade on Friday afternoon and a celebration outside Globe Life Field.
“It’s been a long-awaited celebration,” said Susan Schrock, a spokeswoman for the city, when reached late Wednesday shortly after the Rangers pummeled the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Schrock told the Star-Telegram on Thursday morning that it’s hard to predict how many people will turn out for the parade, but she hopes to see “a sea of red, white and blue” filling Arlington’s Entertainment District.
Parking in Rangers and Dallas Cowboys lots will be free, Schrock said.
The parade route is nearly two miles long, according to Schrock, and will last about an hour. It will loop behind Globe Life Field and Choctaw Stadium in a clockwise pattern.
“There will be lots of places for fans to line up along the streets and cheer for the Rangers as they pass by,” Schrock said.
The Rangers victory parade will start at 12:15 p.m. off Cowboys Way near Lot A and make its way up AT&T Way, then turns east on Road to Six Flags before finishing at Globe Life Field off Stadium Drive, according to the franchise.
“Although we’ve never done this before, we anticipate a massively large crowd,” said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. “So come out early. Find your favorite spot on the parade route.”
Ross said he expects the celebration, which will be held after the parade at the North Plaza outside Globe Life Field, to last from 30 to 45 minutes. The Rangers will address the crowd at the celebration.
This is a seminal moment for the city of Arlington, which has come into its own in recent years in the heart of the Metroplex with billions of dollars in investment in its sports and entertainment district, also home to that other beloved Texas team, the Dallas Cowboys.
The district is seeing a $295 million renovation of AT&T Stadium, which could well be host to the 2026 World Cup final match. Not to mention, a $550 million Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, the $230 million National Medal of Honor Museum and the One Rangers Way luxury apartment complex.
Ross said Arlington is well-equipped to handle the expected crowd.
“We’ve had the Super Bowl, we’ve had Taylor Swift concerts, we’ve had WWE WrestleMania and numerous football and baseball games forever,” Ross said. “We’re accustomed to having major events, and we work well on a multi- jurisdictional basis with other local agencies, with state agencies and federal agencies. So yeah, we’re prepared for this. This is what we do.”
The Rangers sent out this information late Wednesday night:
The events will take place in the Arlington Entertainment District and will be open free of charge to all fans. The parade is expected to begin at 12:15 p.m. with the entire team expected to participate. Following the parade, there will be a public ceremony in the North Plaza outside Globe Life Field adjacent to Texas Live! The ceremony will include remarks by Rangers’ executives, manager Bruce Bochy, and Rangers’ players. Bally Sports Southwest will provide complete broadcast coverage of the parade and ceremony.
As if the gods are smiling upon the World Series win (which, of course, we know they are), the weather will be perfect for the outdoors celebration — sunny with a high in the low 70s.
Here’s a map of the parade route:
Arlington ISD schools will be closed Friday so students and staff can attend the celebration.
“This is the first championship win for the Rangers in their history,” said Dr. Steven Wurtz, interim superintendent of Arlington ISD, in a news release. “It’s a huge day for sports fans, and we’re excited to celebrate with the team and the community.”
The Texas Rangers requested Arlington ISD marching band students to perform in the parade. The district is coordinating students from all six traditional high schools to make up one combined band. “We are thrilled about this opportunity for our students,” said Wurtz. “They are so talented and everyone will know that after they see them perform at the parade.”
Wurtz said that “massive traffic issues are expected,” which likely will make transportation to and from schools and other district facilities difficult throughout the day. Although classes won’t be held, all school sporting events on Friday will continue as scheduled.
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The celebration will be historic, indeed. This is the first World Series title for the franchise in its more than 50-year history.
Ross said the Rangers’ win will impact Arlington in “immeasurable ways” that go beyond the economic boost it will give to the city.
“I was at Texas Live! (Wednesday night),” Ross said. “People were cheering and crying and hugging each other and saying, ‘I love you.’ I mean, I’m like, this is the World Series, but this is something beyond that. And I think that that’s what we’re feeling in Arlington right now. A real sense of pride, a real sense of community.”
The Rangers on Wednesday night defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game 5 of the World Series. The Rangers won the series, 4-1.
Friday, when Texas fans will take to the streets to celebrate, would have been Game 6 at Globe Life Field if the Diamondbacks had won Wednesday.
One of the stars of the celebration Friday will no doubt be shortstop Corey Seager, who made MLB history when he was named World Series MVP for the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.
Seager joined Bob Gibson, Reggie Jackson and Sandy Koufax as the only players to win two World Series MVPs.
Seager became the first player to win World Series MVP for both an American League and a National League team. Seager batted .308 with six home runs and 12 RBIs throughout the playoffs.
This story was originally published November 1, 2023, 10:34 p.m.