ARLINGTON -- The All-Star Game is returning to Texas.
The Texas Rangers were awarded the 2024 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, Major League Baseball announced Thursday. The Rangers will host the Midsummer Classic at Globe Life Field in what will be the ballpark's fifth season.
Officials from the Rangers and the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth were on hand outside Globe Life Field following MLB’s announcement. It will be the second time Texas hosts the Midsummer Classic (1995), but the first time in the new ballpark, which opened in 2020. The club has pursued hosting MLB jewel events since the groundbreaking of the new ballpark in ‘17.
"Major League Baseball is pleased to award the 2024 All-Star Game to the Rangers and the Cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, which presented a robust bid for All-Star Week," Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "The Rangers stepped up under difficult circumstances and Globe Life Field served as a terrific host for the 2020 Postseason, including the World Series. We are excited to once again feature Baseball’s newest ballpark on a global stage."
Rangers executive vice president of business operations Rob Matwick said that the city of Dallas was offered the opportunity to join in on the bid, but was unable due to prior convention commitments that same week in 2024.
Texas joins Seattle (2023) and Philadelphia (2026) as future sites of the Midsummer Classic. The Mariners are hosting next year's All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park. DFW’s selection came as a shock to some after MLB relocated the ‘21 Game from Atlanta due to restrictive voting laws passed in Georgia. Matwick said the topic wasn’t a major part of the bidding process for the Metroplex as they work with both the Commissioner’s Cffice and Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.
Outside of the game itself, the recently expanded Arlington Entertainment District will also play host to the All-Star Futures Game, the Celebrity Softball Game, the Home Run Derby, the MLB Draft and the Play Ball Park during that week. Matwick said it’s possible events are held in Fort Worth, but that it is yet to be determined as the city will also provide additional hotel blocks.
"The Texas Rangers are honored to be awarded the 2024 All-Star Game,” Rangers majority owner and managing partner Ray Davis said. "With the opening of Globe Life Field in 2020 and the incredible development that continues to take place around the park, Arlington is an ideal location to host Major League Baseball and the Midsummer Classic.
"We want to thank Commissioner Rob Manfred, the State of Texas and the Governor’s Office, the Cities of Arlington and Fort Worth and all of the dedicated officials from the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau and Visit Fort Worth for their efforts in bringing this showcase event to the area."
The last time the Rangers hosted the All-Star Game was in 1995 at the Ballpark in Arlington (now Choctaw Stadium), the only time the franchise has hosted the Midsummer Classic. In that All-Star Game, the National League defeated the American League, 3-2. Rangers catcher Iván Rodríguez started for the AL and pitcher Kenny Rogers joined him as the other Texas representative.
In 1995, the Ballpark in Arlington and Six Flags Over Texas were the only structures standing in the city’s Entertainment District. The city has grown tenfold since with the addition of Globe Life Field, the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and countless restaurants, hotels and bar areas surrounding the ballpark, and will only continue to grow ahead of the All-Star Game in 2024.
Hosting the announcement on the north plaza of Globe Life Field, adjacent to the entertainment hub of Texas! Live, between the two ballparks, illustrated just how much has changed since that last All-Star Game and how dedicated the city is to furthering the event.
“All those facilities will be fully engaged for the All-Star Week,” Matwick said. “What's great about our facilities here is that they can operate independent of one another, or on a major event like this, we can roll them all into the experience and activate everything at one time…It's just broadening the experience for fans and giving them more opportunities to come in and experience Texas and what we have to offer. It's a celebration of the game really.”