Amid Unique Circumstance, Texas Rangers Employees Returning to Work Has Been a "Gradual Process"
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers are allowing their baseball operations employees to work at the club's offices at Globe Life Field, confirming a report by CBS Sports.
However, this is not breaking news.
Bringing club employees back to the office has been a "gradual process" for the Rangers, according to John Blake, the club's Executive Vice President of Communications. As government restrictions loosened around the end of May, various employees have worked at the team's offices under strict health and safety protocols.
The Rangers' baseball operations employees had been working remotely during the shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. When the baseball world shutdown, many clubs shut down nearly everything else along with it—ballpark operations, tours, scheduled events, and more.
The Rangers were in a different situation than any other club in March. The club was set to open Globe Life Field this year, their brand new retractable roof stadium. Still in need of some finishing touches when MLB suspended operations, construction on the new ballpark continued amid the shutdown, as it fell under the "Essential Critical Infrastructure" section in the ordinance imposed by the city of Arlington.
According to Blake, employees reporting to work at the team's offices must have their temperature checked before entrance in permitted. The Rangers are also taking full advantage of their new, larger offices by spacing out employees to practice social distancing. Face coverings are also required at all times and are strictly enforced. Most importantly, employees are not required to work in the office.
“The Rangers are working with all employees to make them feel comfortable in returning to the office," Blake said in a statement. "Individuals with medical conditions, child care issues, and other concerns are being accommodated on a case-by-case basis and are able to continue working remotely at present.”
There is also a protocol in place in the event an employee tests positive for COVID-19.
Employees returning to the office has not been done in one fell swoop. The Rangers have remained cautious as they've navigated their way through the previous three months. Once the state of Texas began its efforts to gradually reopen the state and boost its economy—which included the return of professional sports—the Rangers have hosted multiple events under strict health and safety protocols.
The Rangers came up with the creative "Concert In Your Car" series. In addition, they've opened the ballpark with the aptly named First Look Tours, which provide fans their first in-depth look at the brand new stadium. The Rangers have also hosted 53 high school graduations at Globe Life Field to date. All of these events have been ran in accordance with state and federal protocols.
“The Rangers have been working with local, county, and state officials throughout the last three months to make certain our protocols reflect the recommended health and safety standards for everyone working at Globe Life Field," Blake said. "We have probably had more communication with the authorities than many teams in this regard since construction continued to complete the building and then we opened Globe Life Field to public events in late May. Since March, the Rangers have certainly been following the CDC and state guidelines for distancing, hand washing, face coverings, and other vital protocols.”
From the very beginning of the shutdown, the Rangers have prioritized health and safety to their players and their staff.
"We tried to be very clear and very careful with how we presented the options," Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels told reporters via conference call on March 14. "We want everyone to do what's right for them with the clear priority being the health of our people—the players, staff, their families, and certainly public health as well. We could not have been more clear about that."
The Rangers will continue to navigate through this unprecedented situation in the coming weeks. In the event MLB and the Players Association can figure out a way to get the season underway, the Rangers may have to be prepared to be one of the first teams to host fans in their new ballpark.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has recently announced that stadiums can be filled to 50 percent capacity. According to a report by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, MLB is "inclined to allow local and municipal governance to take precedence" when deciding if and when fans can attend sporting events.
The Rangers could bear the brunt of some criticism while COVID-19 cases continue to spike in Texas. They could also be pioneering a blueprint for how sports can return safely amid a global pandemic.
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