By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-961074.mp3
Dallas, TX – The Texas Rangers "home opener" this afternoon at the Ballpark is a sell-out - even standing room only tickets! KERA's BJ Austin says it's a celebration of the Rangers' first-ever trip to the World Series, and high hopes for 2011.
John Blake with the Rangers says tickets to the home opener with the Boston Red Sox sold out months ago.
Blake: This has been a very tough ticket to get. We had to have a lottery for the individual tickets that we had available, which was considerably less than ten thousand. We had 120 thousand register for that online lottery.
Susano Maldonado of Vernon Texas was one of them.
Maldonado: It didn't work out for me at all.
But he did manage to snag standing room only tickets on ebay.
Maldonado: I fine with the standing room tickets I got. Great! Great. As long as I'm here.
Rangers fan Barrett Lawrence says he's been at opening day for the past 14 years. But this year tickets took a lot more maneuvering.
Lawrence: Since we went to the World Series last year, it was real hard to get opening day tickets. So we actually had to get season tickets this year, but it's totally well worth it.
Season ticket holders were assured opening day seats.
At tomorrow's night's game with the Red Sox, the Rangers get their World Series rings presented on the field. Fans are getting a first look at the new, "giant" video board on the roof of the Home Run Porch in right field. Team officials say it's going to upgrade the fan-experience in the stands. Also new this season: a three pound pretzel.