The Japanese Have Built Their Own Identical Version of Texas’ Most Iconic Baseball Field
Baseball fans from the Dallas, TX area would feel right at home at this field located on the other side of the world in Japan. I suppose that Oscar Wilde said it best when he said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
In that regard, the Texas Rangers should feel very flattered as a Japanese baseball team decided to copy their ballpark.
The ballpark opened in '23 and according to Metroplexing.com the nearly identical stadium in Sapporo, Japan, is the home of the Japanese professional baseball team called the Nippon Ham Fighters -- the team is owned by the Nippon Ham Company.
The owners of the Fighters were so impressed with the Rangers facility, they consulted the American League team to model their new ES CON Field after the Arlington facility. They are even building a surrounding "Baseball Village" complete with hotels and restaurants.
The Japanese version also has a retractable roof, just the second NPB stadium to have one, but it is quite a bit smaller than its Arlington counterpart with a capacity of 35,000 people.
Globe Life Field features that retractable roof stadium and is of course home to the reigning World Series Champion Texas Rangers. It is located just south of Choctaw Stadium, the Rangers' former home ballpark. It opened in March '20 and carried a price tag of $1.1 Billion.
Some Texas Rangers history for you: The Rangers hosted their first regular-season game against the Colorado Rockies on July 24th, 2020. The Rangers won that game 1-0. And for all you sports trivia buffs out there, Joey Gallo hit the first home run at the stadium on July 26.
If you ever make it to Japan, be sure to check out ES CON Field, send us a pic if you do.
Did You Know There's a Alternate Version of Globe Life Field in Japan?
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Gallery Credit: Billy Jenkins
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