The Rangers tend not to follow their own criteria for keeping the roof open.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Does the roof at Globe Life Field even open?
Yes, but it’s a rare occurrence. Most fans expect the roof to be closed when they go to cheer on the Texas Rangers. Still, the roof has become a talking point to the point where it even has a dedicated fan page.
Multiple factors go into deciding whether or not the retractable roof opens or stays shut: rain, humidity, temperature and agreement by both teams.
Rain is the simplest to understand. The Rangers have a built-in feature to prevent rain delays at Globe Life, so they take advantage of it.
Humidity is a little more nuanced. This is North Texas; of course, it gets humid. Sports Illustrated reported that if humidity is above 50 percent, the roof stays closed. That’s because high humidity can cause parts of the concourse to get slick, and the closed roof keeps the arena climate-controlled, the report states.
SI reports that there is a temperature window between 65 and 80 degrees that dictates the roof’s status. If it’s within that window, the roof can stay open — so long as the other factors allow it.
Typically, the opening of the roof also has to be agreed upon by both teams. However, during the playoffs, the MLB has stepped in to make the call.
As for Opening Day 2025, the Rangers say it’s a “close call.” Temperatures on Thursday are expected to be mild, with a low of 63 and a high of 76, but the possibility of rain in parts of North Texas are keeping a final decision from being made.
The process to open or shut the roof only takes about 12 minutes, so even if the decision comes down to the wire, the Rangers should be able to adjust.
