Opening Day Traffic Jam Leaves Rangers Fans Seeing Red

Rangers say unusual circumstances led to gridlock

Some Rangers fans complain they missed much of the Opening Day game because of traffic jams that stretched for two hours or longer.

"It was a total disaster," said Christy Eisman, of Dallas. "If we're going to have a world-class team, we need a world-class parking lot. It's ridiculous."

Eisman, a season ticket holder, said it took her two-and-a-half hours to park.

"I got there in the bottom of the fourth inning," she said.

She was hardly alone. Matt Lamb, of Fort Worth, got stuck in the same traffic jam around Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

"The traffic was so bad on the way in, I question who was in charge there," he asked. "I mean, it was awful."

When fans finally found a place to park on the other side of Cowboys Stadium, it was a 15-minute hike to the ballpark.

Some fans blamed the large number of tailgaters for occupying the closer-in parking spots.

"They're not even going in the game," one man said.

But tailgaters said they were not to blame.

"Hey, we're always here -- general parking, baby," Omar Rodarte said. "I pay for it just like they do."

Rangers' spokesman John Blake said several factors combined to create a problem.

"I think the combination of this being a holiday and Opening Day certainly added to the numbers that we are unlikely to see again this year," he said.

And parking at nearby Six Flags Over Texas wasn't available as usual for Rangers' fans because the amusement park was open, Blake added.

But Blake also acknowledged there were more tailgaters than in past years.

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