The Phillips Big 12 Baseball Championship is moving from Oklahoma City to Arlington with play starting Wednesday. On Tuesday, the six teams playing began to practice.
"This is such a thrill for the kids," said Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. "They probably would downplay it, but it's a thrill for the coaches, too, and it's a thrill for the fans."
Bowlsby says the Big 12 championship is the only one played in a Major League ballpark and the only one played indoors.
"As I pulled up and looked at ominous skies, I thought, 'You're not going to be causing us any problems. This is going to be just fine," Bowlsby said.
The Big 12 baseball championship had been played in Oklahoma City 20 of the past 23 years. The tournament had been played in Arlington twice before.
"People ask me all the time, 'Mayor, why in the world would you build another ballpark when you have a really good looking ballpark that's right across the street? This is why," said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross.
Ross says Globe Life Field, AT&T Stadium, Choctaw Stadium, Six Flags, and Hurricane Harbor draw 16 million visitors to the Entertainment District each year. He says the Big 12 baseball championship will add to that, introducing visitors to other parts of the city as well.
"There's more to Arlington than just the Entertainment District. We have a thriving downtown district that is more of the neighborhood feel. We have the international corridor on Highway 303 on the east side of town which is made up of numerous different cultural districts," Ross said.
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The Big 12 signed a three year agreement to hold the championship at Globe Life Field. Teams began working out Tuesday with the first games beginning Wednesday morning:
Wednesday, May 25
Game 1 - 9 a.m. - No. 4 Oklahoma State vs. No. 5 Texas - ESPNU
Game 2 - 12:30 p.m. - No. 1 TCU vs. No. 8 Baylor - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Game 3 - 4 p.m. - No. 2 Texas Tech vs. No. 7 Kansas State - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Game 4 - 7:30 p.m. - No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 6 West Virginia - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Thursday, May 26
Game 5 - Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser - 9 a.m. - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Game 6 - Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser - 12:30 p.m. - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Game 7 - Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner - 4 p.m. - ESPNU
Game 8 - Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner - 7:30 p.m. - ESPNU
Friday, May 27
Game 9 - Game 7 Loser vs. Game 5 Winner - 3:15 p.m. - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Game 10 - Game 8 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner - 7 p.m. - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Saturday, May 28
Game 11 - Game 9 Winner vs. Game 7 Winner - 9 a.m. - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Game 12 - Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner - 12:30 p.m. - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Game 13 - Game 11 Loser vs. Game 11 Winner (if necessary) - 4 p.m. - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Game 14 - Game 12 Loser vs. Game 12 Winner (if necessary) - 4 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. - Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Sunday, May 29
Game 15 - Championship Game - 5 p.m. – ESPNU
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