Welcome to Riders Field, nestled in the suburban Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and steeped in Texas history.
Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers Double-A Affiliate since 2003)
Established: 2000
Baseball Stadium: Riders Field (opened 2003)
League: Double-A Central, South Division
Notable alumni: Hunter Pence, Joey Gallo, Chris Young, Elvis Andrus, CJ Wilson
Championships: 2004 (in the Texas League)
The Frisco RoughRiders, based just north of Dallas, were members of the Double-A Texas League from 2003 to 2020 before joining Double-A Central after the Minor League realignment. The team debuted in 2003, after the Texas League’s Shreveport SwampDragons were purchased by Mandalay Entertainment in connection with Tom Hicks. The team then moved to North Texas to play at the new Dr Pepper Ballpark, as an affiliate of the Texas Rangers. This partnership continues to this day.
The RoughRiders were named after the first American volunteer cavalry regiment during the Spanish-American War, which was the glory of future President Theodore Roosevelt. The regiment is nicknamed “The Rough Riders” by the American press.
field of riders
Google Maps
List of Frisco RoughRiders
Frisco RoughRiders Calendar
Roughriders Trail 7300
Frisco, TX
(972) 731-9200
Capacity: 10,216 (7,748 seats)
Dimensions: left field: 335 feet; Center field: 409 feet; Right field: 335 feet
At the time of its opening, the Frisco Ballpark was designed as the anchor of a 74-acre, $300 million development project near the intersection of State Highway 121 and Dallas North Tollway, funded by the city and the Southwest Sports Group.
Since its debut in 2003, Riders Field – formerly known as Dr Pepper Ballpark – has undergone extensive renovations. In 2015, under the ownership of the Greenberg Sports Group, the ballpark benefited from a new outfield video board, an improved audio system and a revamped team store (among myriad other improvements).
Riders Field’s original architect, David M. Schwarz, partnered with Dallas-based architecture firm HKS to create a “park within a ballpark.” The pavilions that surround the halls lend a majestic “Coastal Galveston aesthetic” to the entire stadium.
Characteristics
A year after the Greenberg Sports Group completed its first round of renovations, the RoughRiders announced the addition of the famous lazy river to replace the pool beyond the right field wall. The Lazy River, the first of its kind at a sports venue, spans over 3,000 square feet and offers 360-degree views of the entire stadium. Including the CoServ Cabana, which serves alcoholic beverages, the area around the lazy river includes more than 12,000 square feet of the ballpark.
The lazy river is 174 feet long – bigger than an Olympic-sized swimming pool – and holds over 68,000 gallons of water. When it opened in 2016, Dallas Mavericks Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki was the first person to take the plunge.
The Lazy River is open to groups of 25-200 people for all home games except Thursdays and Sundays. On Thursdays, the Lazy River is for adults only 21+ for Party @ The Yard. On Sundays, any fan with a ticket for a game can access the Lazy River.
Riders Field also includes 26 luxury suites. The lifters are located under the seat pan.
Concessions
If there’s one thing Texas is known for, it’s barbecue. This is no exception at Riders Field, which has a barbecue patio located behind right field.
Other than that, Riders Field is packed with staples like hot dogs, burgers, popcorn, and peanuts, as well as some local options. Specialty concessions include a Philly cheesesteak at Steakadelphia, Texas State Fair vibes at Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, and Funnel Cakes and Brewhouse BBQ for traditional Texas barbecue.
The RoughRiders also joined the beer bat infatuation. The baseball bat-shaped beer mug took over the minor leagues last season and Frisco couldn’t afford to miss it.
Mascots
The RoughRiders actually have four mascots: prairie dogs Deuce and Daisy, Bull Moose, and Ted E. Bear (a Roosevelt-like teddy bear in military uniform with the real RoughRiders).
More importantly, the RoughRiders also have Brooks the Bat Dog, who wasn’t very good at his job a few years ago.
Local Attractions
Well, the Texas Rangers. Frisco has the pleasure of being just north of Dallas; Riders Field is just 35 miles from the Rangers’ big league home ground, Globe Life Field in Arlington, and the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. Elsewhere in the Metroplex is Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington and the stockyards in Fort Worth if you’re down for a bit of a drive.
If you’re looking to stay in Frisco itself, there’s also no shortage of Things to do.
The Star is the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys. The destination allows fans to “connect with the team in ways they never imagined” according to its website. The Star offers VIP guided tours that include the Cowboys indoor training facility, the team’s war room, a Super Bowl Memorabilia station and more.
For football fans, FC Dallas of MLS and its home, Toyota Stadium, is also located in Frisco, as is the National Football Hall of Fame.
Finally, for those looking for arts and culture, there are a number of museums throughout the city, including the Texas Sculpture Gardenthe Frisco Heritage Museumthe American Railroad Museum and the National Video Game Museum.
The Texas Sculpture Garden, located in Frisco.
Food and drink
Again, you can’t get better than the Metroplex. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is full of quality foods of all kinds, from barbecue to tex-mex and everything in between.
There are a number of local restaurants in the Frisco area that will no doubt keep you in town.
Restaurant Kenny’s Burger is a great place for, you guessed it, a burger. They have locations in Frisco and Plano and all the burgers are made on a wood fire grill. CasaMia Mexican Restaurant and Bar is everything you would expect from an authentic Mexican restaurant in Texas and offers your choice of tacos, enchiladas and fajitas. For any variety of Texas barbecue, check out BBQ Hutchins, tender smoker Where Hard Eight Pit.
And for sweets or a good dessert before going to bed, the Cookie Company is a gourmet bakery that offers both in-store pickup and national online delivery.
Accommodation
You will have no trouble finding hotels or Airbnbs to stay in Dallas-Fort Worth. Although it’s cheaper to stay in Frisco than in Dallas itself, you’d be closer to more fun and entertainment after a day at the stadium with a stay downtown.
To move on
Texas is full of Minor League teams, including seven statewide. The Rangers’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates (Frisco and the Round Rock Express) are located in the Lone Star State, along with the Astros with Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land.
Add in the Double-A Midland RockHounds (A’s) and Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles (D-backs) and you have the makings of a solid Minor League road trip.
The Arlington Road
The four teams in the Texas Rangers system are split between two states. The route begins with Low-A Down East and High-A Hickory in North Carolina before arriving at Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock in Texas.
Low-A: Down East Wood Ducks (Kinston, North Carolina)
High-A: Hickory Crawdads (Hickory, North Carolina)
Double A: Frisco Rough Riders (Frisco, TX)
Triple-A: Round Rock Express (Round Rock, TX)
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