Texas Rangers Baseball
Feb 06, 2020
Rob Matwick, Executive VP Business Operations
Texas Rangers Baseball

Rob Matwick has been part of the Rangers organization since June 2008 when he joined the team as Executive Vice President, Ballpark Operations. In 2014, he was promoted to his current role as Executive Vice President, Business Operations.

Matwick has been the organization’s primary liaison with the City of Arlington on the construction of Globe Life Field. He worked on the club’s negotiation of a Master Agreement announced in May of 2016, which authorized the City to call a bond election in November of that year. In advance of the election, Rob worked on the “Vote Yes!” campaign, which resulted in Arlington residents approving the ballot language by a 60-40 margin. The citizen approval allowed the Rangers and City to move forward on the ballpark project, and to extend the lease agreement between the partners until January 1, 2054.

Beginning in 2014, Matwick led the team in discussions with The Cordish Companies, a world class development firm based in Baltimore, which is widely considered the country’s leading developer of mixed use/entertainment developments. By the close of 2015, the Rangers, Cordish Companies and City of Arlington reached agreement on a $250 million dollar public-private partnership which led to the successful opening of Texas Live! in August of 2018, and the Live! by Loews Hotel in August of 2019. Most recently, Rob worked with the City and the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce on the successful campaign which will bring the National Medal of Honor Museum to the Entertainment District in 2024.

Matwick serves on the Advisory Board for the Texas Rangers Foundation, the Board of Directors for the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Arlington Entertainment Area Management District. He is also an active member of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) and the Stadium Manager’s Association (SMA).

Rob is in his 35th season in major league baseball. Prior to returning to the state of Texas, he was named Vice President of Communications for the Detroit Tigers in January of 2007. The following year, he added oversight of the ticket sales department for the Tigers and oversaw both areas until joining the Rangers in June 2008.

Previously, Matwick spent more than 21 years with the Houston Astros, where he worked in the roles of Director of Media Relations (1985-99), VP of Operations and Communications (1999-2000), and Senior VP of Ballpark Operations and Customer Service (2001-06). He was instrumental in many aspects of the construction of Minute Maid Park and oversaw all aspects of ballpark operations after the facility opened in 2000.

Matwick was recognized by Major League Baseball with the Robert O. Fishel Award for Public Relations Excellence in 2001, was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, and in 2012 was named MLB Professional of the Year by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security.

Prior to beginning his baseball career, Rob served as Sports Information Director at Wichita State University and worked in the sports information department at the University of South Carolina. He was also a sportswriter for the Aiken (SC) Standard.

A native of McKeesport, PA, he earned a bachelor of arts in English from the University of South Carolina at Aiken, where he was also senior captain of the men’s basketball team. He earned his master of mass communication degree from the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Rob and his wife Kelly have a daughter, Mackenzie, and reside in Southlake.