The second Big League Weekend kicked off Friday night at the Alamodome and local fans are hoping MLB will find a permanent home in San Antonio.
Fans enjoyed pregame celebrations along the River Walk before taking the long walk to the Alamodome to watch the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros square off in the first of two exhibition games Friday night.
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"I've never been to one here so it's exciting that it's here," said Ana Smith, a Rangers fan who went to the game with her boyfriend.
"It's great because it's right in our backyard," added her boyfriend Tyler Rojas. "It'd be awesome if it was a lot closer."
The game, part of the second Big League Weekend at the Alamodome, drew fans from a lot further than the county line.
"I drove approximately 150 miles from Eagle Pass," said Hugo Zapata who attended the game with his children.
Eight years ago some county officials, including Judge Nelson Wolff, tried to lure the Florida Marlins to the city, but lack of stadium funding and market size doomed that effort. Local fans believe the time is right to try again.
"With the Spurs family that we have here in San Antonio, it would be great to have a baseball team," said Rojas.
"Definitely," added Zapata. "There's nothing like watching a major league baseball game regardless of whether it's your favorite team or not."
Last fall officials agreed to extend the event through 2015 with an option to add two more years. Next year's match-up has not been announced.