HOUSTON | Sports Teams/Events/Venues Thread

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For the Houston Astros, winning costs more than the MLB average this season

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Jul 12, 2023
Updated Jul 12, 2023 5:21pm CDT


The amount MLB teams have paid for each of their wins through the first part of the 2023 season has varied significantly, with millions of dollars separating the highest and lowest costs per win.

Through the MLB All-Star break — just past the halfway point in the league’s 162-game season — the Houston Astros have a 50-41 record, in prime position for a playoff berth for the seventh-straight season. To get there, the team is shelling out a 2023 payroll of $191.46 million, 10th-highest in the league, according to sports contract tracker Sportrac.

That means through early July, the Astros have spent nearly $3.83 million for each of the team's 50 wins. Houston’s cost per win is the 12th-highest in the MLB, and it's only slightly more than the league average of $3.61 million.

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Houston hosting Mexican soccer match El Clásico Regio this fall

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Jul 18, 2023

It’s the summer — and fall — of soccer in Houston as yet another major international match is coming to the Bayou City this year.

El Clásico Regio, the matchup between crosstown rivals Club de Futbol Monterrey and Club Tigres in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, is coming to the U.S. annually starting in 2023, Los Angeles-based sports marketing agency Primetime Sports & Entertainment said July 18. Houston will host the match for the first time as a stand-alone event on Oct. 14 at Shell Energy Stadium.

El Clásico Regio has been played in the U.S. three times, most recently in 2010 at the University of Houston's former Robertson Stadium as part of the now defunct InterLiga tournament.

The event will include various activities leading up to the match, such as a charity event, fan festival featuring team legend appearances, mascots, trophies and celebrities, and musical performances.

“With a substantial population of Mexican-Americans hailing from Monterrey in Texas, the state is definitely a big option to come back to,” said Fernando Orvañanos, partner of Primetime Sports & Entertainment. “The clubs regularly play in the state and do very well with attendance.”

Tigres and CF Monterrey have competed over 100 times since their first Clásico Regio match in 1974. The two clubs compete in Liga MX, the top professional soccer division in Mexico. They are two of the most valuable clubs in the league, worth $75.33 million and $74.88 million, No. 3 and No. 4 in Liga MX, respectively, according to soccer information website Transfermarkt.

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NRG Park needed millions in upgrades. It got the financing from an unusual source

By Chris Smith – Sports Business Journal
Jul 18, 2023

As Houston’s NRG Park neared its 20th anniversary last year, it had become apparent that the 350-acre sports and entertainment complex was in need of an overhaul. Its four facilities, which include NRG Stadium, site of this year’s NCAA men’s Final Four and the home of the Houston Texans, and the historic but currently unused Astrodome, needed upgrades to lighting, water and HVAC systems, as well as those controlling building automation and fire and life safety. Those are critical components for a set of facilities that host more than 5.5 million visitors per year, and yet it was unclear how the upgrades would be paid for.

“Anybody who runs a stadium and says they have enough money to run the stadium and do what they want is full of crap,” said NRG Park CEO Ryan Walsh. “These are very important infrastructure needs that we had, coming up on the 20 years, and we didn’t really have a funding mechanism. And the county certainly wasn’t just going to give us money.”

Walsh ultimately turned to Johnson Controls International, the building technology and services company that was managing NRG Park’s chillers and boilers. Not only could JCI provide the necessary facility upgrades, but it would also finance the $34 million project while guaranteeing cost savings of $54 million across the next 20 years. The partnership would effectively cover upgrade expenses and the cost of capital while ultimately leaving Harris County, which owns NRG Park, with a financial surplus. It blew away any competing financing options.

“Even the county, who has a really great buying power on the market, they were looking at 3% to 4% on the return,” said Walsh. “Over the life of 20 years, that’s tens of millions of dollars, almost, from the standpoint of looking at cost savings. So for us this was an absolute no-brainer, when it’s essentially 0% interest for all intents and purposes, and you still are able to put back into the coffers at the end of the project.”

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How hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup will be different from recent soccer matches in Houston

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Jul 28, 2023

Houston has hosted seven international soccer matches over the span of a month this summer, which will help the city as it prepares for the 2026 World Cup and shows just how far the sport has come locally.

Houston was the only city with two venues selected to host matches for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. NRG Stadium hosted a June 25 doubleheader, which had 66,255 attendees, while Shell Energy Stadium hosted two doubleheaders on July 1 and July 4, which saw 19,766 and 20,002 attendees, respectively. The matches generated an estimated economic impact of $18.6 million.

On July 26, NRG Stadium hosted a matchup between Manchester United and Real Madrid FC, two of the most well-known soccer clubs in the world, and 67,801 fans packed the venue to catch their first-ever matchup in Houston.

“We've hosted wonderful events like this in our city in the past, and it seems like these last two events stood up to the high standards that have been set in previous years,” said Chris Canetti, president of Houston's 2026 World Cup Bid Committee.

From a logistical standpoint, Canetti said hosting these recent matches prepares the city to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, though there are some key differences. In the past, matches like these have been promoted and managed by local entities like the Houston Dynamo Football Club and Lone Star Sports and Entertainment. However, when the World Cup comes, FIFA will have the ultimate authority.

There are many differences between running local events and running the World Cup because of the sway that FIFA has in setting the standards for the tournament, Canetti said. For example, the safety perimeters set around stadiums and protocols regarding teams and the media will be different during the World Cup than they were for the recent matches.

“The challenge going forward is that a World Cup is run quite differently than how (the Manchester United and Real Madrid match) was run,” Canetti said. “While we're very experienced in putting on major soccer matches here in Houston, the difference of what's to come in 2026 is going to be significant.”

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Free concerts, fan festival among events for 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship in Houston

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Aug 17, 2023

When the College Football Playoff National Championship game comes to Houston for the first time in January 2024, fans and local residents can expect a series of ancillary events leading up to the game.

The CFP and Houston host committee unveiled a weekend full of events that will take place before college football’s premier matchup at NRG Stadium on Jan. 8, 2024. Activities include a fan festival, three-day concert series, 5K and 10K races, and an event featuring food and drinks prepared by local chefs.

The goal for the game itself is to prioritize the two fanbases of the teams that make it to the championship game, CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock said at a press conference in Houston Aug. 17. Each participating college will get 20,000 tickets that they can give out to students, alumni and fans, with the remaining tickets open to everyone. The ancillary events give visitors to Houston more ways to get involved in the event, but it also gives any local resident who may not have a ticket to the game an opportunity to engage with it.

Houstonians can also get involved with the championship game through volunteering, said Chris Massey, vice president of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority and president of the host committee. HCHSA has created about 2,000 volunteer shifts for local residents to get involved in the game and events leading up to it, and that number will continue to grow as the CFP and local host committee create more programming.

“We know that the event can be so much more to our community (than just a game),” Massey said. “Not everyone is a college football fan, and even if they are, there’s other things that enrich their lives here locally, whether that's art and entertainment or the great food culture. When we think of the event as a whole, championship weekend offers all of those things.”

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Stadium construction roundup: Latest projects completed, upcoming for Houston sports teams

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Aug 18, 2023

As Houston puts itself on the map as a sports destination, its stadiums and venues are being upgraded to look the part.

Whether it's updating older venues to stay modern, enhancing experiences at newer stadiums or building brand-new facilities, local professional sports teams and colleges have been pouring money into construction projects. Here are some of the latest projects that have recently been completed or are coming soon.

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Houston Dynamo Football Club, ConocoPhillips reveal new partnership

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Aug 22, 2023

The Houston Dynamo Football Club and a major Houston-based oil and gas company signed a partnership deal to promote science, technology, engineering and math education in the local area.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) will become an official partner of both the Houston Dynamo FC and Houston Dash, the local Major League Soccer and National Women’s Soccer League franchises, the club said Aug. 22. The agreement will expand the club's efforts to promote STEM education in the region. Since 2019, HDFC has worked with six different school districts and more than 10,000 students in the Houston area.

“Our club is thrilled to partner with one of the world’s leading exploration and production companies headquartered in Houston to provide STEM educational opportunities to students across our tremendous city,” HDFC COO Jessica O’Neill said in a press release. “In partnership with ConocoPhillips, both the Dynamo and Dash are proud to support the next generation of STEM professionals with scholarships and educational assets from grade school to high school graduates.”

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‘There’s a new energy’: MLS commissioner impressed with recent Houston Dynamo investments

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Aug 25, 2023

In light of recent investments into Shell Energy Stadium and a new headquarters, Major League Soccer’s commissioner praised the Houston Dynamo Football Club and owner Ted Segal’s efforts to grow the team.

HDFC hosted an open house on Aug. 24 for its new headquarters, located at 413 Bastrop St. in East Downtown, a block north of the club’s stadium. The 26,000-square-foot facility now houses over 100 of the team’s staff — with additional space to add more employees — and features a third-floor event space. MLS Commissioner Don Garber joined HDFC’s top executives for the event.

Garber said he views Houston as one of the most valuable markets for MLS given its diversity and importance to the country overall. He said the league is driven by diversity, making MLS and Houston a natural fit.

“We are the league for a new America, and that new America is right here in Houston,” Garber told the Houston Business Journal. “The energy and the excitement of this neighborhood is perfect for us.”

Garber said that he’s been impressed with the investments Segal has made, which have totaled $27 million over the past 12 months. He considers Shell Energy Stadium one of the best centrally located venues in all of MLS, so he praised Segal for his vision and commitment to improving it. Recent upgrades to the venue include new all-mesh seating, an upgraded club space and new local restaurant partners.

“You get the feeling that there’s a new energy here that is about to explode and take on the opportunity,” Garber told the media at the event.

While much of the conversation about the MLS has been centered on international superstar Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami CF, Garber reminded Houstonians that the Dynamo have a global star of their own. Houston signed Mexican national player Héctor Herrera in 2022 to contract through the 2024 season with an option for 2025. Herrera is the Mexican National Team captain and played for La Liga’s Atlético de Madrid before coming to MLS.

“I said to Ted when he got signed, ‘Finally, he’s wearing one of our jerseys,’” Garber said. “I don’t want to minimize the importance of having a guy like Herrera in this club.”

Segal told the media that it is gratifying to hear the commissioner’s praise about the investments made in the club. The new headquarters was an important next step for the club so that the staff could work where the team plays, he said. HDFC previously occupied 8,000 square feet of space at the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown.

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University of Houston to wear Oilers-like uniforms for Saturday’s football season opener

The Cougars will make their debut as a member of the Big 12 Conference by paying homage to Houston’s football past.

ADAM ZUVANICH | POSTED ONAUGUST 31, 2023, 11:14 AM (LAST UPDATED: AUGUST 31, 2023, 1:09 PM)

The University of Houston is entering a new era for its athletic department by paying tribute to the city's football past.

The Cougars' football team will make its debut as a member of the Big 12 Conference with a home game against UTSA at 6 p.m. Saturday at TDECU Stadium. Houston's players will be wearing special uniforms that resemble those of the Houston Oilers, the city's first professional football franchise that debuted in 1960 and relocated to Tennessee after the 1996 NFL season.

The Coogs will don light blue jerseys with red trim and white numbers and letters, with the word "Houston" across the front and on their helmets, which will be white with blue and red stripes across the crown – much like the helmets worn by the Oilers but without their signature oil derrick logo. The same stripe pattern will be on the players' sleeves as well as the sides of their white pants.

Houston's coaches will be wearing light blue hats during the game, and both end zones at TDECU Stadium will be painted light blue as well.

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Houston Texans see big jump in season ticket sales after offseason moves

The Houston Texans are coming off of their third-straight season finishing near the bottom of the NFL standings, but it appears a series of offseason moves have instilled hope and excitement in the fanbase.

The Texans sold about 8,000 new season tickets for the 2023 campaign, about a 45% increase from last season, Houston Texans President Greg Grissom told the Houston Business Journal. The team also saw about a 91% season ticket renewal rate, a higher figure than the 2022 season’s renewal rate. Additionally, the organization has sold three times as many group tickets year to date than it had this time last year.

The increase in ticket sales follows a busy offseason for Houston. The team hired former Texans player DeMeco Ryans as its new head coach in January and made a splash during April’s draft when the team selected Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. with two of the top three picks in the first round.

“We’re at a focal point of excitement and energy that we haven’t seen in a few years,” Grissom said.

While the ticket sales are encouraging for the organization, Grissom said the challenge now is getting fans with tickets to the stadium. In 2022, the Texans saw an average of 67,911 fans at its home games, which was the 19th-highest average in the league, according to ESPN. However, average attendance was 94.3% of NRG Stadium’s capacity, which ranked the Texans No. 28 out of the 32 NFL teams.

After a 25-9 Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Texans return to NRG Stadium for their home opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 17. Grissom said the game is nearly sold out, another palpable sign that Houston’s fanbase is excited for the season despite the opening day loss. If not to see the team’s young stars and potentially catch Houston’s first win of the season, Grissom said there are many other reasons fans should be excited to come to the game.

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Houston hosted record crowd for El Clásico Regio at Shell Energy Stadium

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Oct 16, 2023

Houston’s latest international soccer match proved to be another success as the game sold out and set records.

El Clásico Regio — the matchup between crosstown rivals Club de Futbol Monterrey and Club Tigres in Nuevo Leon, Mexico — was hosted at Shell Energy Stadium on Oct. 14. It was the rivalry’s fourth game played in the U.S. and attracted 20,230 fans. This was record attendance for Clásico Regio matches in the U.S. and the most fans at Shell Energy Stadium since the venue unveiled renovations earlier this year.

The Oct. 14 match was the first time Clásico Regio was played as a standalone event in the U.S. The game was hosted by Los Angeles-based sports marketing agency Primetime Sports & Entertainment, which plans to bring the game to the U.S. annually.

"It was a historic night for soccer in Houston for the first-ever standalone Clásico Regio,” Primetime President Fernando Orvañanos said in a statement. “The two northern Liga MX giants of Monterrey were ecstatic by the loyal support of their U.S. fan base and the great 'regio' style atmosphere they brought.”

Orvañanos also thanked the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority and the Houston Dynamo for supporting the game.

“The city of Houston was the perfect host for this inaugural event,” he said.

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Forbes: Houston Rockets’ value sees double digit increase, moves up on most valuable NBA teams ranking

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Oct 30, 2023

The value of the Houston Rockets surged year over year, which is in line with increases other NBA teams have seen since last season, according to Forbes' latest NBA team valuations list.

The Rockets are valued at $4.4 billion, a 38% increase from $3.2 billion last year, according to Forbes’ valuations as of October. Houston’s NBA franchise ranks No. 8 among the most valuable organizations in the league, moving up one spot from No. 9 in the rankings last year. The significant increase follows a leaguewide trend, as the average value of an NBA team increased 35% year over year to $3.85 billion.

The surge in values was driven by multiple majority- and minority-stake sales in the past year. Mat and Justin Ishbia's acquisition of the Phoenix Suns valued the team at $4 billion, Rick Schnall's and Gabe Plotkin's deal for the Charlotte Hornets valued the team at $3 billion, and Jimmy and Dee Haslam’s acquisition of a 25% stake in the Milwaukee Bucks valued the team at $3.2 billion.

These three recent deals rank in the top four for all-time NBA sale prices. Tilman Fertitta’s $2.2 billion deal to acquire the Rockets in October 2017 broke the NBA record at the time but now ranks No. 5 on the current list.

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Houston Astros name bench coach Joe Espada as team's new manager

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 13, 2023

Following the retirement of Dusty Baker, the Houston Astros didn’t need to look far for their new manager.

The team named Joe Espada as the new manager during a press conference at Minute Maid Park on Nov. 13. Espada has spent the past six seasons with the organization as the team’s bench coach. A native of Santurce, Puerto Rico, Espada is Houston’s second Latino manager in its history and the 20th manager overall.

“I am humbled by this,” Espada said during the press conference. “This is a dream come true.”

Espada has big shoes to fill as he succeeds Baker, who led the team to three American League West titles, four consecutive American League Championship Series appearances and two World Series berths — including winning the 2022 championship — during his four-year tenure. Baker announced his retirement from the MLB on Oct. 26 after spending 19 years in the league as a player and 26 years as a manager. Espada said it was a great opportunity to have a front-row seat to Baker’s leadership, and it helped him develop as a coach.

“To say that I was the bench coach to a future Hall of Fame manager is incredible,” Espada said.

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Houston Rockets scoring big wins on business development side of organization

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 15, 2023

The Houston Rockets have had a red-hot start to the 2023-24 NBA season — and the team has also had a number of big wins on the business side of the franchise.

From ticket sales to new partnerships, the Rockets are having one of their most successful campaigns since the 2018-19 season. At that time, the team was in the midst of its longest-ever playoff streak and was one year removed from Landry’s CEO Tilman Fertitta purchasing the franchise for $2.2 billion, an NBA record at the time. The team has had a few down seasons since then, but the momentum appears to be shifting as the Rockets have started this season 6-3.

That is paying dividends for the ticketing side of the franchise. Houston has sold out four of its first seven home games, and the team’s season ticket base is up 15% since last year, said Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations. The Rockets also sold out their last preseason game, only the third such time that has happened in Sheirr's more than 20-year tenure with the team.

Additionally, the team has sold out its courtside seats — the first time that’s been done since the 2018-19 season — and its private, all-inclusive Lexus Lounge is at capacity for this season, Sheirr said.

“We felt the momentum building from our fans and from ticket sales,” Sheirr told the Houston Business Journal. “We knew something special was about to happen.”

On the sponsorship side, the Rockets added close to 20 new partners over the summer, the highest since the 2018-19 season, Sheirr said. The team also hired a new chief revenue officer to lead efforts in the sponsorship space as the Rockets — and the NBA — look to expand globally.

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University of Houston breaks ground on $140 million Football Operations Center

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 20, 2023

The University of Houston held a ceremonial groundbreaking for its new Football Operations Center on Nov. 17. Construction on the project is officially set to begin this week.

The $140 million project is one of the cornerstones of the university’s move from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 Conference, which became official on July 1. The new 105,000-square-foot facility will house the university’s football operations, including the team's training space, locker room, health and nutrition space, and staff offices.

The project — officially named the Memorial Hermann Football Operations Center thanks to a 10-year naming rights deal with Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System — is scheduled to open in August 2025, the university said.

"To have an entity as prestigious as Memorial Hermann step up and put their name on a very visible and important component in our Football Operations Center is gratifying and humbling," UH Vice President for Athletics Chris Pezman said in a Nov. 18 press release. "It comes at a great time as we join the Big 12 and break ground on our facility at the end of the 2023 season."

The facility will feature a two story-lobby with the coaches offices on the second floor and athlete spaces on the bottom floor. A new 20,000-square-foot weight room will also be on the second floor. The Football Operations Center will also provide new premium seating options at TDECU, including 14 suites, a 450-seat club section with access to an 11,000-square-foot club, and a 300-seat roof terrace.

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Houston's NRG Stadium selected to host Copa America 2024 soccer tournament

By Olivia Pulsinelli – Assistant managing editor, Houston Business Journal
Dec 5, 2023

Houston is adding another international soccer tournament to its calendar: Copa America 2024.

The South American Football Confederation, known as CONMEBOL for the abbreviation of its Spanish name, announced the 14 sites for the 2024 tournament on Dec. 4. Each venue will hold two to three matches from June 20 to July 14, 2024.

Houston's NRG Stadium will host three matches on June 22, June 24 and July 4, the latter of which will be a quarterfinals game.

Here's the full list of venues hosting matches:

-Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada
-AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
-Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
-Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
-Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
-GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
-Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
-Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
-Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
-MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
-NRG Stadium, Houston
-Q2 Stadium, Austin
-SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
-State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

The tournament will feature the 10 CONMEBOL members, which are all South American national teams, and six members of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, a conference with 41 member nations, including the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The U.S. will also host the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, a women’s national team tournament featuring eight Concacaf teams and four CONMEBOL teams.

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Houston's 2023 TaxAct Texas Bowl to host Texas A&M and Oklahoma State

By Olivia Pulsinelli – Assistant managing editor, Houston Business Journal
Dec 4, 2023

Before Houston hosts the College Football Playoff National Championship in early January, the TaxAct Texas Bowl will be held Dec. 27.

Texas A&M University's Aggies will represent the Southeastern Conference, and Oklahoma State University's Cowboys will represent the Big 12 Conference. The game will begin at 8 p.m. at NRG Stadium and will be available on ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Radio and SportsRadio 610 (KILT-AM).

The most recent matchup between the Aggies and the Cowboys was also in the Texas Bowl back in 2019, when Texas A&M beat Oklahoma State 24-21. That was the Cowboys' first appearance in the Texas Bowl and the Aggies' third. This is the first Texas Bowl either has played in since 2019.

This is the 18th year for the Texas Bowl and its 10th year affiliated with the Big 12 and the SEC. Dallas-based tax filing service provider TaxAct, a business of Blucora Inc. (Nasdaq: BCOR), has been the sponsor since 2021. The bowl is owned by ESPN but is managed locally by Lone Star Sports and Entertainment, an event management company affiliated with the Houston Texans.

Since 2016, the Texas Bowl has had the fifth-highest attendance among all college football bowls, trailing only the Rose, Peach, Fiesta and Orange bowls. The bowl and its Texas Kickoff sister event, an early-season, neutral-site game at NRG Stadium, create an economic impact of close to $80 million annually for the city of Houston. The bowl game's official charitable beneficiary is DePelchin Children’s Center, Houston’s oldest children’s charity. The game has given about $2.3 million to the charity to date.

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Houston is the top destination for traveling baseball team Savannah Bananas’ 2024 tour

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Dec 7, 2023

The Houston Astros are by far the most popular baseball team in Houston, but an out-of-state traveling baseball show is making the case for a close second.

The Savannah Bananas — a nontraditional team based out of Savannah, Georgia, and considered by some to be the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball — will make a stop at Minute Maid Park next year as part of their 2024 tour. When the tour was announced in October, the team set up a lottery system for tickets, which closed on Dec. 1. Team owner Jesse Cole wrote on Instagram that more than 2 million people joined the ticket lottery, and Houston was the most popular city.

There were 158,255 lottery entries for the team’s stop in Houston, nearly quadruple the capacity of Minute Maid Park, which seats 41,000 fans. The 2024 tour is the first time the Savannah Bananas will host games at MLB stadiums, and it's the second time the team is playing in Houston. The team played three games at Constellation Park in Sugar Land in 2023.

“To see numerous cities with over 100,000 people wanting to go, is something we won’t take for granted. We are fired up,” Cole wrote in his Instagram post. “But now we want to make sure these people have the most fun they’ve ever had at a sporting event and want to come back for many years to come.”

The Savannah Bananas’ game at Minute Maid Park on March 9, 2024, will be the team's first-ever game at an MLB stadium. The team will also visit Fenway Park in Boston; Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.; Progressive Field in Cleveland; Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia; and LoanDepot Park in Miami in 2024. The team’s 2024 tour spans 26 cities, with Houston being its only Texas stop.

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Rockets unveil new headquarters, next step in rebuilding a winner

By Jonathan Feigen,
Staff writer
Dec 12, 2023

After years of often painful rebuilding, the Rockets on Tuesday showed off what has been built so far. They were not talking about the team or the improved results.

Rockets management led a tour of the construction for the Memorial Hermann Houston Rockets Training Facility scheduled for completion next summer, a 75,000-square-foot basketball headquarters that franchise owner Tilman Fertitta pledged would give his team “an edge” in a variety of ways.

“It’s going to be brand new, state of the art, just having dual courts, having the outdoor practice facility, the unbelievable weight room, even having the coaches next to the film guys. … We’re just truly excited about it,” Fertitta said. “Our players will be excited about it. This will be a great recruiting tool for free agents to have a facility like that.

“We think we nailed it.”

Fertitta said the project had been delayed in the first years after he bought the Rockets in 2017. He was trying to find a location large enough, then decided to prioritize keeping it close to the center of town. But he added that the timing seemed right with the Rockets a far more competitive team this season after compiling the worst three-year record in the NBA.

“This is the reason we’re doing it after this year — because they didn’t deserve it before,” Fertitta joked. “We always want to make the right decision, just like it took me a couple years to really understand how the team flies and that they needed their own plane and more comfortable seats. We looked at a lot of facilities to see what other ones had.”

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Houston survives XFL-USFL merger; to be part of inaugural UFL

The Roughnecks will be led by head coach Curtis Johnson.

By Jonathan Adams – Managing editor, Houston Business Journal
Jan 2, 2024

The XFL and USFL, which have merged operations and will kick off on March 30 as the United Football League, will launch with eight teams.

Houston will be home to one of the teams in the new spring professional football league. The Roughnecks will be led by head coach Curtis Johnson, who led the USFL's Houston Gamblers to a 5-5 record last year.

The Business Journals reported in November that the two leagues had cleared a major federal hurdle in their quest to play as a united league this spring. It was not yet clear at that point how many of the 16 teams from the two spring professional football leagues would survive that merger.

The UFL will be divided into two conferences and include eight teams initially. The Houston Roughnecks will be part of the USFL Conference, which will also include the Birmingham Stallions, the Memphis Showboats and the Michigan Panthers.

The XFL Conference will include the Arlington Renegades, the D.C. Defenders, the San Antonio Brahmas, and the St. Louis Battlehawks.