Standing-room-only watch parties

Houston becomes a hidden hotbed of Kansas Final Four fever: From Marcus Morristo MD Anderson doc, ties abound

A full crowd at Coaches Pub in Midtown for the Final Four game does thetraditional University of Kansas chants.
Marcus Morris, middle — a former KU player and now a Houston Rocket — came outfor the watch party,
Shannon McNeal, left, with fellow KU graduates, after the comeback win againstOhio State in the national semifinals.

Houston may not be in Kansas, but step into Coaches Pub in Midtown on any given game night and you may be surprised. On Monday night — the night of the national championship game between Kansas and Kentucky — you'll be overwhelmed.

By Jayhawks.

Coaches has been deemed the official watch bar for the University of Kansas Alumni Association's Houston Chapter; a dedicated place where die-hard Jayhawks fans can meet up, make friends and — most importantly — watch basketball.

"We eat, breathe and sleep Jayhawk basketball," Shannon McNeal, a '10 KU grad who arrived in Houston last March, told CultureMap.

McNeal watches nearly every game at Coaches alongside alumni ranging from recent graduates to 65-year-old veterans.

"I really didn't expect them to get this far, since they lost a whole lot [of players] from the team last year," Pugh said.

During the regular season, the crowd at Coaches is comprised of about 50 regulars who celebrate in much the same way as fans do inside of Allen Fieldhouse back in Lawrence — decked out in red and blue, chanting, cheering and "waving the wheat."

"No one really expected this," McNeal said of the Jayhawks run to the Final Four. Though Kansas won the championship against Memphis (and current Kentucky coach John Calipari) in 2008, most fans thought that this year's squad was still a "developing team."

So thought Dr. T.J. Pugh, assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, who played forward for Kansas in four NCAA Tournaments (1995 through 1999).

"I really didn't expect them to get this far, since they lost a whole lot [of players] from the team last year," Pugh said. "But I know the Jayhawk team culture, and I'm sure they fully expected to win the conference and do well in the tournament.

"They probably didn't think they'd be competing for the championship tonight, though."

As the Jayhawks have advanced in the bracket, watch party attendance has grown. Houston Rockets forward Marcus Morris — the star of last year's much more hyped Jayhawks team that lost in the Elite Eight to underdog VCU — stopped by Coaches for the Sweet 16 game against North Carolina.

This past Saturday, for the comeback semifinal win over Ohio State, Houston's resident Jayhawks came out of the woodwork to support their alma mater. The crowd was standing-room-only, shoulder-to-shoulder.

When the national championship tips at 8:23 p.m. Monday, you can expect more of the same.

unspecified

chill out

Houston Astros ballpark gets cool new name for the next 15 years

Courtesy of the Houston Astros

The Astros' stadium will have a new name in 2025.

The Houston Astros are about to have the coolest ballpark in Major League Baseball. The team announced on Monday, November 18 that its has reached a naming rights agreement HVAC manufacturer Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

Beginning on January 1, 2025, the stadium will be known as Daikin Park (die-kin). Scheduled to run through the 2039 season, the new name replaces Minute Maid Park, which has been the stadium’s name since 2002. It opened in 1999 as Enron Field.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Houston Astros (@astros)

Astros fans online are already calling the new stadium “The Ice Box,” replacing its informal “The Juice Box” moniker. That name feels likely to stick.

Japan-based Daikin Industries is a leading manufacturer of HVAC systems. It sells air conditioning units and other products under brand names such as Daikin, Goodman, Amana® and Quietflex. Critically, it operates Daikin Texas Technology Park in nearby Waller, which is the largest HVAC manufacturing facility in North America. The company employs approximately 10,000 people in Greater Houston, according to a release.

“We are excited to be partnering with Daikin for our ballpark’s naming rights,” Astros owner Jim said. “Daikin is an international company that proudly calls the Greater Houston area its North American home. The Houston Astros and Daikin share the same values, a commitment to excellence and a desire to give back to our local community. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of this ballpark in 2025, I am proud to have Daikin alongside us to create even more special memories for our fans now and in the future.”

The Astros will use the revenue for new stadium amenities and other upgrades. It will also continue the team’s various community initiatives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. the Houston Chronicle notes that naming rights deals may be worth anywhere from $3.5 million per year (T-Mobile park in Seattle) to $11 million per year for the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field.

The team’s first game in Daikin Park will take place on Monday, March 24, which it plays an exhibition against its Triple-A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. It will open the regular season on Thursday, March 27 against the New York Mets.

“Daikin fit all of the criteria we set out to find in a naming rights partner,” Astros senior vice president Matt Brand added. “Their name and reputation fit our iconic downtown Houston home, and their values mesh perfectly with those of the Astros. We are grateful to partner with the entire Daikin team and to help them succeed in their business goals. Daikin Park will be a special place for our fans for many years to come.”

houston astros daikin park business