Gold diggers

Bring Hope Solo & Co. to Houston! Petition makes a case for a post-gold U.S.soccer team visit

Whether it was Alex Morgan's stunning extra-time header versus Canada in the semifinal or Carli Lloyd's "wonder goal" in the gold-medal game against Japan, the triumph of U.S. women's soccer was one of the great stories of the 2012 Olympic Games.

Now the U.S. women's national team is planning a victory tour series of matches. U.S. Soccer has already announced games in Denver and Carson, Calif., and ticket sales for a Rochester, N.Y, match were halted while officials expand capacity after 11,000 tickets were sold during a pre-sale.

So what could make more sense than to see this in-demand team play at soccer's newest stadium, BBVA Compass?

So what could make more sense than to see this in-demand team play at soccer's newest stadium, BBVA Compass? With at least seven more friendlies planned throughout the fall, there's a movement brewing to bring the team to Houston for the first time in eight years.

Jen Cooper, the host of The Firkin Soccer Show on 1560 The Game, has started an online petition to make Houston a destination for the post-Olympic tour. It reads:

We want the US women's national team to play a match in Houston!

Houston has seen its fair share of Olympic gold medalists, including 1992 boxing gold medal winner Oscar de la Hoya, who's part owner of the Houston Dynamo. So we think it's only fitting that the gold-medal-winning US women's soccer team visit Houston to play a game in BBVA Compass Stadium, home of the Golden Boy's Houston Dynamo.

The US women have not played in Houston since October 2004, so a red, white and blue visit is long overdue.

And for the record, last time the USWNT played in Houston, Abby Wambach scored FIVE goals. Just sayin'.

Do you want Hope Solo, Abby Wambach and company in Houston?

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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.

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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.”

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