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    Houston hockey

    Drop the puck: With Fertitta's purchase of the Rockets, the NHL in Houston makes perfect sense

    Fred Faour
    Oct 11, 2017 | 3:52 pm
    hockey, Las Vegas NHL team, Vegas Golden Knights
    Las Vegas made its debut in the NHL. Will Houston be next?
    Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

    The Billion Dollar Buyer spent more than $2 billion to get the Houston Rockets. Tilman Fertitta's purchase of the team was officially announced on Tuesday, and Rockets fans are excited — as they should be — about the new ownership.

     

    Fans of hockey in Houston should be thrilled as well. Fertitta and Rockets CEO Tad Brown addressed the possibility of an NHL team at his introductory press conference.

     

    “We’ve looked at many NHL teams over the years. It wasn’t a matter of not wanting to bring someone in, whether they be a tenant or not, it’s just that the deals didn’t work," Brown said. “Tilman and I have talked about a number of different things. There’s optionality going forward with things that he wants to look at. And we’re going to look at everything that makes sense for this building, for his companies, and for the city of Houston."

     

    “You’ve got to pay attention to the numbers," Fertitta said. "I would put an NHL team here tomorrow, but this one (the Rockets) has got to work. Do I want to see Toyota Center filled up 300 nights a year? Definitely. We’ll do whatever we can do, but it’s got to make sense. But will we be aggressive? Yes, that’s my nature.”

     

    Former Rockets owner Les Alexander tried several times in the late '90s to bring in a team, but it never came to fruition. More recently, he lost interest and in fact hindered the sport in the city, essentially chasing away the AHL Aeros. His stranglehold on the Toyota Center made it impossible for another owner to bring in a franchise.

     

    But with Fertitta now in charge, there are plenty reasons why the NHL needs to be here. Houston is by far the largest city in the U.S. or Canada without an NHL team. Before you say hockey would not work in H-Town, consider these positives:

     

    1) By 2020, Houston is expected to surpass Chicago as the third largest city in America. It is roughly the size of Toronto and continues to grow each year. It recently became the No. 7 media market and continues to move up those rankings, too. It was No. 11 just a few short years ago.

     

    2) Many of the people moving here are from the Midwest and other hockey hotbeds. It is the most diverse city in the country.

     

    3) It is a very transient place. A good majority of the population is from elsewhere and those numbers only continue to increase. There is also a huge contingent of Canadians, many from Alberta due to the oil business. And we all know Canadians love hockey.

     

    4) The fast-growing east downtown area — walking distance from Toyota Center — is a big draw for incoming Houstonians, and new homes are going up in the area almost daily.

     

    5) Before the Aeros left, hockey was exploding on the youth level, with several rinks popping up around the city. When the team made the Calder Cup Finals, it packed Toyota Center.

     

    The negatives:

     

    1) Houston is so spread out, and many people live in the 'burbs. When the Astros and Rockets are struggling, people are less likely to make the trip downtown or stay after work. It's also a front-running city. When teams win, people get behind them. When they lose? Empty seats. That has been consistent with Houston fans and teams for years.

     

    2) While there are a lot of hockey fans in the the Bayou City — more than enough to fill Toyota Center nightly — they are Blackhawks fans, Flames fans, Oilers fans, Rangers fans, Red Wings fans, Leafs fans ... would they go to see a Houston team?

     

    3) The NHL might not appreciate the gold mine that is sitting here. In 2007, as part of a group of sports editors who met with league commissioners, I asked Gary Bettman, commissioner of the NHL, point blank why Houston was not on the league's radar. He gave a smarmy non-answer and insinuated the NHL already had the Texas market thanks to the Stars. I don't need to state what a silly concept that is.

     

    But that's it. The positives win.

     

    Besides, the NHL needs a market like Houston to grow its product. The diversity here could help the league tap into demographics where it has little foothold. It would bring in east Texas and western Louisiana as well.

     

    And rest assured, the NHL also needs owners like Fertitta, a high-profile reality TV star who is media savvy. He helped lead UH's bid to get into the Big 12, and while that failed, the university is well-positioned to do great things athletically in the future. He will do the same for the Rockets.

     

    And hopefully soon, an NHL team.

     

    There are struggling franchises who would thrive in Houston — Carolina and Arizona come to mind. (Although the Phoenix area is a good market; the team needs to be somewhere other than Glendale, and sort out its arena issues).

     

    The Dallas Stars have been successful, so hockey can work in Texas, although Dallas is a better sports city than Houston. Seattle is the main destination often mentioned for the NHL, but a viable arena remains years away. Toyota Center is still state-of-the-art and ready for business right now.

     

    So the whole thing makes too much sense.

     

    Of course, this comes with a disclaimer: I am a rarity in the city, a native Houstonian who actually grew up a hockey fan. My father worked at the Houston Chronicle and took me to all the home games when the old Aeros with Gordie, Mark and Marty Howe were prowling Sam Houston Coliseum. (As an aside, I was too young to appreciate it, but I met the Howes several times).

     

    In 1996 I attended a game at old Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, fell in love with the place and the fans, and became a huge Leafs fan myself, which I have remained to this day. (And yes, it has been painful until the last two years).

     

    I had ticket packages for the more recent incarnation of the Aeros when they were a Minnesota Wild affiliate. I am married to a Canadian, spend a few weeks a year in that country, and have spent many nights at the Maple Leaf Pub watching hockey, so I am familiar with the culture and desperately want a team here.

     

    Having said that, there are more of me out there. More than enough to support an NHL team.

     

    And with Fertitta in charge, it all makes perfect sense.

     

    -----------

     

     This story originally appeared on SportsMap, where Fred Faour is editor-in-chief.

     
    sports
    news/sports

    16,000 amateur athletes coming to Houston for Junior Olympic Games

    Jef Rouner
    Jun 30, 2025 | 9:45 am
    A boy in a gi breaks a stack of boards in a sports arena
    Photo courtesy of Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
    Taekwondo is just one of the events showcased at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic Games

    The finest young athletes in the nation will be heading to Houston for 12 days of intense competition as the city hosts the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic Games for the fourth time.

    “We’re very excited to once again welcome the country’s best competitors and their families to Houston for the 2025 AAU Junior Olympic Games,” Harris County - Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA) CEO Ryan Walsh said in a statement. “The AAU has a long history of producing some of the most renowned athletes in the country, and we look forward to seeing the next generation of talent compete in this year’s events. It’s an honor to bring the AAU Junior Olympic Games back to our city.”

    Competition will take place July 22 - August 2.

    Founded in 1888, the AAU is the largest nonprofit youth multi-sports organization in the United States, and its Junior Olympic Games is the largest multi-sport youth event, featuring 16,000 athletes in this year's games. Previously, it was the primary feeder program for the International Olympic Games, and to this day many Olympic luminaries are AAU alumni. These include Houston's own gymnast Simone Biles, Dallas track star Sha’Carri Richardson, swimmer Katie Ledecky, and beach volleyball player Sara Hughes.

    The schedule for the AAU Junior Olympics is as follows..

    • Swimming: Tuesday, July 22 - Sunday, July 27 at the Cy-Fair Natatorium
    • Indoor Sports: Wednesday, July 23 - Wednesday, July 30 at the George R. Brown Convention Center
      • Baton Twirling, Dance, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, Jump Rope, Karate, Taekwondo, Trampoline & Tumbling, Sports Stacking and Wrestling
    • Flag Football: Thursday, July 24 - Sunday, July 27 at Rice Stadium
    • Track & Field/Multi-Events: Saturday, July 26 - Saturday, August 2 at Turner Stadium
    • Field Hockey: Monday, July 28 - Thursday, July 31 at Episcopal High School
    One notable aspect of Houston hosting is that the city is on track to be the second-most used home for the games. With Houston slated to also host in 2027 and 2031, the Bayou City will trail only Des Moines, IA.

    “We are so excited to bring our premier event back to Houston,” AAU President Jo Mirza said. “The AAU Junior Olympic Games bring together athletes from all corners of the country and all walks of life to showcase their skills on a national stage. Harris County Houston Sports Authority has been an invaluable partner in helping us create such a successful event for these athletes and attendees.”

    Tickets and more information can be found at HoustonSports.org.

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