Still AL resistant

Jim Crane: "There was no National League deal to be made"; any new owner wouldbe forced to move

Jim Crane with his wife Franci at Minute Maid Park
Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchlightGroup.com

When Jim Crane took the podium for the first time as the baseball-approved new owner of the Houston Astros, it quickly became apparent that he wanted to make one thing clear. Forget the usual new sports owner bouquets of this being "probably the biggest day of my life." Crane would say that, but later — away from the stage and almost as an afterthought.

No, this point was bigger than that. Bigger than him.

"We certainly wanted to own a National League team," Crane said at Minute Maid Park Thursday afternoon. "But that wasn't going to happen. This was an AL deal and we got an AL deal done."

Later on the side, Crane emphasized it again. "There was no National League deal to be made."

Crane is so determined to make sure that Astros fans know that he is not behind the team switching leagues that he insisted that the compensation paid by Major League Baseball go directly to exiting owner Drayton McLane rather than Crane's new ownership. Instead, Crane and his group renegotiated the purchase price of the Astros from the $680 million they were willing to pay for a NL team in Houston to $610 million for the AL team in Houston the Astros are to become, starting in 2013.

"You can make a lot of arguments that the AL won't be that bad," Jim Crane said.

Baseball is making up the difference in the purchase price to McLane, much like it does in its revenue sharing for small-market teams.

After going through an arduous approval process, Crane wasn't about to sugarcoat his feelings on the league switch. As CultureMap first reported back on June 11, Crane opposed moving the Astros to the American League from the very beginning. He hated the idea as soon it was brought up. In the end, he and his partners decided to accept the league switch rather than walking away as their contract with McLane allowed.

"We could have left the team in limbo," Crane said. "But we didn't feel that was right for the city of Houston or the Astros either."

Crane says that MLB commissioner Bud Selig made it clear to him that whoever the new owner of Astros ended up being would end up controlling an AL rather than an NL team. Whether that owner happened to be Jim Crane or the next guy McLane convinced to buy the team.

Still, now that Houston is AL bound, Crane hopes that Astros fans will try and make the best of it.

"You can make a lot of arguments that the AL won't be that bad," Crane said.

Yes, even now that he's officially approved as the new owner a tepid not "that bad" is about the best endorsement Crane is willing to give the league switch. You have to appreciate the honesty.

The actual closing of the sale is expected to happen on Tuesday with Crane cracking, "Drayton will probably need a Brink's Truck when we're finished paying him off."

For much more from Minute Maid Park, check back on CultureMap.

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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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