in da park

Houston Astros and rap star 50 Cent play ball with spirited new liquor partnership at Minute Maid Park

50 Cent is bringing his cognac and Champagne to Astros games.

50 Cent/Twitter

Rap star 50 Cent continues to make a splash in his adopted hometown of Houston. The hip-hop legend (née, Curtis Jackson) has partnered with the Houston Astros to bring his Sire Spirits brand to Minute Maid Park.

The partnership will feature two of Sire Spirits brands, Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne, in a variety of ways. They include:

Branson Cognac is now the “Official Cognac of the Houston Astros.”
Le Chemin du Roi is now the “Official Premium Champagne of the Houston Astros.”
In 2023, the bar on Minute Maid Park’s club level will be the “Sire Spirits Bar.”

“The Astros are proud to partner with Curtis and his team to offer Sire Spirits to our fans visiting Minute Maid Park,” Astros vice president Jeff Stewart said in a statement. “Both organizations share a common goal of giving back to our community, so teaming up with Curtis’ spirit company and charity to invest in the City of Houston just made sense. We are excited for this partnership, and I look forward to visiting the rebranded Club Level Bar next season.”

Additionally, baseball fans will find cocktails made with Sire Spirits throughout the park. The brand will also have a suite at the stadium that will be available for either 50 Cent’s personal use, for special promotions with fans, or for activities associated with his charity, The G-Unity Foundation.

Beyond better booze at Minute Maid, the partnership also includes a relationship between the G-Unit Foundation and the Astros Foundation. They include forming a program to teach teenagers leadership skills and foster character development. Plans also include a golf tournament, a wine dinner at Potente, Astros owner Jim Crane’s luxurious Italian restaurant, and making G-Unit the beneficiary of two of the 50/50 charity raffles held during Astros games.

“I am especially proud and excited about our first Major League Baseball deal with the Astros,” 50 Cent added. “We share the same philosophy of conscious capitalism. I look forward to providing the opportunity for at-risk teens to experience the excitement of attending a baseball game in a luxury suite setting at Minute Maid Park.”

Known simply as "50" or "Fiddy," the an award-winning musician, author, and entrepreneur, has been very active around the Bayou City. Since moving here last year, he’s been one of the top bidders at the RodeoHouston wine auction and established spirits deals with all three of Houston’s major franchises.

Even more importantly, he donated $600,000 to foster entrepreneurship at three Houston high schools. The G-Unity Business Lab encourages students to engage in MBA-level lessons that represent the full lifecycle of a product or concept, from idea creation, to market branding, to even running a company.

celebrities houston-astros

pucker up

Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.

Photo courtesy of The Picklr

A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

“Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

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