take me out to the fan fest

Houston Astros Fan Fest leads off 2024 season with star-studded action

Fans can high 5 super slugger Yordan Alvarez and more stars.

Photo courtesy of Houston Astros

The Houston Astros may be in the midst of the offseason, but the team is already making headlines. In a Major League Baseball splash, the team inked a five-year, $95 million deal with left-handed pitcher Josh Hader, considered the top reliever on the market on Friday, January 19.

Fans can also start planning that trip to sunny West Palm Beach, Florida in February for Spring Training; find the game schedule here and projected roster here (via MLB writer Brian McTaggart).

And on Saturday, January 20 from 11 am to 4 pm, the annual Astros FanFest offers a chance for fans to rub elbows (not too hard, though, Spring Training's coming up) with star players, coaches, staff, lovable mascot Orbit, the Shooting Stars, and more.

The bash includes autograph sessions with current and former players, playing catch in the outfield, taking swings in the Astros batting cages, running the bases, bullpen throwing sessions, photo booths, fan forums with front office staff and current players, and photo opportunities in the dugouts.

Astros Fan Fest Hear from Astros favorites at the Q&A sessions. Photo courtesy of Houston Astros

Note that many activities will require a voucher, found here.

A big moment promises to be the Additionally, the 2024 Astros Hall of Fame class announcement ceremony, happening at 1:30 pm on the field in front of sections 106-107.

As for those players, look for appearances by Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman, Lance McCullers Jr., Jeremy Peña, Ryan Pressly, and Kyle Tucker. Other players stopping by include Hunter Brown, Yainer Diaz, Shawn Dubin, J.P. France, Matt Gage, David Hensley, Corey Julks, Grae Kessinger, Parker Mushinski, and Bennett Sousa.

Catcher Victor Caratini, also newly signed, will also visit the fest.

$Jeremy Pe\u00f1a Astros Fan Fest$ All-heart all star Jeremy Peña will pose with fans. Photo courtesy of Houston Astros

More photo opp moments come with several Astros legends and alumni, including Astros Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell, Larry Dierker and Terry Puhl, as well as Eric Anthony, Jason Castro, Phil Garner, Art Howe, and more.

Team staff appearances include general manager Dana Brown and new manager Joe Espada. For fans who really wanna go inside baseball and talk shop, nine members of Espada's coaching staff will also be on hand: Omar López (bench coach), Alex Cintrón (hitting coach), Troy Snitker (hitting coach), Bill Murphy (pitching coach), Gary Pettis (third base coach), Dave Clark (first base coach), Michael Collins (coach), Jason Bell (quality assurance coach), and Tommy Kawamura (game planning coach).

The always-popular broadcast team will be repped by Todd Kalas, Geoff Blum, Julia Morales, Robert Ford, Steve Sparks, Francisco Romero, Alex Treviño, Brian Bogusevic, Michael Bourn, Kevin Eschenfelder, and Mike Stanton.

Secure a $1 admission voucher here; all activity voucher proceeds benefit the Astros Foundation. Visit the official Fan Fest site for additional schedules, parking information, perks for Astros season ticket holders and members, and more.

blast off

Houston Rockets' bold new uniforms revive 'ketchup and mustard' look

Courtesy of Houston Rockets

Championship Yellow is once again part of the Rockets' uniforms.

The eyes of the NBA may be on the finals matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks, but the Houston Rockets are already thinking about next season.

The team unveiled new uniforms that revive the signature red-and-yellow “ketchup and mustard” uniforms the team wore when it won back-to-back NBA Championships in 1994 and 1995. Take a first look at them in the photos above, or in this video the team posted to social media.

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“From the time my family bought the team in 2017, we’ve heard from countless fans about how deeply those colors are tied to their memories of Rockets basketball,” said Patrick Fertitta, vice chairman of the Houston Rockets and Comets, in a statement. “We wanted to create something that celebrates the generations of fans who built Rockets basketball while inspiring the next generation of Rockets fans.”

While the return of “Championship Yellow” is new, the Rockets’ uniforms are still centered around the team’s signature “R” logo, which is featured prominently throughout. The “Dunkstronaut,” an astronaut dunking a basketball that was first introduced in the “City” uniforms, has been more fully integrated into the team’s branding. A new global logo takes inspiration from NASA mission patches, with two yellow quasars symbolizing the franchise’s move from San Diego to Houston in 1971.

Other details include a “Clutch City” jock tag that’s framed by the two quasars. Each pair of shorts has the “R” logo and the Dunkstronaut on the waistband.

In addition to the standard “Icon” and “Association” editions that will be the team’s standard home and away uniforms, a “Statement” jersey uses black fabric to symbolize the vastness of space, quasar-inspired pinstripes, and rockets rising along the side panels.

Initial reaction to the new has been overwhelmingly positive. Consider the take of writer Jeff Balke, who offered some thoughts in a column for the Houston Press.

“It’s interesting that there was a point Houston sports teams and residents wanted to do everything they could to distance themselves from what many thought was a rather embarrassing past,” he writes. “But, as an entire generation (yay, Gen X!) grew up in the city and embraced both the good and the bad, a real pride in our collective weirdness began to shape our collective identity. In terms of our city’s psyche, this feels like another step in the right direction.”

Speaking of nostalgia, the team leaned in with this promo video set at Rudy T’s, a fictional diner named for legendary Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Starring Houston comedian Mo Amer, the clip features cameos by Rockets legends such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Ralph Sampson, Calvin Murphy, Rudy Tomjanovich, and many more.

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Courtesy of Houston Rockets

Championship Yellow is once again part of the Rockets' uniforms.

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