Houston Astros announce new name for Minute Maid Park
A NEW ERA BEGINS
18 November 2024
Minute Maid Park is getting a new name. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
The Houston Astros' home will get a new name on Jan. 1, becoming Daikin Park under an agreement through the 2039 season the team announced Monday.
The stadium opened as Enron Field in 2000 as part of a 30-year, $100 million agreement but the name was removed in March 2002 following Enron Corp.'s bankruptcy filing and the ballpark briefly became Astros Field.
It was renamed Minute Maid Park in June 2002 as part of a deal with The Minute Maid Co., a Houston-based subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Co. Then-Astros owner Drayton McLane said at the time the agreement was for 28 years and for more than $100 million.
The new deal is with Daikin Comfort Technologies North America Inc., a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd., which is based in Japan and is a leading air conditioning company.
Minute Maid will remain an Astros partner through 2029, the team said.
No. 4 Houston clinches Big 12 regular-season title with 73-64 win over Cincinnati
Mar 2, 2025, 10:46 am
L.J. Cryer scored 20 points and No. 4 Houston clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title for a second straight season with a 73-64 win over Cincinnati on Saturday.
Terrance Arceneaux added 10 points for Houston (25-4, 17-1 Big 12), which has won eight straight. The Cougars became the first team to win the regular-season championship in its first two years in a major conference since Idaho, which won the PCC in the 1921-22 and 1922-23 seasons. Houston joined the Big 12 in 2023.
The Cougars, who have won 12 straight over Cincinnati, shot 54% and owned a 17-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
Day Day Thomas scored 19 points and Jizzle James added 18 for Cincinnati (17-12, 7-11). The Bearcats shot 44% and were 6 of 20 on 3-pointers.
Takeaways
Cincinnati: The Bearcats missed a chance to improve their resume for a possible NCAA Tournament berth. Cincinnati fell to 1-10 in Quad 1 games this season.
Houston: The Cougars continue to help their cause for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with their 21st win in 22 games. Houston improved to 15-4 in Quad 1 and 2 games this season, with all of its losses coming in Quad 1 games.
Key moment
Trailing 10-2 with 13½ minutes left in the first half, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson called timeout, and Cryer hit a jumper out of it to start a 18-2 run. Houston led 37-25 at the half.
Key stat
Houston dominated the paint with a 40-24 advantage in points in the paint.
Up next
Houston hosts Kansas on Monday, and Cincinnati hosts Kansas State on Wednesday.
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