CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE
Houston Astros successfully hijacked audience share, profits from familiar faces
Oct 25, 2022, 12:50 pm
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Here’s why the Astros know better than just “getting what you pay for”
The Astros don’t need to show a bill of sale to prove that they own Houston. Just take a snapshot of what happened in Houston sports the last two weeks.
The Astros, fresh off dispatching the Seattle Mariners in three straight games, gloriously and emphatically swept the dreaded New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.
Now the Astros head to the World Series as clear-cut (-185) favorites to beat the Philadelphia Phillies starting Friday at Minute Maid Park. Tickets for the World Series opener in Houston are available on the secondary market starting at $504 for standing room. Field level seats behind home plate will cost you up to $4,000.
Walk into a sports store and all you see are Astros jerseys, caps and pennants. Local TV news anchors and radio personalities are wearing Astros gear and hosting watch parties and downtown fan fests. Schools are encouraging students to wear Astros colors. Politicians are showing up at ball games, hoping to get some Astros karma before Election Day. Houston is awash in Astros orange. Houston undeniably is a baseball town in traditionally football-crazy Texas.
You know the facts and figures: six consecutive American League Championship Series appearances, four World Series appearances in six years, five Division titles since 2017, batting titles, and Cy Young, MVP Awards and Rookie of the Year.
But more than that, the Astros own the hearts of Houston fans. They look like Houston. They fight like Houston. They are diverse like Houston.
The first baseman is a Cuban expat with gravity-defying hair and better scoops than Marble Slab. The second baseman is a pint-sized superstar and girl dad from Venezuela, probably the greatest Astro ever. The baby face shortstop was born in the Dominican Republic, played his college ball in ice box Maine and high-tailed it to subtropical Houston fast as he could, like many of us from someplace else. The smart aleck third baseman is a clutch-hitting Jew with a newborn baby and salsa side hustle. And calling the shots, a beloved old-school African-American wearing gloves and wristbands and working a toothpick into splinters.
Last week the manager Dusty Baker stopped by Kenny & Ziggy’s deli to pick up some lox and bagels to help third baseman Alex Bregman break his Yom Kippur fast. That’s teamwork.
The Astros starting pitcher Friday night has two Cy Young Awards, one more in the mail, a superstar model wife who’s graced the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit editions, and an endorsement deal with Ford. It doesn’t suck to be Justin Verlander.
You may not know it in Houston, but football and basketball seasons are in full swing. The Texans and Rockets aren’t putting up much of a fight for sports section headlines, though.
The Rockets? They opened their 2022-23 season by dropping three straight games before notching a win Monday night. Current odds of them winning the NBA title this season – 50,000 to 1.
The Rockets announced an opening night crowd of 18,055, a rock-solid sellout. I said “announced.” Tickets for the Rockets’ next home game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 2 start at $17 on the secondary market.
The Texans? They’re 1-4-1, stuck in last place in the AFC South. Last week they played the equally hapless Las Vegas Raiders and lost 38-20. The only positive news to come from the Texans this year – they lowered the price of hot dogs and beer and finally (finally!) fired polarizing executive Jack Easterby. The Texans are 17,500 to 1 to win the Super Bowl.
The Texans claim an average attendance of 69,243 this season. Don’t even. Tickets for Sunday’s home game against the Tennessee Titans start at $31.
Sunday is a travel day for the World Series. What will be the top sports story that night? The Astros are back in action tomorrow!
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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