Stadium Cheat Sheet
The Houston stadium tour cheat sheet Part 4: NRG Stadium
Sep 19, 2017, 1:17 pm
Where to park, pregrame, drink, and more at NRG Stadium. NRG Park/Facebook
This is part four of the Houston stadium series. You can find part one — Minute Maid Park — here, part two — Toyota Center — here and part three — BBVA Compass here.
In 2002 Houston re-emerged in the NFL with a shiny new stadium and the most generic team name in the league. Fifteen full seasons later and the Texans laugh at our face as Houstonians blindly pack NRG Stadium — every weekend of every season — despite an all-time franchise win percentage of 44. In 15 seasons these guys have produced two double-digit win seasons. But football, am I right?
I will preface this article by admitting that I don’t go to a ton of Texans games. I do root for them, and I do watch the games, I just can’t justify going. As far as football is concerned, it is my personal preference that watching the game on the patio of a comfortable bar with a few friends in the fall is a much better experience than the all-day experience of a Texans game at NRG.
No one simply shows up for the game. You’ve got to fight traffic to get there, arrive early enough to tailgate, go to the game, fight an hour of traffic just to get out of the parking lot, and then add on the actual travel time home because no one who can afford to do this regularly lives near the stadium. But I digress. Football, am I right?
So you’ve decided you want to go see DeShaun Watson toss some touchdowns for your favorite team in the world. Maybe you’re going in hopes that we’ll finally get to see Bill O’Brien snap and put a rookie through a table, Dudley Boyz Style. Or maybe you just want to tailgate. All are valid reasons to head down to Kirby and 610. Here’s the best advice I can give without being too jaded. Football!
Where to get tickets
There aren’t any tricks, really. It’s football in Texas, so it’s a seller’s market. And if you thought you were already getting fleeced, ticket prices are up this season. Now the average ticket will only cost you $103 per person!
Where to park
The parking lot might actually be the most entertaining aspect of catching a Texans game at NRG Stadium. On gameday, I typically see more social media posts of people partying their faces off at tailgates in the parking lot than of anyone actually in the stadium. Believe it or not, Houston is actually one of the best tailgating venues in the NFL.
They’ve basically got teams out there. There are groups that give themselves cool Texans-related team names; shell out upwards of $10,000 a year for parking spaces alone (not including the cost of their season tickets); bring barbecue pits worth more than my car; and sit in a parking lot, cook, drink, and talk about the Texans before they go see the Texans.
But if you ignore that cynical perspective or absurd logic of the entire tradition, they’re actually a ton of fun. You’ll need a ticket to the game, a parking pass, and a tailgating pass to do any of this, though, because why would you assume that a blue-collar tradition would be free. Dummy. Oh, and drink responsibly. Or at least pace yourself.
That entirely hypothetical situation would be a real rookie move, guys.
Where to pregame
Tailgate, dummy.
Where to get beer
NRG is home to several bars throughout the stadium and has a fairly decent offering of local breweries like 8th Wonder, Karbach, and Saint Arnold. They’ll all run you roughly $10, so, once again, just go drink at the tailgate and ride that buzz throughout the game. The Texans will probably give you plenty of reasons to drink though.
Where to get food
Dude, seriously. Tailgate.
Where it gets rowdy
The tailgate — I’ll stop. The entire stadium is fairly rowdy, but the north endzone — referred to as “The Bull Pen” is where it gets crazy. To give you an idea of what you’re in for (assuming you can score tickets here), here’s an excerpt from the Texans official Bull Pen site:
“… fans within the Bull Pen are encouraged to stand throughout the game, sing, cheer and otherwise support the team in an enthusiastic manner, and therefore this section may not be a good fit for children or families.”
I love it.
Next up: The Astrodome — I mean, we’re done.
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Originally appeared on houstonsportsandstuff.com.
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The Astros didn’t leave Seattle with a series win, but they may have gained something just as important: a reminder that resilience still runs deep in this group.
After a grueling extra-inning loss on Saturday, one that included the loss of Isaac Paredes to a hamstring injury, Houston regrouped on Sunday and hammered the Mariners 11-3. Christian Walker provided the turning point with a much-needed go-ahead home run in the sixth inning, while Taylor Trammell added a two-run double and a solo shot of his own. With Chas McCormick back from the injured list but still finding his footing, Trammell is quickly making his case as the best option in center field moving forward.
Manager Joe Espada continues to juggle a lineup that’s been in constant flux. Rookie Cam Smith, who had a clutch two-run double in Sunday’s win, has struggled as of late, going just 2-for his last 24. While his ability to get hits in clutch situations has been extremely valuable, the lack of a consistent spot in the batting order may be taking its toll. Giving Smith a stable home in the cleanup spot, even temporarily, might be a helpful reset.
Then again, the cleanup role hasn’t been kind to everyone.
Last night, Christian Walker, batting 4th, went 0-4, 2 K
- Walker for the season, batting 4th: .167 BA, .498 OPS
- Both are MLB worst (min. 75 AB batting 4th, 51st of 51)
- His 210 AB batting 4th are 6th most in MLB
- He's hitting .317 w/ .887 OPS when batting anywhere but 4th
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) July 19, 2025
Walker has been markedly less effective when hitting fourth this season, a trend that continues despite his strong Sunday performance. Sometimes, the data is clear: the four-hole might not be for him. He's literally been the worst cleanup option in baseball this season. Hit him fifth.
Behind the plate, Victor Caratini continues to impress, while Yainer Diaz is back in a cold stretch. Since the break, Diaz is just 1-for-14, raising questions about his timing and confidence as the summer grind deepens.
On the mound, the biggest developments are happening off the field. Cristian Javier and Spencer Arrighetti both completed three-inning rehab outings with Double-A Corpus Christi, while Luis Garcia threw two innings in a rehab start with Low-A Fayetteville. The trio’s return could mark a major turning point for the Astros, especially as Lance McCullers continues to struggle in his own comeback. McCullers lasted just 2 2/3 innings in Saturday’s loss, allowing four runs and showing little of the form that once made him one of the rotation’s anchors.
There’s been hesitancy to replace McCullers with someone like Arrighetti while he’s still building back arm strength, but the argument grows thinner each time McCullers falters. If healthy, even a three- or four-inning version of Javier or Arrighetti could give Houston more consistency at the back of the rotation.
Despite the weekend loss, the Astros still hold one of the best offenses in baseball, second in batting average, 12th in OPS, and 11th in slugging. The pitching staff remains stout, ranking sixth in ERA and second in WHIP. This team is far from unraveling.
With reinforcements on the way and a lineup that’s still capable of putting up crooked numbers, the Astros aren’t panicking. If anything, Sunday’s blowout win showed they’re ready to weather whatever’s next.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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