WELL DONE!
How Houston Texans are bucking the trend with more changes coming in 2022
Aug 11, 2022, 3:19 pm
Texans fans won't have to worry about inflation at NRG in 2022. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
You want to repeat that? Are you seriously telling me that the Houston Texans are lowering the price of hot dogs and beer for the entire 2022 season at NRG Stadium?
Swear?
The Texans and their concession partner Aramark are taking this extraordinary, actually shocking, step to lure fans back into NRG Stadium. They’re not only lowering the price of dogs and beer, they’re also slashing the cost of chicken tenders baskets and Cokes. These are the four major food groups of stadium cuisine – the building blocks of “gotta support the team.”
These “Fan First Deals” start with Saturday night’s preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are favored by 1-1/2 points and the over/under number is 33-1/2. However, if you put any money on an NFL exhibition game, particularly the first one, you need to be committed to the home for the terminally dumb.
Here’s Texans president Greg Grissom explaining the how and why of lowering prices on concession prices.
“We’re excited to unveil an innovative approach to concessions pricing this season. In a world of increasing costs, we chose to decrease the price of selected items on game day. Based on conversations with our fans and insights from our analytics team, we identified the four most-ordered items and adjusted their pricing,” Grissom said on the Texans website.
Here’s the Fans First Deals lineup:
All beef hot dog – was $5.49, now $3.75.
Crispy chicken tender basket - was $10.09 now $7.75.
20-ounce Coca-Cola in a cup - was $4.79, now $3.75.
16-ounce domestic beer - was $8.69, now $7.95.
On average, that’s about a 20-percent, pre-tax saving from last year. While not looking a gift horse in the mouth, obviously this is a ploy to lure Texans fans back to NRG Stadium and turn the page from recent performance and public relations disasters. You know what they say, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” The same goes for female football fans. Dig in.
I caught up with Chris Devore, the Baron of Beer Nuts for Aramark at NRG Stadium. His last name sounds very close to “devour,” so he’s in the right job.
How did the Fan First Deals happen? Did the Texans come to you or the other way around?
Devore: The Texans came to us with the idea and we worked together to bring this to life.
When did you start the process of lowering certain concession prices?
Devore: It started with the Data Analytics vice-president looking at our units sold and determining these four items would have the most impact on fan cost and overall value.
How much back and forth did you do figuring out which items to discount?
Devore: We agreed from the get-go on the four items for this year.
Are these really the four most-ordered items at Texans games?
Devore: Yes.
How did the Aramark home office react when you told them you were cutting the price of the favorite food items?
Devore: Our collective priority is to be the best possible partners to the Texans as well as the fans. So we were all aligned that this would be a beneficial program.
What does Chris Devore order at a football game?
Devote: My go-to is a footlong chili cheese dog. But lately I have been digging the Nacho Grande.
As Dr. Rick says, people expect high food prices at movie theaters and sports stadiums. What’s been the response to NRG Stadium and the Texans lowering prices?
Devore: Since it was announced on Monday, I’ve had colleagues and friends reach out to me asking about the program. I'm hopeful that indicates the same buzz is also generating throughout our fan base.
What brand of hot dogs do you sell at NRG Stadium?
Devore: Holmes Smokehouse.
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C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are looking for answers after their passing game couldn’t get going in a loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Houston’s passing attack had been a strength all season, and the Texans ranked fifth in yards passing per game through their first six games. But on Sunday at Lambeau Field, Stroud was limited to a career-low 86 yards in the 24-22 loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak.
Stroud was 10 of 21 and didn’t have a touchdown pass for the first time this season. The second-year player was under duress for much of the day and was sacked four times and hit seven other times.
“We have to go back to the drawing board and see what those issues were,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “As we watch the film, we’ll see what happened, starting for me the communication and just guys being on the details of the job.”
'Everything is on the table. We have to get it fixed' #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on offensive line and if personnel changes are being contemplated @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/AwK0rqeU2z
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 21, 2024
The Texans scored a season-high 41 points in a win over New England a week earlier in which Stroud threw a season-best three touchdown passes despite being without star receiver Nico Collins.
They were unable to replicate that success Sunday with Collins out for the second of at least four games after a hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve.
Stefon Diggs led the team with five receptions against the Packers, but they only amounted to 23 yards. Tank Dell, who the Texans expected to step up with Collins out, was targeted four times but didn’t have a catch.
Stroud discussed the importance of getting Dell more involved in the offense.
“We have to find a way to try and get him the rock early and often and then go from there,” he said. “It has to be a focus for us, not only just him, but the whole offense clicking early. That is really my job to get the ball out on time and to where it is supposed to go. So yeah, that definitely has to be fixed.”
Ryans spoke about his confidence is getting Dell going.
'I have all the faith in Tank' #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans expressed confidence in Tank Dell ability to get back to making explosive plays again as he did as a rookie @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/bojBEx3lYo
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 21, 2024
What's working
The Texans have forced seven turnovers combined in their last two games after they hadn’t caused any in their previous three games.
Houston scored 16 points off three turnovers Sunday. The Texans had two interceptions and recovered a fumble on a punt. In their win over the Patriots, they scored 17 points off a season-high four turnovers.
What needs help
The Texans won’t get to where they want to be this season if Stroud doesn’t get back on track. Before Sunday, last year’s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year was averaging more than 262 yards passing a game, giving the team confidence that the problems in the passing game are fixable.
Ryans knows the line must give Stroud more time to throw and said the coaching staff will focus on improving in that area this week.
Stock up
RB Joe Mixon continued to shine Sunday in his second game back after missing three games with an ankle injury. Mixon, who is in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati, had 25 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay.
Mixon is confident the Texans will rebound this week if they quit making mistakes.
“Does it look I’m worried? I’m not worried at all,” he said. “Like I said, we got a ... good football team. At the end of the day, we are our own worst enemy.”
Stock down
Dell was unable to help Stroud get the passing game going. The second-year player had a solid rookie season with 709 yards receiving and seven touchdowns in 11 games before breaking his leg. But he hasn’t been able to build on that success this year and has just 194 yards receiving with one score in six games.
Injuries
LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee), LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion), CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder) and S Jimmie Ward (groin) all missed Sunday’s game and it’s unclear if any of these starters can return this week.
Key number
3 — Safety Calen Bullock had his third interception Sunday to tie Dunta Robinson and Jumal Rolle for most interceptions by a rookie in franchise history through the first seven games. He leads NFL rookies in interceptions this season and is tied for third-most among all players.
Next steps
The AFC South-leading Texans (5-2) return to division play Sunday when they host the second-place Colts (4-3), who have won two in a row and four of five.