Anyone who grew up in Houston, Texas, knows the Astros are our MLB pride and joy, and the team's Minute Maid Park is a nostalgic venue that brought us some of the best memories.
The simple sight of the huge Minute Maid Park sign with an orange on top excited us for baseball season to begin, and entering the front arches on opening day with the "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" song playing in the background is a feeling that can never be replaced.
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Let's not forget the iconic locomotive with oranges in the back cabs driven by our favorite driver, Bobby Dynamite. This train runs through a track on the west side of the ballpark every time the Astros hit a home run.
The Union Station played a key role in Houston's once-lucrative railroad industry, so a replica of a 19th-century locomotive became a signature celebratory symbol in the field.
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However, after nearly 23 years of unforgettable memories, the Astros made a shocking announcement that loyal baseball fans were not expecting.
The history behind the Houston Astros ballpark
In 1996, a $250 million proposal to build a ballpark for the Houston Astros was approved thanks to the 14 public-private Houston companies that created the Houston Sports Facility Partnership.
The Astros' home ballpark was initially named Enron Field in 1999 after the energy company sealed a 30-year naming rights deal worth $100 million. However, this name didn't last long, as the company went bankrupt in 2001. The ballpark was then briefly renamed Astros Field.
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In 2002, The Minute Maid Company, owned by Coca-Cola (KO) created a multi-year marketing and community partnership, including naming rights to the ballpark, and renamed it Minute Maid Park.
Houston Astros announce the name change of Minute Maid Park
What was once known as "the juice box" by local Houstonians will become "the ice box."
On Monday, The Houston Astros announced that its iconic Minute Maid Park would change its name to Daikin Park due to a new naming rights deal, for which financial details have yet to be disclosed.
Founded in 1924, Daikin Industries (DKILF) is a huge Japan-based air conditioning company with a North American distribution center in Houston, Texas, and a manufacturing plant in Waller, Texas, northwest of downtown Houston.
This Japanese company bought the name rights to the ballpark for 15 seasons, officially starting in January 2025. The deal runs through 2039.
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This massive name change comes with some expensive updates, as the Astros now have to remove all Minute Maid logos from the ballpark and replace them with a brand new logo and branding that better resembles its new name.
These renovations will be unveiled on the Astros' Opening Day, which will take place Mar. 27, 2025.
"The Houston Astros and Daikin share the same values, a commitment to excellence and a desire to give back to our local community. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of this ballpark in 2025, I am proud to have Daikin alongside us to create even more special memories for our fans now and in the future,” said Owner and Chairman of the Houston Astros, Jim Crane.
Loyal Houston Astros fans react to the shocking news
Although the announcement is big for the Houston Astros since Daikin will allow the ballpark to continue functioning as its main sponsor, loyal Astros fans are not as thrilled by the shocking news.
Daikin Park.
— Houston Astros (@astros) November 18, 2024
Coming January 2025 pic.twitter.com/8NJbm9cEu1
The Houston Astros took to X to announce the news about the ballpark's name change, and loyal baseball fans were devastated.
Users on the social media platform flooded the comment section with comments like:
"A crime against all that is decent" and "What have y'all done????"
Another user and proud Houstonian expressed her anger by commenting:
"Terrible name. This company has virtually no footprint in this country. Just a money grab for the Astros. Nothing more. No connection to our city."
Many Houston locals who grew up referring to the ballpark as "the juice box" expressed their sadness with one commenting:
"So you literally can't call it the juice box anymore. I hate sponsorships."
Astros fans who refuse to acknowledge the ballpark's new name commented:
"It'll always be Minute Maid Park for me." and "It's still Minute Maid Park."
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