Texas Astros Fans Lament No More Minute Maid Park After January 1

If you were around in October of 1999 and were a fan of the Houston Astros baseball team you might remember just how bittersweet that time in Texas back then was. The Astros clinched the National League Central Division in the Houston Astrodome that year. Six days later the team would play its final game in that iconic facility.

The Astrodome would close about six years later after serving as a shelter for displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina. Meanwhile, construction was underway on a new baseball facility for the Houston Astros, and it promised to be a state-of-the-art facility.

True fans of the MLB scene in Houston might recall the ballpark was originally called Enron Field. But there was apparently some hanky-panky book cooking, allegedly, that caused that name to fall through. And while the building was structurally sound, the funding and financing of the sponsorship may not have been as solid.

In 2003 the place where the Astros play was renamed Minute Maid Park. Minute Maid, a subsidiary of the Coca-Cola company took over the naming rights after the Astros paid Enron to get out of the contract. Apparently, the Astros who have had their own integrity questioned, didn't want to deal with another company whose integrity was under strict scrutiny at the time.

In 2005 the facility hosted the very first World Series game to ever be played in Texas. The stadium has hosted several other World Series matchups in recent years. It has also hosted several big-name musical acts including Houston's own Beyonce', Taylor Swift, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Why Is Minute Maid Park Going Away?

The reason is quite simple. It's money. It was recently announced that Minute Maid would no longer hold the naming rights to the stadium as of January 1, 2025. So, Astro fans are you ready to start making your way to Daikin Park?

What's the New Name of the Houston Astros Stadium?

Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc. is the world's largest air-conditioning company. Their North American Headquarters are in Waller, Texas which is just to the north and west of downtown Houston. Daikin will maintain the naming rights for the next 15 years.

We should note that Minute Maid will not be disappearing from Astros baseball. The company plans to remain a marketing partner with the team through 2029. The Astros are slated to open the 2025 season versus the New York Mets on March 27th.

And if you're wondering how to pronounce the name of your new baseball stadium you say it like this. Die Ken. Just think about a very upset Barbie and you'll fit right in with the rest of us who will probably take a year or two to stop calling the place Minute Maid.