HOUSTON ASTROS ANNOUNCE NEW BALLPARK NAMING RIGHTS PARTNERSHIP WITH DAIKIN COMFORT TECHNOLOGIES

The Home of the Houston Astros will become Daikin Park

HOUSTON, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Houston Astros and Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc (Daikin) today announced they have reached an agreement on a 15-year, exclusive naming-rights partnership that brands the home of the Astros as Daikin Park.

The agreement, effective January 1, 2025, will run through the 2039 season, and includes official naming rights, other partnership benefits, and giving back to the Greater Houston community through educational programming and youth sports development in underserved communities. 

Daikin Industries, Ltd. (DIL) is a leading global indoor comfort solutions provider with over 98,000 employees around the world, and over 22,000 employees across Daikin group companies in the U.S. The company was founded in Japan on Oct. 25, 1924, and recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Daikin constructed and operates a 4.2 million square foot campus, the largest HVAC manufacturing facility in North America (Daikin Texas Technology Park), located in Waller, Texas, a part of the Greater Houston community. Daikin provides jobs for approximately 10,000 people in the Greater Houston area.

 In addition to Daikin products, the company also provides Goodman, Amana®, and Quietflex brand products, three of the most well-known and respected brands for HVAC in North America.

"We are excited to be partnering with Daikin for our ballpark's naming rights," said Jim Crane, Owner and Chairman of the Houston Astros. "Daikin is an international company that proudly calls the Greater Houston area its North American home.  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."

The partnership strengthens both organizations' shared vision and long-standing commitment to the Houston community and broader region.

"Daikin is a well-known brand all over the world and enjoys a reputation for innovative quality products and outstanding customer service," said Satoru Akama, President and Chief Executive Officer, Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc. "We are thrilled to partner with the Houston Astros in building a premier position based on our shared values of excellence, in both sports and community leadership."

Through this partnership, MLB audiences in markets around the world will begin to see the reputation Daikin has built over the last 100 years and their commitment to excellence.

"The Astros are the pride of Houston, an organization that has built resiliency in hard times, and have succeeded to be a winning team. The coming together of both our organizations is a symbol of our love for our hometown and the communities of the Greater Houston area," said Takayuki "Taka" Inoue, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

Overall, Daikin has invested more than $1 billion in the Houston area, including more than $500 million in building Daikin Texas Technology Park. Also, in August 2024, Daikin launched an initiative with the City of Houston to equip low-to-moderate income homes with advanced air conditioning and heating solutions, providing more comfort and energy efficiency for homeowners. Daikin is always looking for new ways to support their community and to create innovative technologies, with an unwavering commitment to making sustainable and responsible choices.

"Daikin fit all of the criteria we set out to find in a naming rights partner," said Matt Brand, Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships and Special Events.  "Their name and reputation fit our iconic downtown Houston home, and their values mesh perfectly with those of the Astros. We are grateful to partner with the entire Daikin team and to help them succeed in their business goals.   Daikin Park will be a special place for our fans for many years to come."

The partnership between the Astros and Daikin will enable the franchise to continue to invest in stadium amenities, as the organization is always looking to improve and make the gameday experience better for all fans. The partnership also includes community initiatives aimed at continuing and creating deep connections between the Astros, Daikin and the Houston community.

Daikin will take over the naming rights to the Astros' downtown Houston stadium, beginning January 1, 2025.

The stadium had been named Minute Maid Park since 2002. Minute Maid will continue to be a partner of the Houston Astros through 2029.  

"We want to thank Minute Maid and The Coca-Cola Company for their longstanding commitment to our ballpark," said Jim Crane, Owner and Chairman of the Houston Astros. "Minute Maid came on board at a very critical time in our history and we are thrilled they will continue to remain a partner of the Astros for many years to come."

The first game at Daikin Park will be played on Monday, March 24, 2025 as the Astros host Triple-A affiliate Sugar Land in an exhibition game. The Astros will then open the 2025 regular season on Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 3:10 p.m. against the New York Mets at Daikin Park.

About Daikin
Daikin Industries, Ltd. (DIL) is a Fortune 1,000 company with more than 98,162 employees worldwide and a leading indoor comfort solutions provider. Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc. (DNA) is a subsidiary of DIL, providing Daikin, Goodman, Amana® and Quietflex brand products. DNA and its affiliates manufacture heating and cooling systems for residential, commercial and industrial use that are sold via independent HVAC contractors. DNA engineering and manufacturing is located at Daikin Texas Technology Park near Houston, TX.  For additional information, visit www.northamerica-daikin.com.

Amana® is a registered trademark of Maytag Corporation or its related companies and is used under license. All rights reserved.

About Houston Astros:
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Established as the Houston Colt .45s, the Astros entered the National League as an expansion team in 1962. The current name, Houston Astros, reflecting Houston's role as the host of the Johnson Space Center and space exploration, was adopted three years later, when they moved into the Astrodome. The Astros moved to their current home ballpark in downtown Houston in 2000. The Astros have had great success on the diamond, having won two World Series (2017 and 2022), five league pennants, and advanced to a record-setting seven-straight American League Championship Series, winning four of the last seven American League pennants.

A tenant of the organization is to give back to the greater Houston community, and that is done through the Astros Foundation, the official 501(c)(3) team charity of the Houston Astros. The foundation seeks to harness the passion of baseball fans to support youth baseball and softball programs, the recognition and honor of our nation's military, childhood cancer awareness, domestic violence awareness and efforts to reduce homelessness. The cornerstone initiatives include the Community Leaders program, the Astros Youth Academy and the Astros RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Program. For more information on the Astros Foundation, please visit www.astros.com/foundation.

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SOURCE Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc