Tag: Toyota Center

Rockets to introduce touchless security screening at Toyota Center

Starting this week, the new touchless security screening technology will allow fans to enter Toyota Center at an accelerated rate, according to the Rockets.

The Houston Rockets and Toyota Center have formed a new partnership with Evolv Technology, the parties announced Thursday.

Evolv markets itself as a next-generation security company featuring touchless security screening machines that are designed to deliver safety for fans without sacrificing experience.

According to the Rockets, this new technology will allow fans to enter Toyota Center at an accelerated rate — with the machines screening visitors in both a secure and seamless manner.

“We are excited to partner with Evolv Technology to enhance our fan experience while maintaining the safety of our arena,” said Doug Hall, general manager and senior vice president of Toyota Center, in a jointly released announcement. “This partnership is focused on utilizing cutting edge technology to create a safer, faster and better screening process for our guests as they enter Toyota Center.”

Starting with Saturday’s game against Utah, Evolv Technology machines will be placed at multiple arena entrances.

“There is no greater indication of Evolv’s success than to have customers recommend the technology to each other the way they did in Houston,” said Jay Muelhoefer, Evolv Technology’s chief commercial officer. “We’re thankful for Toyota Center’s partnership and humbled that with the addition of the arena to our roster, close to 50 professional U.S. sports teams now use Evolv.”

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Rockets offer first look at $70-million practice complex, which opens in 2024

On Tuesday, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta invited media members to an early preview tour of the team’s new practice facility, which will open in mid-2024.

On Tuesday, Rockets owner Tilman J. Fertitta and the Fertitta family invited media members to an early preview tour of the team’s new training center, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2024. The facility is located minutes north of The Post Oak Hotel, which is also owned by Fertitta, on Houston’s I-610 West Loop.

Since opening Toyota Center in 2003, the Rockets have trained on a single practice court inside the building. Fertitta, who bought the franchise in October 2017, has stated on multiple occasions a desire to build a new facility with multiple practice courts.

Tuesday’s tour offered a first look as construction approaches the halfway mark of its scheduled 14-month process. The facility’s framework was shown, including locations and layout for dual-courts; locker room, treatment, and conditioning areas; workspace for the front office and coaching staff; and other amenities.

Artist renderings for the final vision were on display. As part of an introductory press conference in April for new head coach Ime Udoka, Fertitta estimated the total cost at $70 million.

“We’re the only team that has their own private 767 [aircraft] to fly around in,” Fertitta said in response to a question about spending. “We’re building a $70-million practice facility, right now.”

Because it remains an active construction site, closed-toed shoes and long pants were required for attendees. Additional personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety gear were distributed on site.

Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations for the Rockets, guided the tour. Once completed, Fertitta addressed media members and answered questions regarding the facility.

Here’s our roundup of the sights, scenes and what was learned. At 75,000 square feet, the Rockets are tripling the size of their current Toyota Center training infrastructure, according to the team.

As 2023-24 begins, Rockets in process of $30-million renovation of Toyota Center

As the 2023-24 NBA season begins, the #Rockets are in the middle of a $30-million-plus renovation of Toyota Center. Here’s what the upgrades entail.

Located in downtown Houston, Toyota Center first opened its doors to fans in October 2003. Now, as the 2023-24 NBA season begins 20 years later, the arena is getting something of a face-lift.

According to Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations with the Rockets, Toyota Center is undergoing a substantial renovation to upgrade its amenities. Parts of the renovation are already complete; others are slated for the coming months and years.

In all, the renovation — fully funded by the Rockets and owner Tilman Fertitta, according to Sheirr — is estimated to cost $30 million, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

“We’re really looking at the way that the consumer has changed over the last 20 years since Toyota Center has opened and making sure that when we go through these renovations, we are looking forward to the next 20 years,” Sheirr said on our latest “The Lager Line” podcast.

The modernization changes, which could also help Houston lure other marquee events to the arena (such as future NBA All-Star games and top concerts), have and will include these amenities:

  • For 2021-22 season, upgraded arena lighting and cellular connectivity and added a new Wi-Fi system;
  • For 2022-23 season, upgraded club suites areas with new concept suites: Sneaker Suite and Greenroom, along with adding the Sire Spirits Social Club and courtside loge boxes;
  • For 2022-23 season, added Gentle Ben as main concourse concession and bar;
  • For 2023-24 season, replaced arena’s original LED ribbon board and installed new LED ribbon boards above and below the original, doubling the square footage of displays;
  • For 2023-24 season, updated and expanded two end-zone scoreboards while adding new courtside signage and a fresh outdoor marquee sign;
  • For 2023-24 season, added more frictionless grab-and-go concession stands (first introduced in 2022-23) while introducing new options such as Lance McCullers Jr.’s Maven Coffee and Garrison Brothers Distillery;
  • For 2023-24 season, renovated and updated media workrooms and media dining areas;
  • For 2023-24 season, expedited point-of-sale system for team’s official Toyota Center store;
  • After 2023-24 season, will install a new control room and new center-hung scoreboard;
  • For future, further upgrades are still under consideration.

“Tilman runs a first-class organization across all of his businesses,” Sheirr told The Lager Line. “And if you wait too long and let anything slip, and you lose that status, it’s hard to get it back.”

“Our fans spend their time and hard-earned money. They can do plenty of things with that, but they choose to come to Rockets games, and they choose to come to Toyota Center for concerts. So, we want to make sure we’re delivering the best experience possible. That means keeping things new, fresh, and up-to-date to today’s standards.”

Sheirr offered further context and insight on the changes in the latest episode of “The Lager Line” podcast, sponsored by Karbach Brewing.

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Cynthia Cooper-Dyke relishes memories of Houston’s golden basketball era

Four WNBA championship banners for the Houston Comets still reside in the Toyota Center rafters, and Cynthia Cooper-Dyke (@AllDecade14) is a big reason why.

It is not easy to become an icon in the city of Houston, especially in the sports world. The fans are very strict on whom they call a Houston sports legend, especially in basketball.

That elite moniker is reserved for individuals such as former Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon, who led his team to two NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. An example from a different sport is Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, who has helped bring two recent World Series titles to the fourth largest city in North America.

Yet, another name falls right in line with those icons. It’s a woman who is largely responsible for the four WNBA championship banners that still hang inside the Toyota Center, home of the Rockets.

In this case, she is so legendary throughout Houston that people seldom call her by her full name. They simply yell, “Coop!”

Long before former Houston Comets player Cynthia Cooper-Dyke was winning WNBA titles and multiple finals MVPs, she perfected her skills at the University of Southern California in rigorous practices versus players such as 1995 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Cheryl Miller, and  Pam and Paula McGee.

“I didn’t start at USC, I came off the bench, so I had to practice against Cheryl Miller every single day,” Cooper-Dyke said via Zoom. “Those practices were tough. To try to get to the rim against Cheryl and the McGee twins, I had to step my game up a little bit.”

Her contributions helped USC win two NCAA championships. Those playing days, along with helping lead Locke High School in Los Angeles to their first and only state championship, were recognized by the Southern California Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 as they enshrined Cooper-Dyke into their inaugural 2020 class of inductees.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, individuals could not attend in person, so the ceremony was postponed. This month, the inductees were finally able to have an official induction ceremony.

“I am incredibly honored,” Cooper-Dyke said about being recognized for her on- and off-court accomplishments. “There is a lot of talent that comes out of California. That puts me in good company. I grew up in Los Angeles, and to have success with the amount of talent that comes out of that city and really state, I feel very fortunate. To be recognized for my accomplishments is just an amazing honor.”

After spending a decade playing professional basketball overseas, Cooper-Dyke finally showcased her talent with the Comets in the newly formed WNBA in 1997. This challenge would be more difficult for her than the practices at USC against Miller, since she was turning 34 in her rookie season. Making matters more challenging was her star teammate, Sheryl Swoopes, missed a significant amount of time due to her pregnancy.

If you have been around “Coop” for any time, you know obstacles never deterred her from getting the job done. That’s exactly she did. She was named league MVP for leading the Comets to the inaugural WNBA championship in 1997. She also earned the WNBA Finals MVP honor.

Three more titles over the next three years helped set a foundation for the WNBA and solidified her place among basketball royalty. She became the first WNBA player to be enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. It also made for a golden era in Houston basketball, since those four championships by the now-defunct Comets came shortly after the Rockets’ two titles.

“I knew when I started playing in the WNBA, the work I put in, the effort we put in, the games we won, the championships we won, would help lay the foundation for a stronger WNBA,” Cooper-Dyke said. “Hopefully, I left a legacy of hard work, winning championships, not settling, but continuing to grow and get better every single year. I love the state of the WNBA now, because you see talent all over the place.”

After her playing career, Cooper-Dyke became a head coach and helped rebuild the women’s basketball programs at Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern, two historically black colleges in Texas.

Giving back to the sport she loves so much did not stop after her coaching days ended. Within a few weeks, Cooper-Dyke will be reunited with her former teammate, Sheryl Swoopes, when they will host the “Legends Tournament” in June for girls between the ages of 9 through 17, followed by a basketball camp in Houston.

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In final homestand, Rockets focused on building momentum for offseason

“At the end of the day, we want to end the season on the right note and with some momentum going into the offseason,” #Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. says.

After playing five straight games on the road, the Houston Rockets finally  come home on Friday night. They begin their season’s last homestand, which consists of three games against the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.

The Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs a while ago. At this point of the 2022-23 season, the only thing left to play for is pride and momentum heading into the offseason.

Houston had some success the last time it was at the Toyota Center for an extended period. It concluded a six-game homestand with a 3-3 record that featured a three-game winning streak against teams likely headed to the NBA postseason.

“At the end of the day, we want to end the season on the right note and with some momentum going into the offseason,” said Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. after the game against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. “We’ve got five (games) to lace them up and take advantage of what we do, and that’s playing basketball.”

Porter has been playing some of his best basketball since his return from a toe injury that caused him to miss 20 games. During the road trip, Porter recorded the second triple-double of his career in Memphis with 14 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. He is averaging 20 points, 6.5 assists and 5.7 rebounds over his last 10 games.

What is more impressive is he only had three turnovers in back-to-back games versus the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

Houston (18-59) hopes to end its seven-game losing streak as it takes on the Pistons (16-60) on Friday night. Should the Rockets remain in front of Detroit in the standings, it would snap a two-season run in which Houston finished with the league’s worst record.

Come June, both teams are projected to have better than a 50% chance of selecting in the top four of the 2023 NBA draft.

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Study: Rockets among NBA’s cheapest teams to follow this season

New research has revealed the cheapest NBA teams to follow this season, with the #Rockets coming in at No. 5 on the list. The data is determined by average gameday prices.

Given their lowly record, the Houston Rockets (12-36) aren’t a major draw in NBA circles during the 2022-23 season. That also contributes to them being one of the cheapest teams to follow.

A new study by sports media firm OHBets analyzed data from every NBA team, including the average cost of resale tickets, cost per ounce of beer, and the price of food and game parking. In that study, the Rockets came in among the five cheapest teams for the season to date.

The study found that the Indiana Pacers are the cheapest NBA team to follow, with a single game costing $165.17 in total at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Tickets cost $138 on average on resale, combined with $5.50 for a hot dog, $14.47 for parking, and $7.20 for 16 ounces of beer.

The Oklahoma City Thunder come in a close second on the list, with an average cost of $169.58 per game. Splitting this cost down means average resale tickets cost around $148, $6.08 for 16 ounces of beer, $5.50 for a hot dog, and $10 for parking at the Paycom Center. The team also has the cheapest beer at $0.38 per ounce.

Coming in third place is the Pistons, with a total cost of $173.62 per game at the Little Caesars Arena. Resale tickets cost, on average, $153, followed by $6.72 for a beer, $5 for a hot dog, and $8.90 for parking. According to the findings, Detroit has the cheapest parking.

The Spurs come in fourth place, with a game at San Antonio’s AT&T Center costing $182.75 on average. This breaks down to $157 for a resale ticket, $8 for a beer, $2.75 for a hot dog, and $15.90 for parking.

Rounding out the top five is the Rockets. On average, it costs roughly $185.21 to watch the team play at the Toyota Center. This is due to resale tickets costing $159 on average, 16-ounce beers costing $10.56, hot dogs costing $6.75, and parking priced at $8.90.

“The most expensive teams to follow in the NBA cost more than triple per game of many teams on this list, and considering they’re all in the same league, it’s fascinating how different costs are when competing at the same professional level,” an OHBets spokesman said.

“However, for fans of the NBA who can’t afford season tickets, this list highlights where you can get that game-day experience for relatively affordable costs as well,” the spokesman added.

The study was conducted by OHBets, which provides Ohio sports betting news, information, and exclusive promo codes for the state’s newly legalized sports betting industry.

Source: TicketIQ, TeamMarketing.com.

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‘Energy drop’: Jalen Green frustrated by Rockets’ complacency, lack of fight

“I think we got complacent and just happy with those two wins, but we’ve got to learn from that,” said Jalen Green, adding that the #Rockets lacked energy and didn’t fight.

HOUSTON — Everything seemed to be going well for the young Houston Rockets a week ago. They looked like a team finally starting to put everything together, as they defeated Milwaukee at Toyota Center to extend their home winning streak to three games.

When the Phoenix Suns made their way into town, Houston showed them no southern hospitality, either, earning a commanding win last Tuesday.

The Rockets celebrated the victory, their fifth straight at home, but two glaring issues would need correcting before taking on the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers.

They needed to keep their intensity throughout all four quarters and move the ball more fluidly on the offensive end of the court.

Neither of those things happened as the Rockets dropped back-to-back games at home and are now scrambling to correct the mistakes that can become habits among young players.

“Just a mindset of wanting to come out and win,” said Rockets guard Jalen Green, who missed all six of his 3-pointers and is shooting 23.2% from long range over his last 15 games. “I don’t think it’s been there these last few games. I think we got complacent and just happy with those two wins, but we got to learn from that.”

The stagnant ball movement and the constant one-on-one play have caused a major collapse from 3-point range for Houston. In its last two games, the Rockets have shot 19% (12-for-62) from beyond the arc. Against Portland, it took two fourth-quarter 3-pointers to get Houston to a meager 10% showing (3-for-29) for the game.

“The first half, we were just missing shots,” said Rockets head coach Stephen Silas. “In the second half, we didn’t take good shots, and that was a lack of ball movement. You’re going to have nights where you don’t make shots, but the ball movement just has to be better.”

Energy wouldn’t seem to be a concern for a team with 11 players under 25 years old, yet it seems to be the one thing the Rockets can’t find when they need it. Against Miami, the lackadaisical effort to start the game doomed Houston, and on Saturday, it was the second-half apathetic movement on the court.

“We were just playing streetball out there,” Green said. “We weren’t playing together no more. We didn’t have no fight. Just an energy drop.”

When asked what the team could do to keep the energy level up throughout the entire game, Green reiterated that it is an individual thing each player must do.

“You can’t really work on bringing energy to a game,” he said. “It’s kind of just a mindset. Everyone got to be on the same page.”

Houston will have to work quickly to fix the stagnation of the ball and energy level as the San Antonio Spurs will visit Toyota Center on Monday. The Rockets lost 118-109 the last time the two teams met, which broke an 11-game losing streak for the Spurs.

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Tari Eason, Boban Marjanovic lead holiday shopping event in Houston

“It is super dope to give back to the community of Houston that has poured so much into us,” Tari Eason said after taking pictures with families and hosting a holiday shopping spree.

HOUSTON — As customers entered Kroger off Studemont near downtown Houston to pick up a few items, they noticed a crowd near the other end of the store. It didn’t take them long to realize why all the commotion was happening.

Standing amongst the people was a 7-foot-4 gentle giant towering over everyone with a smile big enough to match his height on his face. Right next to him was a 6-foot-8 titan giving out a high-five to all the young individuals in attendance.

Houston Rockets center Boban Marjanović and forward Tari Eason teamed up with Kroger to host a holiday shopping event for families from Target Hunger, Wounded Warrior Project, and Latter Deliverance Revival Church.

“It is super dope to give back to the community of Houston that has poured so much into us,” Eason said after taking pictures with the families. “It is only right that we give back.” When I first came here, I always knew I wanted to make an impact on the city.”

“Not only through basketball but giving back through philanthropy. It is great that we get to do things like this and partner up with Kroger, and I am excited for more things to come.”

Eason and Boban presented the families with a gift card, courtesy of Kroger, and assisted them with shopping. They also helped bag the items at checkout.

“Kroger’s purpose is to feed the human spirit, and what better way to do that than to feed families,” said Teresa Dickerson, corporate affairs manager of Kroger Houston. “I think it is very cool and exciting for the Rockets players to come out and wish these families a merry Christmas. These families come from right here in the Houston area, and it is heartfelt and heartwarming to see them (Eason and Boban) and how Kroger can play a part in the ‘Season of Giving’ program.”

The Houston Rockets organization and players have been instrumental in helping provide food and other necessities to families that may have fallen on hard times throughout the city.

“People had smiles on their faces as we went to get things,” Boban said. “Together, we can do something and put smiles on their faces. We wanted to do something to give back to the community. I want to help other people be happy, and this is my job right now.”

The Rockets are back in action on Thursday and looking to extend their home winning streak to six games in a matchup against the Miami Heat at Toyota Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Central.

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Rockets coach Stephen Silas balances basketball with grieving

“I kind of didn’t want the game to end,” a grieving Stephen Silas said with a slight smile after watching his #Rockets defeat Phoenix. “Now, it is like real life starts up again.”

HOUSTON — As the news made its way around the media workroom that Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas would return to the bench on Tuesday night, no one knew how to react.

He had been away from the team for two days since it was announced his father, NBA legend Paul Silas, had passed away. It is hard to tell how an individual grieves, especially one as close to his father as Silas was. He made his mark in the NBA coaching ranks by working alongside his father for three organizations during the elder Silas’ time as a head coach.

“It’s hard; it’s really hard. It took a lot to come for this (media availability), this part,” Silas said during his pregame press conference. The basketball part is like riding a bike. This part is tough.”

After his media session, Silas took a long sigh but walked out with his signature smile he has flashed since being introduced as the Rockets’ head coach in 2020. It may have been his way of coping and dealing with losing one of his closest friends.

Once Tuesday’s game began against the Phoenix Suns, it was back to business as usual for Silas. He helped orchestrate a plan for his young team to keep point guard Chris Paul from taking control of the game in the absence of Devin Booker. Houston beat Phoenix, 111-97, to secure its fifth straight home win.

As the game concluded, Silas was met by Suns head coach Monty Williams at midcourt. Most coaches shake hands, share a couple of words with each other and move on.

Williams knew this situation, however, would require more, and he did the same thing for Silas that other coaches and players did for him. Williams had taken a break in 2016 after his wife died in a tragic car accident.

The two coaches embraced one another, and it was clear Williams could feel the pain and hurt that ran through Silas’ body.

Silas made his way off the court as the customary streamers came down from the Toyota Center rafters after the Rockets won the game, and he knew it was time to face reality. He started his postgame press conference in the same fashion as he had earlier, with a long sigh.

“I kind of didn’t want the game to end,” Silas said with a slight smile. “Now it is like real life starts up again.”

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Rockets coach John Lucas loves clutch scoring, impeccable defense by Jalen Green

“I think Jalen had one of his finest games,” John Lucas says of Jalen Green. “He made his free throws. He attacked. What is even funnier was that his defense was impeccable.” #Rockets

HOUSTON — Rockets guard Jalen Green was unhappy after Thursday’s 118-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, a team that had lost 11 consecutive games and was not playing good basketball in recent weeks.

Green and his teammates came into that game after a dramatic double-overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers, and there may have been something of an emotional letdown.

Green took that loss to the Spurs to heart because he was not nearly as effective as he needed to be, scoring just 14 points on 5-of-17 shooting (29.4%) from the field.

“I know we could have played a lot better, including myself,” a dejected Green said in the visiting locker room in San Antonio.

Three nights later, Green bounced back with one of his best performances of the 2022-23 season, scoring 12 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter as Houston defeated Milwaukee, 97-92. It was his sixth 30-point game this season and third in nine games.

“I just know that my team depends on me in situations like that,” Green said of Sunday’s fourth-quarter outburst, which included three free throws in the game’s final minute to break open what had been a tie score. “All that hard work I put in is paying off.”

The win was an emotional one for the Rockets, who played without head coach Stephen Silas following the death of his father, Paul Silas, a former NBA player and head coach. Assistant coach John Lucas is filling in as acting head coach and liked the overall effort by his team on Sunday night, and particularly Green’s play.

“I think Jalen had one of his finest games,” Lucas said postgame of Green, who also tied his season-high with 7 rebounds on Sunday night versus the Bucks. “He made his free throws. He attacked. What is even funnier was that his defense was impeccable.”

In this season’s eight wins for the Rockets (8-18), Green is averaging 27.6 points on 50.7% shooting, and he has been instrumental in Houston’s current four-game winning streak at Toyota Center.

“There is nothing like being at home,” a smiling Green said postgame. “I just feel comfortable being at home.”

In Game 2 of a season-long homestand of seven games, Green and the Rockets hope to build on that momentum when Phoenix visits Toyota Center on Tuesday. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Central.

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