The twelve Houston Astros sponsorship signs behind the Crawford Boxes — the ones partially obscuring the outfield train track for more than a season — are coming down and relocated elsewhere in Minute Maid Park.
The signage came out of a good impulse: they were to honor members of the Community Leaders program, which began in 2012 and has committed up to $18.0 million over five years for the refurbishment and maintenance of city-owned, public, youth ballfields and programming in disadvantaged Houston neighborhoods. But many fans found the signs annoying: they obscured the views of the train rolling down the line, as well as views of downtown from the lower seats.
So the signs are being moved. The new location, which will align the signs across the left field and left-center-field facade, just below the railroad tracks, will provide improved visibility for the signs and clear the view of the Minute Maid Park train, which is a popular signature of the ballpark. The new location, which was also determined as a result of feedback from Astros fans, will provide a clearer view of the popular fireworks shows and of the downtown skyline.
“The Community Leaders program is, by far, one of the most dynamic reinvestment projects among all professional sports teams,” said Astros President of Business Operations Reid Ryan. “The upcoming changes to Minute Maid Park will highlight the program for all fans to see, and enhance the visibility of our corporate partners, who have played a huge role in making it a reality. We value the feedback we receive from our great fans and feel that the changes we are making will be a win-win situation for everyone.”
The Astros championship banners and the ‘DK’ sign honoring the memory of former Astros pitcher Darryl Kile will also be moved to ideal, visible locations in the ballpark. The banners will be placed on the left-field light towers, and the ‘DK’ sign will be placed in a prominent location to be determined in the near future.
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