The Houston Texans open the home portion of their 2010 preseason schedule Saturday evening when they host the Dallas Cowboys at 7:05 p.m. CT at Reliant Stadium. When the team welcomes its fans back to kick off the franchise's ninth season, there will be a number of new and improved features to make the game day experience even better.
"On the field, our team's goal is to win championships for Houston. Off the field, our goal is to create memorable experiences for our fans, and we are constantly looking for new and better ways to accomplish that," said Texans president Jamey Rootes. "Each game, we welcome 70,000 friends into our home, and we want to turn those experiences into cherished memories for our fans."
Among the new introductions to the stadium experience in 2010 is a 170-decibel horn atop the stadium that will sound 30 minutes prior to kickoff and again 15 minutes later to remind tailgating fans that game time is fast approaching. The Texans are also introducing a number of new merchandise options, including "Red Zone" merchandise stands at each gate featuring an array of value-priced items under $20 as well as a value-priced "item of the game" for each home game.
The value-oriented thought carries over to the concession stand, where fans can purchase a number of value priced menu options. Selections will include $2 Dasani bottled water, $5 Coca-Cola Combo packs, $5 beer and $10 value meals. Kids will have their own menu which includes juice boxes, apple slices, cookies and kid-sized hot dogs and popcorn, all of which are priced at $2.50 or less.
To make going to the concession stand more convenient, the Texans invested over $2 million in a new point-of-purchase system that will make transactions faster and more reliable. The new system will allow vendors at Reliant Stadium to print receipts on the spot for the first time.
The Go Texans Store has undergone a facelift for 2010. Fans who want to wear what the players and coaches wear can check out the new Reebok Authentic wall, which features authentic jerseys with sewn-on player names and numbers and the 2010 NFL Equipment Sideline Authentic apparel line. The Go Texans Store will also feature an extension into Budweiser Plaza on game days in order to accommodate more fans.
One of the most important part of game days is fan interaction, and the Texans are committed to making that interaction as positive as possible. The team upgraded its text-message response system in order to respond to issues more quickly. Fans in the stadium are encouraged to report any issues they experience on game day, including rude or unruly individuals, safety concerns or spills in need of cleaning, by texting "HOU
issue" to 78247.
"Our fans are our home field advantage," Rootes said. "They have helped make Reliant Stadium one of the toughest and loudest places to play in the NFL, and we need their help to ensure it remains one of the world's best places to watch a game. If two heads are better than one, then it stands to reason that 70,000 pairs of eyes will allow us to spot and resolve any issues much faster than we can ever do on our own."
