Houston Business Journal: Memorial Hermann Houston Rockets Training Center to help boost team performance, revenue by Chandler France
- Carrie Potter
- Jul 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 4
Featured Quote: “That investment also leads to winning, the ultimate driver of fan engagement, Potter said. It all starts with player-focused facilities — places most fans will never step foot in."
July 2, 2024. "In today’s NBA, these amenities are no longer an option but a “requirement” in order to attract top players, said Carrie Potter, Rice University faculty and sports finance expert. Potter, who has represented professional athletes and worked in the NBA since 1999, said the Rockets’ new facility will play a significant role in attracting free agents, particularly international players who have grown up with similar training centers their whole lives."
"Additionally, players, coaches, staff and front office personnel are all in close proximity in the new facility — as opposed to being separated by multiple floors at Toyota Center — to create a more community-oriented environment. Building that culture and a “home away from home” for players is also a key attraction for players, Potter said."
"Houston is already generally considered a top-five city for professional athletes because of the state’s tax structure and the city’s culture and food scene, Potter said. The new training center, which can now compete with the likes of the rest of the NBA, only elevates the Rockets as a team of choice for valuable players."
“Houston is already high on that list, but then you add a facility like this, and it could make the difference between a player choosing our city and another city,” Potter said."
"The new training center also adds a significant revenue boost for the Rockets — already one of the world’s most profitable sports teams — Potter said.
Most notably, there is a direct revenue benefit from the naming rights deal with Memorial Hermann. Additionally, there is a trickle-down effect in which investing in players leads to continued business success, Potter said."
"Investing in player facilities helps teams sign valuable free agents, retain players for multiple contracts and keep those players healthy, Potter said. That allows teams’ fan bases to engage and build bonds with the players in an intimate league like the NBA. That then leads to fans filling seats and buying merchandise, growing the team’s revenue base."
"That investment also leads to winning, the ultimate driver of fan engagement, Potter said. It all starts with player-focused facilities — places most fan will never step foot in."
“If you’re doing the most to invest in your players and retain and attract the best talent — it’s like any other business — then you will continue to be successful,” Potter said. “Winning turns into money. The only way you win is to have the best assets on the court."
“That’s what this training facility brings to the Houston Rockets as a franchise.”
