Fertitta welcomes fan input on changes
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When the Rockets play their first home game Saturday with Tilman Fertitta in the front-row owners’ seats, things will look a bit different in some corners and might sound a bit different throughout the game.
But the more significant change is up for discussion, with Fertitta wanting to hear fans’ opinions about the team’s uniforms.
Fertitta is not planning to change Rockets uniforms, most recently overhauled in 2003. He likes the look. But Fertitta said he was open to suggestions, knowing team uniforms are a hotbutton issue sure to generate all sorts of opinions from change everything to change nothing to many ideas in between.
“It takes two years to change uniforms,” Fertitta said. “You always look at what’s new out there. I’m going to take feedback from the fans. If they think we ought to change uniforms, we’re going to change uniforms. I think they are pretty nice as it is. I’m not going to be one of these owners that comes in and says I’m going to change uniforms because I can. If everybody loves these uniforms, we’ll stick with it. If everybody has mixed emotions, we’ll look at it.
“We’re in the hospitality business. We’re in the service business. Fans should stay involved. That’s what we’re here for. You can’t have 4,000 different opinions. I don’t think they need to be totally changed. And I believe in brand building. There’s nothing wrong with a tweak.”
Tweaking uniforms
As with many uniforms around the league, Rockets uniforms were altered this season with the move to Nike. The double circles around the arms were removed, replaced with a design down the side.
The most controversial change in the uniforms came in 1995 when the Rockets went from the ketchup and mustard design to the blue, silver and red uniforms with stripes and a shooting rocket logo.
That revision began shortly after the sale of the team to Leslie Alexander, before the Rockets won consecutive championships in their traditional uniforms.
Fertitta knew of the timetable to make any change, but so far considered a priority only to hear opinions, including his own that the current uniforms work. He was not ready to choose a sponsor for the uniform patch now allowed, saying only that the Rockets will be choosy in selecting the right partner and that his company will not advertise on his team’s uniforms.
“That would be a wasted opportunity,” Fertitta said. “We already have Landry’s and Golden Nugget’s support.” They also will be featured in Toyota Center in other ways. Fertitta had said some Landry’s products might eventually be in the arena. The corner club near the Rockets’ locker room had been rebranded as a Golden Nugget club with photos of Golden Nugget properties. Other game presentation tweaks could be in the works.
Official introduction
“They’ll see some new things Saturday, some little things,” Fertitta said. “I think it’ll happen.”
There is one change planned that is certain. Fertitta was front row center for the final preseason game, but for the first time since his $2.2 billion purchase of the Rockets, the Toyota Center crowd will be introduced to the new owner of the team.