HOUSTON – Houston’s professional soccer stadium has had many names – and now it has one more.
The 21,000-seat venue once called BBVA Stadium, then PNC Stadium will now be known as Shell Energy Stadium. The Houston Business Journal reported the many twists and turns of the venue in this report.
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“A great partner like Shell — who is an organization that we’ve had a great relationship with and who has such an impact and legacy in the city of Houston — it made a lot of sense to foster that dialogue and see where it could go,” Houston Dynamo owner Ted Segal told the Houston Business Journal. “To have that linkage with such an established brand means a lot to the Houston Dynamo and Dash.”
HBJ said officials shared the naming rights deal for the east downtown stadium on Tuesday, reporting that Segal said the naming rights deal with Shell is a “multiyear agreement, but could not provide details on the length of the deal nor its value.”
Houston Dynamo, the Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League and Texas Southern University’s football program use the venue.
As part of the agreement, Houston Dynamo said in a news release that the the stadium will feature new marquee signage at the north end, along with Shell Energy signage and branding prominently displayed throughout the venue. In addition to the naming rights agreement, the club and Shell Energy are pursuing a variety of integrated energy and decarbonization solutions at the stadium, while also collaborating on important community initiatives. This includes a near-term goal to reduce the club’s scope one and scope two greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2026 from a 2018 base year.
“This is a really special opportunity to join Houston Dynamo FC and the Houston Dash to enable their path to further sustainability,” said Glenn Wright, senior vice president, Shell Energy. “We’re proud to work with the club on delivering decarbonization solutions, just as we offer 100 percent renewable electricity plans to homeowners in Houston and across Texas. I’m excited for our teams to continue to build on the positive legacy of the club in Houston through the wide range of initiatives both at the stadium and in the broader community.”
Beginning in early 2023, Houston Dynamo said in its news release about the naming rights agreement that Shell Energy it will institute a decarbonization program starting with energy efficiency improvements to venue-wide LED lighting, on-site renewable energy via a rooftop solar array, renewable electricity, energy monitoring and management with a sub-metering system and installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
“This announcement is the result of the tireless work from both organizations to make this opportunity a reality,” Club Chief Operating Officer and Dash President, Jessica O’Neill said. “This transformative relationship will extend far beyond our footprint in downtown and we’re thrilled to continue to improve our community alongside Shell Energy.”
Since Ted Segal’s arrival as the majority owner and chairman of the club in June 2021, the venue has undergone multi-phase renovations to offer supporters a safe-standing section and the addition of two premium spaces in the south end. Additionally, construction is underway at Shell Energy Stadium as the venue expands its premium offering with an all-inclusive air-conditioned club on the east concourse. The current project also includes the installation of all-new mesh seats throughout the entire seating bowl. The multi-million-dollar project is scheduled for completion in early March, Houston Dynamo said in its news release on Tuesday.