Houston-Based Hospital System To Sponsor Three Pro Teams

Houston-based Memorial Hermann Healthcare System has signed on as the official health care partner of the Rockets, WNBA Comets and AHL Aeros, according to Anne Belli of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Memorial Hermann will manage the players’ medical care and provide orthopedic surgeon Thomas Clanton as the teams’ physician. The hospital system’s name “will be posted throughout the Toyota Center,” where the teams play their home games. Memorial Hermann will also sponsor “a new child-friendly section in the [arena] called the Memorial Hermann Fan Zone that will include a small-scale basketball court, games and other activities.” Also, the teams “will provide players for public appearances at Memorial Hermann facilities.” Sports marketing and health care experts estimated that the deal was worth more than $1M annually. Houston-based Select Sports Group COO Jeff Nalley said, “I would guess it would be a multimillion-dollar deal” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/6).