“Filling our building and having fans that are there, excited, engaged, and that are proud of what we are doing is the key,” Sheirr says of her outlook for the 2025-26 Rockets season.
In a roundtable podcast conversation, Dave Hardisty (ClutchFans) and Ben DuBose (Rockets Wire, SportsTalk 790) sat down with Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations with the Houston Rockets, to discuss the opening of the 2025–26 NBA season.
As part of the interview, Sheirr shares insights on the state of the franchise; what fans can expect from the Toyota Center experience, and new promotions and initiatives designed to bring fans closer to the team.
Additional discussion topics include the Rockets’ outlook for the new season; the business impact of acquiring Kevin Durant; ongoing arena upgrades; and the latest updates on fan promotions, engagement initiatives, and the overall business of basketball in Houston.
“Make no mistake, we are a business, but filling our building and having fans that are there, that are excited, that are engaged, and that are proud of what we are doing is the key,” Sheirr said.
This season, the Rockets have introduced several fan-friendly pricing options, including $3.99 hot dogs, sodas, and popcorn, plus $2.99 cookies and a $5.95 Kids Meal — all designed to make attending games more affordable.
“There’s going to be something almost every night that provides a very affordable option for the fan to come to our games,” Sheirr said.
The Rockets have also seen a 300% uptick in merchandise sales, with Durant’s arrival helping to raise excitement from the fan base.
“He likes basketball,” Sheirr said with a laugh when asked about her impressions of Durant. “He’s a worker. He’s really smart, and he’s super excited to be in Houston.”
During the interview, Sheirr also discussed being able to watchAlperen Sengun and other young players that have grown and developed since being drafted by the Rockets.
“Part of our storyline was, hey, if you could go back and be a part of ‘insert sports legend’s name’ and watch them from their rookie year on knowing how great they would be, that’s a cool experience that I think everyone would want to be a part of,” Sheirr said. “Hopefully we did a good job over the last four-to-five years of really telling the story of what we were trying to accomplish, the belief that we had in these young guys, and seeing it all come together.”
As a new initiative, the Rockets are showcasing those journeys through their “In Flight” behind-the-scenes series on YouTube.
There are still seats available to select 2025-26 games, and Sheirr advises buying tickets directly on Rockets.com.
