HOUSTON, TX - The Astros Foundation and Shriners Hospitals for Children have announced the extension of a multi-year naming rights agreement for the annual Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic held at Minute Maid Park. The collaboration between the Astros Foundation and Shriners Hospitals for Children surrounding one of the nation's premier collegiate tournaments will extend through March 2023. The Astros Foundation will continue to operate the tournament.
"Shriners Hospitals for Children has been a wonderful partner for the Astros Foundation" said Twila Carter, Executive Director of the Astros Foundation. "Today, we are pleased to announce the five-year extension of our partnership with the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic. We are grateful for their generous support and collaborative efforts to bring transformative change to our community."
"This tournament provides our health care system with a national platform to share the story of how Shriners Hospitals for Children has changed the lives of more than 1.3 million kids over the course of the past 96 years," said Jim Cain, Imperial Potentate (CEO) of Shriners International, the fraternity that founded and continues to support Shriners Hospitals for Children. "Our partnership with the Astros Foundation will help us continue to advance our mission of providing world-class care to children, regardless of the families' ability to pay."
The Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic, a 19-year Astros Foundation tradition, returns to Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros from March 1-3, 2019. The invite only tournament once again boasts a strong lineup, featuring some of college baseball's most respected programs including Baylor, Houston, Rice, TCU, Texas A&M and Texas State. The Astros Foundation will donate $1 from the sale of each ticket directly to Shriners Hospitals as well as provide other fundraising and awareness opportunities.
This event is regarded as one of the top collegiate baseball tournaments in the nation, as it continues to draw fans, top-ranked programs and scouts from every Major League organization each year. Since 2001, this prestigious event has hosted 32 different NCAA Division-I baseball programs. Historically, the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic has hosted the No. 1 team in preseason polls seven times in tournament history and has hosted two eventual College World Series champions.
Tickets for the 2019 tournament will go on sale on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at Astros.com/CollegeClassic. The tournament broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.
About the Houston Astros Foundation
The Astros Foundation, the official 501(c)(3) team charity of the Houston Astros, seeks to harness the passion of baseball fans to support youth baseball and softball programs, the recognition and honor of our nation's military, childhood cancer awareness and efforts to reduce homelessness. Our cornerstone initiatives include the Community Leaders program, the Astros Youth Academy and the Astros RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Program. For more information on the Astros Foundation, please visit www.astros.com/foundation.
About Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a health care system with locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Our staff is dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, conducting innovative research, and offering outstanding educational programs for medical professionals. Children up to age 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care, regardless of the families' ability to pay. Within these broad service lines, many types of care are provided. For example, some locations offer reconstructive plastic surgery, treatment for craniofacial abnormalities or care for sports injuries. Generally, care is provided until age 18, although, in some cases, it may be extended to age 21. All services are provided in a compassionate, family-centered environment. For more information, please visit shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

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