It seems like the Houston Astros love their hats! Just last year the team made a decision that their renowned 1999 batting practice caps will be available for purchase at Minute Maid Park’s official team store in center field. The team’s late 1990s game day headgear served as the model for the BP hat.

In contrast to the Astros’ notorious orange-and-yellow rainbow shirts, the team’s colors were then dark blue and gold. Two Hall of Famers (Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio), one of the greatest closers in baseball history (Billy Wagner), two 20-game winners (José Lima and Mike Hampton), and an MVP (Ken Caminiti) were all on that 1999 Astros club.  

Despite losing to the eventual pennant-winning Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, Houston defeated them to win the NL Central after finishing 97-65. Now Houston is bringing us another hat for sale to the public, not from the past but entirely new one! The Houston Astros are stepping up to the plate with a sizzling new partnership that’s sure to be a hit with fans and food lovers alike!   

They’ve teamed up with two legendary Texas BBQ spots—Pinkerton’s Barbeque and Truth BBQ—to create some baseball hats that are the perfect blend of America’s favorite pastimes: baseball and BBQ. The Astros’ new limited-edition baseball hats will be available for purchase at the Center Field Team Store starting this Thursday.

But that’s not all—there’s an exclusive perk for those quick on the draw: when you grab one of these flavorful hats, you’ll also score early access to single-game tickets for the 2025 MLB season. That’s right! Opening Day is just around the corner, with the Astros facing off against the New York Mets on March 27. The video posted by the team garnered a lot of mixed reactions from fans. Most of them think that it’s a bit too much for a baseball hat.

Fans react to Houston Astros’ promotional video   

The video uploaded by the Houston Astros in collaboration with Pinkerton’s Barbeque and Truth BBQ is in slow motion and almost has a movie-like feeling. The caption read, “This process ain’t easy, it takes time. And in Houston, we love the work.” The fan reactions to the video seem to be a blend of humor, sarcasm, and disappointment, but also a desire for something more significant than just a hat. 

One comment highlights the over-the-top nature of the video, which presents the creation of a hat in a way that almost feels like a cinematic event. Fans expect something more substantial from the team, such as new food offerings or experiences at the stadium. 

This fan might be tired of seeing constant promotions for new merchandise or hats, especially if they feel it’s not something that adds real value to the fan experience, like improved game-day experiences or food.

This comment likely stems from the involvement of Pinkerton’s Barbeque and Truth BBQ, both well-known BBQ spots, which raised expectations for actual food-related announcements. The fan initially thought the video might be teasing a major improvement or addition to the food options at the stadium. The disappointment comes from the realization that the video was more about the promotional item (the hat) than actual food offerings, which they were hoping for.

This reaction is a classic example of fans feeling that the effort put into the video was unnecessary for what essentially boils down to a hat. The fan feels that a simple social media post would have sufficed for this announcement, rather than an extravagant, slow-motion video that implies the creation of something grander.

This fan is expressing nostalgia and a desire for a previous Astros hat design (the solid orange hat). It shows a preference for simplicity and tradition over new, possibly over hyped designs. They would rather see the team bring back something familiar and beloved by fans than continue pushing new merchandise that doesn’t resonate with everyone.

These fan reactions are critical of the perceived over-hyping of a simple promotional item (the hat) in an elaborate video, with some fans feeling let down that something more meaningful—like better food at the park—wasn’t the focus. The playful, sarcastic tone indicates that while fans may appreciate the effort, they would prefer more substantive changes or offerings rather than just new merchandise.