Houston Cougars Release Important Fan Information Ahead of Home Opener
In this story:
New and important information for Houston Cougars fans regarding entry into TDECU Stadium, along with a slew of new features along and off the concourse, was announced by Houston Athletics on Friday.
1. New ticketing and entry process comes with just one tap
Before the 2025 football season, most ticketing devices supplied to Houston Athletics at TDECU Stadium required reading a barcode on the ticket from a smartphone wallet, often requiring fans to fully brighten their phone screen to have it scanned, which meant spending more time at the gate and wasting potentially crucial phone battery for communication.
Houston now introduces a permanent tap form of ticketing where scanners only need to sense the ticket without a screen having to be brightened, leaving for a swift and smoother process of entry into the stadium. This form of entry will be utilized at all four gates and the club entrances.
2. Improved team store on Cullen
Prior to entry into TDECU Stadium, fans might notice the new and improved UH Team Shop located on Cullen Boulevard, attached to the university's stadium parking garage.
The storefront was revived in 2024 after a hiatus in use from its previous format as a Fanatics-based team store. The campus dropped Fanatics as its team store provider and signed on with Follett, leaving fans questioning what the storefront's use would be.
Among a new layout inside the storefront is a new selection of merchandise featuring select authentic sideline gear to coincide with the 2025 season.
3. New concession options
Inside TDECU Stadium will be a new array of concession options around the concourse, to which many should consider an upgrade from the previous selection.
Among new eateries are College Station-based Layne's Chicken Fingers (often considered a rival to Raising Cane's), a Ninfa's Mexican restaurant, a Halal Guys fast casual halal food joint, and Houston-based Hot Rod Pops, an artisanal popsicle company with flavors based around classic cars. It also appeared Pizza Hut has been revived in a stadium concourse facet after a prior location closed down on the campus's East side.
Michael Carrara is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He attends the University of Houston, where he is a journalism major and a marketing minor. He is also a sports writer and reporter for the Daily Cougar, having covered baseball as an NCBWA member. You can find Michael on all major social media channels, including X on @michaelcoalec.