The Houston Astros are a professional baseball team located in Houston, Texas, and they compete as a member of the American League (AL) West division within MLB. Established in 1962 under the name Houston Colt .45s, the franchise underwent a rebranding to become the Astros in 1965. This name change coincided with the inauguration of the Astrodome, recognized as the world's first domed stadium. In 2000, the team relocated to Minute Maid Park. The Astros achieved their first World Series championship in 2017; however, this accomplishment was subsequently overshadowed by a sign-stealing controversy that prompted significant criticism and penalties for the organization. Despite these challenges, the Astros have maintained their status as a competitive team within MLB, reaching several World Series thereafter, in 2019, 2021, and 2022, where they secured their second championship title.
Remarkably, they are also noted for being the only team to win a postseason series for seven consecutive seasons. By clinching their fifth pennant in 2022, they became only the second club established during MLB’s expansion era to achieve five league pennants, following behind the New York Mets, and stand as one of just five teams to have won two World Series championships.
Who owns the Houston Astros?
Jim Crane has served as the Principal Owner of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball team since 2011. He is an accomplished American businessman, holding the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Crane Capital Group, Crane Worldwide Logistics, and Crane Freight and Shipping. He was the largest contributor to a $1.2 million upgrade at CMSU baseball stadium in 1998.
In May 2011, Jim Crane acquired the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB) from Drayton McLane for a reported sum of $680 million. His ownership was unanimously approved by MLB on November 17, 2011. At the time of his purchase, the Astros were emerging from a season in which they secured only 56 wins. Under Crane's leadership, the team underwent a significant transformation, achieving three consecutive seasons with over 100 wins from 2017 to 2019. Notably, this period included World Series championships in both 2017 and 2022. In the regular season of 2022, the Astros achieved an impressive total of 106 victories, marking the second-highest record in franchise history.
Following his acquisition of the Astros, Crane focused on enhancing the Astros Foundation through increased donations and strategic corporate partnerships. By 2017, under his stewardship, contributions to the foundation had escalated from $50,000 to $12 million. Furthermore, that same year marked a significant achievement as the foundation’s Community Leaders Program received MLB's prestigious Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence.
Houston Astros Owners Net Worth
As per Forbes in March 2024, Jim Crane is worth $2.4 billion.
List of Houston Astros owners
Here is the list of all owners of the Houston Astros throughout its history:
| Owner(s) | Tenure |
| Roy Hofheinz, R.E. "Bob" Smith, Craig F. Cullinan Jr., George Kirksey | 1962–1965 |
| Roy Hofheinz & R.E. "Bob" Smith | 1965–1967 |
| Roy Hofheinz | 1967–1975 |
| GE Money (General Electric Credit Company) & Ford Motor Credit Company | 1975–1978 |
| Ford Motor Credit Company | 1978–1979 |
| John McMullen | 1979–1992 |
| Drayton McLane, Jr. | 1992–2011 |
| Jim Crane | 2011–Present |
FAQs
A. The Houston Astros were founded in 1962 as the Houston Colt .45s. They changed their name to the Astros in 1965.
A. The Astros play in the American League (AL) West division.
A. The Astros play their home games at Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston, Texas.
A. The Astros have won two World Series titles in 2017 and 2022.
A. The current owner of the Houston Astros is Jim Crane, who has owned the team since 2011.
