SPORTS AUTHORITY FOUNDATION INDUCTS BRIAN CHING, BILLY WAGNER, AND JJ WATT INTO HOUSTON SPORTS HALL OF FAME
HOUSTON, TX — The Sports Authority Foundation inducted Brian Ching, Billy Wagner, and JJ Wattinto the Houston Sports Hall of Fame as its Class of 2026 during an Oct. 13 ceremony at Le Tesserae, presented by BlueSky IT and TDECU.
“The Sports Authority Foundation is honored to welcome Brian Ching, Billy Wagner, and JJ Watt into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame,” said Ryan Walsh, CEO of the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority and Sports Authority Foundation. “Their legacies on the field made Houston proud, and their impact in the community made Houston better. They embody what it means to be both a Houstonian and a Hall of Famer, and their induction ensures their remarkable achievements will continue to inspire generations to come.”
Ching, an original member of the Houston Dynamo, played a pivotal role in the club’s launch and led the club to back-to-back MLS Cup championships in its first two seasons. Ching remains deeply involved in Houston’s soccer community and in 2018 opened Pitch 25 Beer Garden in East Downtown, a central gathering place for Dynamo supporters and soccer fans.
Wagner is recognized as one of the most dominant relievers in baseball history, and in 2025 he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, representing the Astros. A seven-time MLB All-Star, Wagner’s 422 career saves rank No. 8 all-time.
Watt, who spent 10 seasons in Houston, was one of the most dominant players of his generation and won three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, tied for the most all-time. A fixture in the Houston community, Watt was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner in 2017 after raising more than $41 million for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
“Houston gave me some of the greatest years of my life,” Ching said during his induction. “It gave me MLS Cup championships and unforgettable moments on the field. It gave me lifelong brothers and teammates. Above all, Houston gave me a home and a community that embraced me as one of its own.”
“The opportunities that were given to me through the Houston Astros and the city of Houston are one of those things you can’t put a price tag on,” Wagner said during the induction ceremony. “Houston is always going to be special.”
“What an incredible place, what a special place,” Watt said of Houston during his induction ceremony. “I have teammates here, but I have something so much more with this city: I have a family. I’m not from here, but you welcomed me as one of your own. I will never in my life forget it. You will always be my family. If there’s anything you ever need or any way I can ever help, I will always be here for you because of what you did for me.”
As part of the induction ceremony, Ching, Wagner, and Watt each received their official Houston Sports Hall of Fame jacket, trophy, and custom ring. Their bronze plaques were also unveiled at the event, and will soon be permanently installed along the Houston Sports Walk of Fame at GreenStreet, joining those of previous Hall of Fame inductees.
The Houston Sports Hall of Fame was created in 2018 to honor sports legends who built their careers in Houston or call the city home, and to recognize their extraordinary achievements and lasting impact on Houston and its sports legacy.
Each honoree is commemorated with a bronze plaque along the Houston Sports Walk of Fame in downtown Houston at GreenStreet and an original painting by artist Opie Otterstad. Inductees also receive a custom Hall of Fame ring created by Diamond Cutters International and a Hall of Fame jacket tailored by Ghurka. Each painting, ring, and jacket is custom-designed for the Hall of Famer, commemorating his illustrious career.
Space City Home Network, the television home of the Houston Rockets and Houston Astros, will broadcast the Class of 2026 induction ceremony at a later date, with additional re-airings to follow.
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About the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority and Sports Authority Foundation The Harris County–Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA), founded in 1997, is responsible for servicing the debt of the world-class sports facilities it was created to build and ensuring their long-term sustainability. In support of this core mission, HCHSA leads the charge in attracting major sporting events to Houston and promoting our region as a home for all sports-related activities. This ultimately results in enhancing our economic development, improving the quality of life for our residents, and reinforcing Houston and Harris County as a premier destination for marquee sporting events. Its 501(c)(3) arm, the Sports Authority Foundation, manages the community engagement and legacy programs tied to major events, including FIFA World Cup 26™ in Houston, through Impact Houston 26. Learn more at Harris County–Houston Sports Authority and Sports Authority Foundation.
