Seth A.
Yelp
This was truly exciting attending my first ever Pittsburgh Steelers game. Yes here at Acrisure Stadium or what will forever be known as Heinz Field and the "Big Ketchup Bottle", lol, a few months ago I went to see the Baltimore Ravens play the Steelers in one of the NFL's fiercest, most bitter rivalries.
For a 1pm game, they allowed entrance 2 hours prior to kickoff which gave me ample time and opportunities to walk around and explore. I was able to get pictures in while the rest of the fans were still tailgating.
Just outside Acrisure, there were tables set up for selling Steelers merchandise. Of course I had to buy an iconic Terrible Towel for $10. They also displayed a monument dedicated to the Immaculate Reception, one of the most memorable moments in NFL history. It's worthy of a photo.
Also cool was standing beside the open end front entrance where there was a ferry coming and going floating along the Allegheny River dropping fans off at the stadium. What a fun way to travel to a game. And it's here at the front open end of Acrisure Stadium that's worthwhile for family pics.
I went to the game with a friend of mine who's from Baltimore. He paid for our tickets so I'm not sure how much they actually cost. But we did sit in the lower part of the upper deck section on the closed end of the field. Views were good and I was surprised by how big Acrisure Stadium appeared. Yet it says capacity only held 68,000 fans. I would have expected more.
Parking was $40 located in a lot about 1/3rd mile walk from the game. Though, I believe I saw lower prices for parking on TickPick and that's without fees. So maybe you could check online instead of randomly showing up the day of.
Funny, my buddy proudly wore his Ravens jersey and Steelers fans were pretty friendly and welcoming towards him. This is something I would be scared to do as a visitor against loyal and passionate Pittsburgh fans. But, they didn't heckle him. I'm certain it would have been different had we attended a game in Philadelphia, lol, some of the roughest fans over there in Philly, lol.
I believe the best aspect about Acrisure Stadium had to be those vibrant yellow seats. They are so emblematic to the Steelers organization. Walking the upper tiered level from high above, there's panoramic views looking down on the field. Off to the open end side of the stadium, you capture a wonderful vantage point of the downtown Pittsburgh skyline, one of the most dramatic in all the United States, imo.
I asked ushers if they would take a photo of myself and the field which they happily said "yes" to. Looking around and realizing I was standing at a Steelers game was exhilarating in the moment. In total, it took no more than 1 hour to venture around Acrisure Stadium and get the photos I wanted.
Btw, in one corner of the open end section of the stadium was a large ketchup bottle statue which fans waited in line to take a picture of.
I didn't purchase anything from the concession stands.
Some details about the actual football game...
I expected a rocking atmosphere. I figured the crowd would be a factor. I wanted Steeler Country to show their support the way I envisioned watching games on television.
But I must say, and although the stadium was mostly full and the action came down to the final 4th quarter moments, fans were relatively laid-back. The energy wasn't nearly as loud and effective as I had anticipated. I felt disappointed by this.
And just saying...I went to school in Baltimore and have made it to a bunch of Ravens games at M&T Bank Stadium. It always lives up to its reputation as being one of the loudest NFL settings. So for me, this relaxed Sunday atmosphere in Pittsburgh was a little anticlimactic.
Another aspect that fell short were no firework celebrations. Nothing during the national anthem, introductions, touchdowns or field goals. I was surprised because Acrisure Stadium sits against the Allegheny River and would be ideal to set fireworks blasting off from the open end section. It'd offer an improved atmosphere intensifying the crowd noise.
Overall, when reflecting back on Acrisure Stadium...
- It's located next to the scenic Allegheny River.
- There are walking pedestrian pathways beside the shoreline.
- You have bright yellow bridges connecting downtown.
- PNC Park of the Pirates is around the corner.
In the end, it's evident this downtown area of Pittsburgh can be a sports fans' dream come true, lol. Regardless of how passionate I felt the crowd was for my first Steelers game, thank you Pittsburgh for having me. Hope to return sometime in the future.