What the hell were the Steelers thinking. I know its about money but Come on that has to be the worst name for a stadium I ever heard.
Heinz Field ???
- Thread starter Snake Plissken
- Start date
Worse than your stadium sponsor going bankrupt? PSI (Ravens) TWA (Rams) and Pro Player (Dolphins)
It was a toss up between Hienz Park or AFLAC Park....I'll take the duck....(that kills me when that duck is on the roller coaster screaming
)
30,000 mostly happy fans attend Steelers' open house at Heinz Field
Sunday, August 12, 2001
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
In almost every way, it looked like a game day for the Steelers.
North Shore parking lots were jammed with cars, with hundreds more lined up bumper to bumper across the Fort Duquesne Bridge.
A Steelers fan sitting in section 528 -- the upper deck -- will get this view of not only Heinz Field, but also the Downtown skyline. (Matt Freed, Post-Gazette)
Rock and roll blared from stadium loudspeakers. Thousands of eager fans poured through the gates -- filling the seats, baking in the sun, lining up at the concession stands, a few even kicking field goals on the field.
There was just one thing missing yesterday -- the players.
They weren't there because it was an open house at Heinz Field, the first chance for Steelers season ticket holders to get a look at the new 65,000-seat stadium and see how their fannies would fit in the bright-yellow seats. They could compare how their view of the playing field compared to their old sight lines at Three Rivers Stadium.
It was also a chance to check out the new Coca-Cola Great Hall, a Steelers and Pitt Panthers hall of fame filled with giant pictures of players and famous moments in the teams' histories, along with 25-foot-high replicas of the Steelers' four Super Bowl trophies.
Yesterday's official attendance was 30,568, said Steelers spokesman Ron Wahl. For the most part, it seemed like the new stadium passed the test.
If anybody should have been unhappy, it was two guys from Monessen, Andy Sagona and Anthony Trozzo. Their seats at Heinz Field are in section 517, row LL -- the very last, very highest row of seats in the northeast corner of the upper section of the upper deck. There's nothing behind them but the stadium wall.
But they had no complaints.
"You know what I like about this seat? There's nobody behind me, so nobody can pour beer on me," laughed Sagona.
They and eight other friends had seats scattered in various locations around Three Rivers Stadium, so they asked to be put in one place, and they are -- up high.
"We're happy to get these seats. And we've got a good view" of the field and the rivers, Sagona said.
Sagona has already counted the number of steps they have to climb to reach their seats -- 87. "You can't drink too much beer up here because you have to go down all those steps to reach the bathroom," he joked.
Also happy was Bill Zuccolotto, who, truth to tell, didn't have the best seats -- row FF, fifth row from the top in the upper section of the bleachers in the north end zone.
The DuBois man had spent nine years on a waiting list for season tickets. He liked his view of the field from the high-up bleachers.
"I waited a long time, but my persistence paid off," he said of finally getting season tickets for himself and his wife, Michele.
"I've been reading the criticism of the stadium in the papers -- the yellow-colored seats and all -- and I don't know where it's coming from," he said. "I can't wait for the games to start."
In the lower section of the north end zone, Bob Lesnick of Green Tree wasn't quite sure what to think of his seats. They weren't exactly what he wanted -- he asked to be under cover of a roof, as he'd been for six years in section 632 of Three Rivers -- but these seats were totally out in the open.
"We like to be covered from the elements, from wind and rain," said his wife, Kathy.
But their 15-year-old son, Alex, was urging his parents to keep the end zone seats, and Bob said he'd likely follow his son's advice.
"I like being closer to the field in these seats," Alex said. "I like being able to see the whole field from here."
There were Pitt football fans there yesterday also. Dr. Jim Edmonds, an oral surgeon from Fox Chapel who graduated from the Pitt Dental School, and his wife, Harriet, who has three degrees from Pitt, including a Ph.D in cardiovascular nursing, were examining their seats on the 30-yard line in the lower tier.
They're season ticket holders for the six Pitt games to be played at Heinz Field. They both still mourn the destruction of Pitt Stadium -- they went to Pitt during the glory days of Tony Dorsett in the mid-1970s -- but like the progress symbolized by the construction of the stadiums on the North Shore.
"We need to focus on how much we need the stadiums and the economic development they bring to the city," Edmonds said.
His wife also likes Heinz Field, but said, "My only regret is that I think you should play Pitt football on campus."
U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Swissvale, was there yesterday, looking quite casual and uncongressional in his tan shorts, golf shirt and loafers.
He wasn't complaining, you understand, but he did say that his seats at Heinz Field weren't quite as good as the ones he had for 10 years at Three Rivers.
There, he'd sat under cover in the second level, on the 45 yard line, while at Heinz Field he's on the 40 yard line, in the lower tier, not under cover.
What? He didn't use his influence to get better seats?
"No, I just sent my money in and took my chances," he said, adding that his new seats do have a good view of the field.
For male patrons, the restrooms in the upper and lower sections of the stadium feature a throwback -- troughs rather than urinals. The walls are a rather monotonous white-painted concrete block.
The men's rooms in the higher-priced club seat sections (where seats are charcoal gray) are more upscale, with walls and floors of black and white tiles and fancier sinks and mirrors.
Agnes Spagnol of Bethel Park said the women's rooms passed her test -- at least 28 stalls and large sinks in a restroom near her seats in section 109 on the lower level.
"Much better than Three Rivers," she said. "This is great."
Two sections of Heinz Field appear headed for instant popularity -- an open-air plaza at the south end of the stadium, just below the giant scoreboard, and the new hall of fame on the ground floor on the eastern side of the stadium.
The south plaza will be open to the public even on non-game days. It's about 25 feet from the back line of the end zone and offers a close-up view of the action. Fans flocked to the plaza yesterday, many having their picture taken with the field in the background.
Team officials expect many fans to crowd the plaza to cheer on the Steelers when they're driving for a touchdown in the south end zone.
The Great Hall will be free to ticket holders on game days and will be open other days from spring to fall, with the admission price still to be set.
Yesterday, several hundred fans lined up in the Great Hall to get autographs from Steelers of the past, including J.T. Thomas, Robin Cole, Larry Brown and Mike Wagner.
Among those waiting patiently were John Kukalis of Murrysville, who was with his 5-year-son, Patrick, and Patrick's friends, Jordan Riley, 9, and his brother, Jonathan Riley, 7.
Kukalis said that because of heavy traffic on the Parkway East, it had taken them 45 minutes to get to the stadium from Swissvale. But the boys were happy.
He said he didn't understand the fuss some folks had made over the yellow color of most of the seats.
"I kind of like the black and gold seat combination," he said. "Let's keep it traditional Steeler colors."
Jimmy Sacco, recently named general manager of the stadium, said he thought yesterday's shakedown cruise had gone pretty well.
Sacco, who ran Three Rivers Stadium for its last 10 years, said yesterday's experience uncovered "some minor internal operational things" that needed to be corrected.
But overall, he said, "The consensus is that people are thrilled. The fans are overwhelmed. The stadium is a beautiful addition to the North Shore."
Sunday, August 12, 2001
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
In almost every way, it looked like a game day for the Steelers.
North Shore parking lots were jammed with cars, with hundreds more lined up bumper to bumper across the Fort Duquesne Bridge.
A Steelers fan sitting in section 528 -- the upper deck -- will get this view of not only Heinz Field, but also the Downtown skyline. (Matt Freed, Post-Gazette)
Rock and roll blared from stadium loudspeakers. Thousands of eager fans poured through the gates -- filling the seats, baking in the sun, lining up at the concession stands, a few even kicking field goals on the field.
There was just one thing missing yesterday -- the players.
They weren't there because it was an open house at Heinz Field, the first chance for Steelers season ticket holders to get a look at the new 65,000-seat stadium and see how their fannies would fit in the bright-yellow seats. They could compare how their view of the playing field compared to their old sight lines at Three Rivers Stadium.
It was also a chance to check out the new Coca-Cola Great Hall, a Steelers and Pitt Panthers hall of fame filled with giant pictures of players and famous moments in the teams' histories, along with 25-foot-high replicas of the Steelers' four Super Bowl trophies.
Yesterday's official attendance was 30,568, said Steelers spokesman Ron Wahl. For the most part, it seemed like the new stadium passed the test.
If anybody should have been unhappy, it was two guys from Monessen, Andy Sagona and Anthony Trozzo. Their seats at Heinz Field are in section 517, row LL -- the very last, very highest row of seats in the northeast corner of the upper section of the upper deck. There's nothing behind them but the stadium wall.
But they had no complaints.
"You know what I like about this seat? There's nobody behind me, so nobody can pour beer on me," laughed Sagona.
They and eight other friends had seats scattered in various locations around Three Rivers Stadium, so they asked to be put in one place, and they are -- up high.
"We're happy to get these seats. And we've got a good view" of the field and the rivers, Sagona said.
Sagona has already counted the number of steps they have to climb to reach their seats -- 87. "You can't drink too much beer up here because you have to go down all those steps to reach the bathroom," he joked.
Also happy was Bill Zuccolotto, who, truth to tell, didn't have the best seats -- row FF, fifth row from the top in the upper section of the bleachers in the north end zone.
The DuBois man had spent nine years on a waiting list for season tickets. He liked his view of the field from the high-up bleachers.
"I waited a long time, but my persistence paid off," he said of finally getting season tickets for himself and his wife, Michele.
"I've been reading the criticism of the stadium in the papers -- the yellow-colored seats and all -- and I don't know where it's coming from," he said. "I can't wait for the games to start."
In the lower section of the north end zone, Bob Lesnick of Green Tree wasn't quite sure what to think of his seats. They weren't exactly what he wanted -- he asked to be under cover of a roof, as he'd been for six years in section 632 of Three Rivers -- but these seats were totally out in the open.
"We like to be covered from the elements, from wind and rain," said his wife, Kathy.
But their 15-year-old son, Alex, was urging his parents to keep the end zone seats, and Bob said he'd likely follow his son's advice.
"I like being closer to the field in these seats," Alex said. "I like being able to see the whole field from here."
There were Pitt football fans there yesterday also. Dr. Jim Edmonds, an oral surgeon from Fox Chapel who graduated from the Pitt Dental School, and his wife, Harriet, who has three degrees from Pitt, including a Ph.D in cardiovascular nursing, were examining their seats on the 30-yard line in the lower tier.
They're season ticket holders for the six Pitt games to be played at Heinz Field. They both still mourn the destruction of Pitt Stadium -- they went to Pitt during the glory days of Tony Dorsett in the mid-1970s -- but like the progress symbolized by the construction of the stadiums on the North Shore.
"We need to focus on how much we need the stadiums and the economic development they bring to the city," Edmonds said.
His wife also likes Heinz Field, but said, "My only regret is that I think you should play Pitt football on campus."
U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Swissvale, was there yesterday, looking quite casual and uncongressional in his tan shorts, golf shirt and loafers.
He wasn't complaining, you understand, but he did say that his seats at Heinz Field weren't quite as good as the ones he had for 10 years at Three Rivers.
There, he'd sat under cover in the second level, on the 45 yard line, while at Heinz Field he's on the 40 yard line, in the lower tier, not under cover.
What? He didn't use his influence to get better seats?
"No, I just sent my money in and took my chances," he said, adding that his new seats do have a good view of the field.
For male patrons, the restrooms in the upper and lower sections of the stadium feature a throwback -- troughs rather than urinals. The walls are a rather monotonous white-painted concrete block.
The men's rooms in the higher-priced club seat sections (where seats are charcoal gray) are more upscale, with walls and floors of black and white tiles and fancier sinks and mirrors.
Agnes Spagnol of Bethel Park said the women's rooms passed her test -- at least 28 stalls and large sinks in a restroom near her seats in section 109 on the lower level.
"Much better than Three Rivers," she said. "This is great."
Two sections of Heinz Field appear headed for instant popularity -- an open-air plaza at the south end of the stadium, just below the giant scoreboard, and the new hall of fame on the ground floor on the eastern side of the stadium.
The south plaza will be open to the public even on non-game days. It's about 25 feet from the back line of the end zone and offers a close-up view of the action. Fans flocked to the plaza yesterday, many having their picture taken with the field in the background.
Team officials expect many fans to crowd the plaza to cheer on the Steelers when they're driving for a touchdown in the south end zone.
The Great Hall will be free to ticket holders on game days and will be open other days from spring to fall, with the admission price still to be set.
Yesterday, several hundred fans lined up in the Great Hall to get autographs from Steelers of the past, including J.T. Thomas, Robin Cole, Larry Brown and Mike Wagner.
Among those waiting patiently were John Kukalis of Murrysville, who was with his 5-year-son, Patrick, and Patrick's friends, Jordan Riley, 9, and his brother, Jonathan Riley, 7.
Kukalis said that because of heavy traffic on the Parkway East, it had taken them 45 minutes to get to the stadium from Swissvale. But the boys were happy.
He said he didn't understand the fuss some folks had made over the yellow color of most of the seats.
"I kind of like the black and gold seat combination," he said. "Let's keep it traditional Steeler colors."
Jimmy Sacco, recently named general manager of the stadium, said he thought yesterday's shakedown cruise had gone pretty well.
Sacco, who ran Three Rivers Stadium for its last 10 years, said yesterday's experience uncovered "some minor internal operational things" that needed to be corrected.
But overall, he said, "The consensus is that people are thrilled. The fans are overwhelmed. The stadium is a beautiful addition to the North Shore."
