From a sort of recent alum! I may the fame Pitt students suck!

[PittHOFs]

Perception at the games means a lot more than some think. It's a trickle down effect. If you want to keep good coaches and land big time recruits, you need a better atmosphere. Coaches will tolerate lack of at first but in time that will wear on them if it doesn't improve. It trickles down to becoming a difference in landing a recruit. Unfortunately it does. Pitt needs to act soon in improving this or another coaching change may turn into killing the program and then most likely destroying whatever fan base is left.

To me if the current administration is serious about football, an on-campus stadium will happen. If it doesn't, then we know they aren't real serious.

I don't know how much more winning people want to see in order to show up. Pitt is on the verge of winning 8 games two years in a row under a new coach. Just came off a big win and crowd is worse than it was for Villanova. Villanova??

 

[FIVE4PITT]

I hope if Pit turns the corner the fans will start coming. I don't know what the answer is. I' ve been going to games for years and its the same results. I would like an on campus stadium but where do you build it? It would have to take some big time winning to fill Heinz Field or campus stadium. I do think we have a coach and coaching staff so let's see what happens. H2P I'll be there next Saturday!

 

[CorsosRevenge]

I agree, I hate to bring up the on campus stadium thing again but watching Lvl at Houston had a rocking atmosphere. I believe their stadium only holds 43K but thats what a right sized venue does for you.

Pitt is a medium wearing dad's old extra large coat. Rather than going out and getting a coat that fits we keep telling ourselves that, "we'll grow into it." We won't. We haven't since the NFL age started 50 years ago. And as long as this continues we will continue to have fans and recruits stay away because of the atmosphere.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don't know how much more winning people want to see in order to show up. Pitt is on the verge of winning 8 games two years in a row under a new coach.

8 games in a row! How can the people stay away after witnessing dominance like that?!?!

 

[TD_istheman]

8 games in a row! How can the people stay away after witnessing dominance like that?!?!

These mofos have Stockholm syndrome, think we won like Bama or some shiiit, and fans should just flock down to the rented stadium. It will take much more than that after Nordy and Pedey kicked fans in the teeth for many years, then the clowns before them as well

 

[Pitt Law '04]

The issue is the size of the stadium. That's the reason for the poor atmosphere. This is a result of the horrible decision to play in an off campus venue.

If we played in a right sized stadium of around 50,000 the atmosphere would be good. Look at the stadium capacity of our conference opponents. We have one of the largest venues.

We should be trying to copy what the University of Minnesota did. They built a 50,000 seat stadium in Minneapolis.

 

[NTOP]

I guess this is where not having an on campus stadium hurts

Just put up a sign:"Safe Space...no microagressions allowed!"

 

[perchance]

If you thought that Saturday was cold, just wait until they build that stadium in Oakland because Hell will have frozen over.

 

[Pitt Law '04]

If you thought that Saturday was cold, just wait until they build that stadium in Oakland because Hell will have frozen over.

The stadium doesn't need to be in Oakland. But it needs to be ours and it needs to be right sized. There's just no other way. It should be obvious to everyone by now that Heinz Field is not a real home and not a long term solution.

 

[HailtoPitt]

We aren't growing the fanbase because we don't have a mythical smaller stadium?

Now you're getting it. We have too much supply and not enough demand. That only works in Republican fantasies.

 

[PittPharmacy1989]

This is the first game in a looonnng time the student section wasn't packed.... get real...

Student section was not packed for Ga Tech.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

If you thought that Saturday was cold, just wait until they build that stadium in Oakland because Hell will have frozen over.

I agree!
Still cant believe that Temple was able to pull off an on campus stadium and PITT people come up with every excuse in the book for why it cant happen?

Here's the real reason!
PITT admin whats no football infrastructure ( minimal financial exposure) in case they decide to pull the pull on football if PITT struggles to improve the program and the popularity of football declines in the US.
Their biggest problem will be who do we give the uniforms and equipment to.
No on campus stadium spells is no long term commitment to a PITT football program.
Fans, and recruits see this and its why PITT football is having problems in these two areas.
Right now they're hoping things get back on track but if they don't see ya PITT football!
Plus they downgraded the PITT basketball program reducing its financial commitment by hiring Stalling so a move to a lower level conference wont be a big deal if PITT remains a bottom feeder in the ACC.
The hiring of Barnes was the first step in this potential change in PITT sports.
That's the real story!

 

[TD_istheman]

I agree!
Still cant believe that Temple was able to pull off an on campus stadium and PITT people come up with every excuse in the book for why it cant happen?

Here's the real reason!
PITT admin whats no football infrastructure ( minimal financial exposure) in case they decide to pull the pull on football if PITT struggles to improve the program and the popularity of football declines in the US.
Their biggest problem will be who do we give the uniforms and equipment to.
No on campus stadium spells is no long term commitment to a PITT football program.
Fans, and recruits see this and its why PITT football is having problems in these two areas.
Right now they're hoping things get back on track but if they don't see ya PITT football!
Plus they downgraded the PITT basketball program reducing its financial commitment by hiring Stalling so a move to a lower level conference wont be a big deal if PITT remains a bottom feeder in the ACC.
The hiring of Barnes was the first step in this potential change in PITT sports.
That's the real story!

BULLSHIIIT

 

[upj87]

"I may the fame Pitt students suck!" Engrish as a second language? You're excused.

Finally, I thought it might be some kind of young hip urban slang or something so I refrained lest I look un-cool

 

[HailToPitt1985]

The student section was never packed this year, except for the PSU game. It was less than half full for Duke. The same would apply if the stadium were on campus, unless the student section were made to seat 1500 students. The students just aren't that interested and are wimps. I don't blame the ones who don't even know Pitt has a football team. There are more important things to do than follow Pitt football or care. But for those that are aware we have a football team, the interest isn't there.

But why talk about it? The only way a new stadium would be built is if it were built somewhere other than Oakland. Maybe somewhere in Washington County or Butler County where there is some land for construction and parking. But it will never be in Oakland or in Pittsburgh.

 

[CorsosRevenge]

I know we beat this to death and I know it's probably a pipe dream but they really need to look into a feasibility study on a venue. I'm not saying build one, I'm saying look into it. Yeah yeah, I know we did some study in the 90s. Fact is, a lot has changed since then. College football overall has become more popular, and Pitt is now in a big boy league and not the Northeast Bouncehouse Conference.

Additionally, factor in this:

Yes, it's a stadium. It's also an additional venue in the city. An additional venue for WPIAL games (field turf). An additional venue for Pitt soccer or lacrosse if the school chooses to invest in a program. Could also be used for concerts, marching band competitions, etc.

Also, the Steelers will be looking for a new home in 10 years the way the NFL is trending. They're replacing the Georgia Dome and it's only 20 years old. Dan Snyder is bitching for a replacement for FedEx Field and it opened in 1998. The Rams left a stadium that was 20 years old. When you factor in the fact that Heinz was built very no frills and is 15 years old it doesn't take long to see where this is headed. The Steelers will either look for a new stadium or a severely expanded Heinz, which will make our attendance look even worse. Should the Steelers move out of Heinz I don't see the city bending over backwards for Pitt the way they do King Arthur the Third.