OT: Riverhounds expanding Highmark Stadium to 15,000

[HailToPitt725]

Comes on the heels of an uptick in attendance post-Covid.

I’m impressed that they’re able fit that many seats in there. Long-term it has the potential to become the best soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. when you consider the view, the surrounding development, and nearby transit options.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Comes on the heels of an uptick in attendance post-Covid.

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I’m impressed that they’re able fit that many seats in there. Long-term it has the potential to become the best soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. when you consider the view, the surrounding development, and nearby transit options.

Gotta have natural grass though.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Gotta have natural grass though.

Absolutely, although I’d imagine the owners prefer turf because it’d be easier to cover up for concrete and other events. Not sure, though.

 

[pafootballguy]

It has a ton of potential from someone who is not a soccer fan but a fan of going to soccer matches, the closest experience to college football games.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Absolutely, although I’d imagine the owners prefer turf because it’d be easier to cover up for concrete and other events. Not sure, though.

No doubt. With all of their academy teams there is non stop play on it.

 

[HailToPitt725]

It has a ton of potential from someone who is not a soccer fan but a fan of going to soccer matches, the closest experience to college football games.

I wonder if Duquesne would ever consider playing there? I’m not sure what their attendance is on-campus, but it seems like a bigger stadium would be a natural next step now that they have enough scholarships to play FBS schools. Not sure what their aspirations are in football, though… you’d think they could/should be competing in the CAA as an Atlantic 10 school.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I wonder if Duquesne would ever consider playing there? I’m not sure what their attendance is on-campus, but it seems like a bigger stadium would be a natural next step now that they have enough scholarships to play FBS schools. Not sure what their aspirations are in football, though… you’d think they could/should be competing in the CAA as an Atlantic 10 school.

Duquesne could add more seats at their field much easier than it's going to be for the Riverhounds to add seats at their field.

Note that the big expansion in seating for the Riverhounds project is in stage three. The chances that they ever complete all three phases are surely not very good at all. And if they don't get the money from the state (which is probably a long shot) they might not even make it to stage one.

 

[Burgh15]

Are the Riverhounds just going to expand or do it the right way and rebuild so it doesn't feel like a glorified high school stadium? They get some great crowds down there and having a stadium to match would be awesome.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Are the Riverhounds just going to expand or do it the right way and rebuild so it doesn't feel like a glorified high school stadium? They get some great crowds down there and having a stadium to match would be awesome.

They really don't have the room on that site to expand the "right way". I haven't seen the actual plans (I don't know that anyone has), but I would imagine that almost all the extra seating, at least in the third phase when most of the seats are supposed to get added, will be in the end zones. Because they have no room to expand on either sideline, because of the railroad tracks on one side and the street on the other.

 

[HailToPitt725]

They really don't have the room on that site to expand the "right way". I haven't seen the actual plans (I don't know that anyone has), but I would imagine that almost all the extra seating, at least in the third phase when most of the seats are supposed to get added, will be in the end zones. Because they have no room to expand on either sideline, because of the railroad tracks on one side and the street on the other.

I wonder if they’d attempt to close the service road behind the stadium (not Carson)? Theoretically, you could close the whole road, redirect all traffic to Carson, and turn Station Square into a pedestrian-only district… now would be the time to propose it since they’re looking to redevelop that area.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I wonder if they’d attempt to close the service road behind the stadium (not Carson)? Theoretically, you could close the whole road, redirect all traffic to Carson, and turn Station Square into a pedestrian-only district… now would be the time to propose it since they’re looking to redevelop that area.

I don't know that they'd want to close that road, but even if they could it doesn't add that much space. It's literally the sidewalk outside the stadium, then the two lane road, then a small strip of land about as wide as a sidewalk, and then Carson Street. Maybe you gain 25 or 30 feet there, tops. It's already the reason that there are more rows of seats on the Station Square side of the stadium than the downriver side, because the road squeezes the property way down on that side.

 

[HailToPitt725]

I don't know that they'd want to close that road, but even if they could it doesn't add that much space. It's literally the sidewalk outside the stadium, then the two lane road, then a small strip of land about as wide as a sidewalk, and then Carson Street. Maybe you gain 25 or 30 feet there, tops. It's already the reason that there are more rows of seats on the Station Square side of the stadium than the downriver side, because the road squeezes the property way down on that side.

All good points. It’s nice for what it is (a USL Championship stadium) but this expansion- and that’s an if apparently- is probably the best it’s going to get.

 

[HailtoPitt]

They are essentially building the size stadium Pitt needed 25 years ago.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

They are essentially building the size stadium Pitt needed 25 years ago.

Pitt needed to build a 15,000 seat stadium?

For what, soccer?

 

[HailtoPitt]

Pitt needed to build a 15,000 seat stadium?

For what, soccer?

45,000.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

45,000.

They aren't building a 45,000 seat stadium. If you believe that they are going to follow through with the whole project (I think it's pretty unlikely) they are going to have a 15,000 seat stadium.

If you've ever been down there, or really, even looked across the river at the site, there is no way that the could ever fit anything close to a 45,000 seat stadium on that site. Or anything even remotely close to it.

 

[HailtoPitt]

They aren't building a 45,000 seat stadium. If you believe that they are going to follow through with the whole project (I think it's pretty unlikely) they are going to have a 15,000 seat stadium.

If you've ever been down there, or really, even looked across the river at the site, there is no way that the could ever fit anything close to a 45,000 seat stadium on that site. Or anything even remotely close to it.

My bad. I thought they currently had 15,000.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

My bad. I thought they currently had 15,000.

I don't know the exact number, but Highmark currently seats around 5,000. With standing room they get that up to around 5,500 when they sell out.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Are the Riverhounds just going to expand or do it the right way and rebuild so it doesn't feel like a glorified high school stadium? They get some great crowds down there and having a stadium to match would be awesome.

Ehhh. They are a USL team so even if it becomes an even bigger erector set, it’s more than fine for that league. I’m sure the league has come a long way but every once in a while when I stumble upon a televised match, the game looks like it’s being played in a unique looking and Jerry rigged stadium.

 

[Pitt79]

With that many seats they could probably bring back the Maulers to spring football, the DC Defenders fill DC United's 19000 seat stadium every game for spring football, and it's only 5 games per year with the 10-game schedule.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

With that many seats they could probably bring back the Maulers to spring football, the DC Defenders fill DC United's 19000 seat stadium every game for spring football, and it's only 5 games per year with the 10-game schedule.

I’d be ok with that. I’d follow the Maulers. Reality set in for me last night. We are headed into the dog days of sports viewing. Luckily as a follower of real soccer and not Riverhound soccer, I at least have something to carry me through all the way til steeler camp (essentially) now that basketball season appears to be nearing an end.

 

[Pitt79]

I’d be ok with that. I’d follow the Maulers. Reality set in for me last night. We are headed into the dog days of sports viewing. Luckily as a follower of real soccer and not Riverhound soccer, I at least have something to carry me through all the way til steeler camp (essentially) now that basketball season appears to be nearing an end.

I like spring football, people scoff at it because of the minor league quality of play. But that's why I like it, the stakes are low, there is no real established history or tradition, unlike the way I've been watching the Steelers for 50 years, I really don't have the do or die feeling watching the spring games, it's just a casual watch where I don't care a whole lot who wins or loses. Like I chose DC as my team last year and they went 10-2 overall, they lost the championship game, and I didn't feel as bad as when the Steelers lost a championship game, it's literally just a TV show and some of the games are really good. If you get a chance, watch a DC home game. fans are really into it, beer snakes and lemons, they have traditions, it's pretty fun to see. I've seen some of their fans interviewed and a recurring them is they hated Dan Snyder and would rather watch the Defenders .

 

[Panther Holla]

15k is about right for Pitt after Nov 1 in crappy weather.

 

[WillyDavis33]

* See Steeler dilemma practicing between a river and railroad tracks and wanting more room!

 

[AZULDOS]

I like spring football, people scoff at it because of the minor league quality of play. But that's why I like it, the stakes are low, there is no real established history or tradition, unlike the way I've been watching the Steelers for 50 years, I really don't have the do or die feeling watching the spring games, it's just a casual watch where I don't care a whole lot who wins or loses. Like I chose DC as my team last year and they went 10-2 overall, they lost the championship game, and I didn't feel as bad as when the Steelers lost a championship game, it's literally just a TV show and some of the games are really good. If you get a chance, watch a DC home game. fans are really into it, beer snakes and lemons, they have traditions, it's pretty fun to see. I've seen some of their fans interviewed and a recurring them is they hated Dan Snyder and would rather watch the Defenders .

Lol I thought I was the only one that was looking forward to Spring Pittsburgh ball. Not "emotionally" invested as much just a fun watch for Pittsburgh football. I was wondering if they would have played at highmark. Epansion I guess would have to have the road closed but could they not build an overhang over the grandstand? But I am sure the structure support that would anchor into the back of the grandstand over the road that would indeed require it to be a "tunnel effect" you drive under but in Today's world the "threat" of vehicles stopping or parking under grandstands would not go over too well.

 

[Pitt79]

Lol I thought I was the only one that was looking forward to Spring Pittsburgh ball. Not "emotionally" invested as much just a fun watch for Pittsburgh football. I was wondering if they would have played at highmark. Epansion I guess would have to have the road closed but could they not build an overhang over the grandstand? But I am sure the structure support that would anchor into the back of the grandstand over the road that would indeed require it to be a "tunnel effect" you drive under but in Today's world the "threat" of vehicles stopping or parking under grandstands would not go over too well.

That's why i enjoy spring football, I don't feel as bad as I do when the Steelers or Pitt play and lose a big game, it's more of an entertainment thing.

 

[121rum]

It would be great if they could use it as an outdoor concert venue, need something in between Stage AE and Accrisure/PNC size wise so all these artists I want to see stop going to only Starlake.

 

[singregardless]

It would be great if they could use it as an outdoor concert venue, need something in between Stage AE and Accrisure/PNC size wise so all these artists I want to see stop going to only Starlake.

They definitely host the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival there. Not sure what other music may happen there.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Its a soccer post so I'm required to comment:

Good for the Riverhounds that attendance has increased. Live soccer is hot. Watching it on TV (at least the American league version) isnt. Messi is playing in the US and you'd never know because MLS isnt on TV anymore. You need to buy MLS Season Pass on Apple TV to watch him or any MLS. But this is where USL comes in. They are trying to fill a void. MLS went for the $$$ and took their games off of regular TV and USL signed a deal with CBS. So if you are living in Omaha, you'll be able to see more Riverhounds than Messi. Weird.

USL is considering promotion/relegation, which soccer fans love and that MLS doesnt have and if they do that, there is thought that USL could start to rival MLS. Even if not, the crowds that these teams are getting are great for a league that is 2nd tier in a country where the top tier league is probably like the 20th or 30th best league in the world. So its really impressive that USL is doing so well.

I would expect that these extra 10K or so seats to be erector set style in the endzone and corners. If Pittsburgh ever wants an MLS team, they need an owner with deeper pockets and a legit stadium that isnt shoehorned in between East Carson St. and a railroad.