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Pitt announces partnership to help improve tailgating experience at Heinz Field

I think you correct except for PITT should get some kind of cut from this service. If it wasnt for PITT football games the service company wouldnt have this business opportunity. If I was PITT I'd be looking for a % of the revenues. Not sure who they would have to negociate with the city?, and this service company?.But PITT is PITT and they might not think that way!
This could impact PITT attendance and revenues if fans get pushed out of the existing tailgate space in parking lots, move to this service, dont like it, and stay home instead of attending games.
On the other hand it could have a positive impact on attendance.

Either way PITT is in the middle of this one and better stay on top of it!
People have been and continue to be pushed out of tailgating due to the removal of parking. This is being offered as one option to try to give them new alternatives. And yes Pitt hopefully should get a decent cut of whatever sales come from it. But that's likely gravy, with the real intent of trying to salvage some holders who might stop coming if they can't tailgate any longer (but aren't bothered by the actual loss of surface parking itself, which this or nothing else can salvage).

It won't drive current people from their regular tailgating, because that's already either been done or soon will be, other than the exclusive Gold 1 folks.

It will be more interesting to me if tailgating dearth will jade Steeler diehards more than ours (who are already jaded). And how will it affect Luke Bryan concert and Kenny Chesney concerts, for which the great majority care ONLY about the tailgate.
 
Here are some photos from Auburn (my daughter goes there). They do a really nice job and I would love to take advantage of this for a PITT game. Everything is set up and taken down for you- just show up and enjoy:






 
I have friends who host tailgates, and I stop by maybe 2-3 games a year. One is very elaborate -- themed by week -- and quite large. The other you could wrap up in a picnic basket. Both are in the shadow of the stadium. I'd hate to see that DIY 'gate experience extinguished. But the new Pitt-driven plan is a nice alternative.

Just once I've eaten at a North SIDE establishment on a Pitt gameday -- Hyde Park before a night game -- excellent food, but too much before sitting for 4 hours. I wouldn't think of doing that again.

Does anybody else park in town and hike over or ride the T? That's what I do for most games. Generally walk back as climbing to the T platform takes as long as walking across the river. Easy in, easy out. Just beware of garages that close at 11pm....
 
I think you correct except for PITT should get some kind of cut from this service. If it wasnt for PITT football games the service company wouldnt have this business opportunity. If I was PITT I'd be looking for a % of the revenues. Not sure who they would have to negociate with the city?, and this service company?.But PITT is PITT and they might not think that way!
This could impact PITT attendance and revenues if fans get pushed out of the existing tailgate space in parking lots, move to this service, dont like it, and stay home instead of attending games.
On the other hand it could have a positive impact on attendance.

Either way PITT is in the middle of this one and better stay on top of it!


Pitt made its proverbial bed when it tore down its on campus stadium and moved to Heinz Field. Everything that is transpiring with parking [or lack thereof] was disclosed long ago. The Great Lawn was, is, and never has been available for tailgating fans...so what Pitt is doing is increasing space and opportunities for fans that want to tailgate. Hail to Pitt!
 
Pitt made its proverbial bed when it tore down its on campus stadium and moved to Heinz Field. Everything that is transpiring with parking [or lack thereof] was disclosed long ago. The Great Lawn was, is, and never has been available for tailgating fans...so what Pitt is doing is increasing space and opportunities for fans that want to tailgate. Hail to Pitt!
Law, wouldn't you agree that with this, there is more tailgating room at Heinz than there ever was at Pitt Stadium?
 
I have friends who host tailgates, and I stop by maybe 2-3 games a year. One is very elaborate -- themed by week -- and quite large. The other you could wrap up in a picnic basket. Both are in the shadow of the stadium. I'd hate to see that DIY 'gate experience extinguished. But the new Pitt-driven plan is a nice alternative.

Just once I've eaten at a North SIDE establishment on a Pitt gameday -- Hyde Park before a night game -- excellent food, but too much before sitting for 4 hours. I wouldn't think of doing that again.

Does anybody else park in town and hike over or ride the T? That's what I do for most games. Generally walk back as climbing to the T platform takes as long as walking across the river. Easy in, easy out. Just beware of garages that close at 11pm....

I fly in for every game and I stay downtown at the Westin [rarely rent a car], and typically walk over from there to join my friends that have had a longstanding tailgate. Works great for me...although my friends are beginning to grow weary of arriving early to get a parking spot in the same place each game, then the set up and clean up, etc. Hail to Pitt!
 
I fly in for every game and I stay downtown at the Westin [rarely rent a car], and typically walk over from there to join my friends that have had a longstanding tailgate. Works great for me...although my friends are beginning to grow weary of arriving early to get a parking spot in the same place each game, then the set up and clean up, etc. Hail to Pitt!
Exactly. Hopefully this new option works out well for your group.
 
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Law, wouldn't you agree that with this, there is more tailgating room at Heinz than there ever was at Pitt Stadium?

That is/was certainly true when Heinz first opened. Not sure now? Pitt did a horrible job of promoting tailgating in Oakland. They in fact tried to stop it. They should have blocked off streets and made a carnival out of it. Could have done tents on the Cathedral lawn, etc. Alas, that ship sailed. Hail to Pitt!
 
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Weren't they just wanting to go back to what it was before Obamacare?

But still there is no correlation between the two. Weird comment.
No. The talk for six years was to replace it.
Weird? I suppose if you think that comparing two groups of people who constantly complain about something but don't actually DO anything other than complain is weird....well then "yes", it is weird.
 
No. The talk for six years was to replace it.
Weird? I suppose if you think that comparing two groups of people who constantly complain about something but don't actually DO anything other than complain is weird....well then "yes", it is weird.
But one group did do something about it. :)

Why try so hard to bring your silly politics into this when it doesn't even make sense.

That is weird. Even dumb. Possibly even stupid. ;)

Could be even dumb and stupid.
 
. They in fact tried to stop it.

Of course they did. How embarrassing must it be to have your fans enjoying themselves before the game. What will our collegues at Harvard and Yale think? Must stop that nonsense. Maybe if we let good coaches leave and allow the program and stadium deteriorate to a point of no return, then people won't engage in such embarrassing activity and we can show our faces again at academia gatherings!
 
Of course they did. How embarrassing must it be to have your fans enjoying themselves before the game. What will our collegues at Harvard and Yale think? Must stop that nonsense. Maybe if we let good coaches leave and allow the program and stadium deteriorate to a point of no return, then people won't engage in such embarrassing activity and we can show our faces again at academia gatherings!
Perhaps because it wasn't their property and pitt fan access to the lawn was not part of the lease/contract??
Can't it be simply that simple?
Now it is?

Not everything is a conspiracy.
 
Was riding my bike on the northside today and stopped over to look at this area. It is not very big and was reduced when the war memorial was added. It is also hilly from the road up top to the trail along the river.

I do like the location now and think this will add to the vibrancy of pre game festivities.
 
Was riding my bike on the northside today and stopped over to look at this area. It is not very big and was reduced when the war memorial was added. It is also hilly from the road up top to the trail along the river.

I do like the location now and think this will add to the vibrancy of pre game festivities.
Frisbee what kind of bike do u ride.
Mrs Buffett and I ride alot and have six bicyles between the two of us including our two Margaritaville Beach Cruisers.
Mrs Buffett rides a Trek 5200 all carbon road bike and I have a Trek Madone 2.5 mostly carbon and we have Trek mountain bikes. I dont like all carbon fiber road bikes to unstable at 50 mph coming down a big hill. Mrs Buffett likes to fly I prefer to be grounded at that speed!
We ride every weekend on Sunday before we embark on our 300+ mile drive home from Pittsburgh to Eastern PA.
This year we're coming up Friday for the Youngstown game to ride alot that day with some PITT fan friends from Ohio. After riding back to the Northshore hotel, bars and restaurants for food and drinks!
Great way to spend the day and its amazing how much more you notice riding rather than driving!
In October we both ride our road bikes in the Gap Gallup a 100 mile big hill road race. Mrs Buffett can ride! Takes us a week to recover but its fun!
 
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That is/was certainly true when Heinz first opened. Not sure now? Pitt did a horrible job of promoting tailgating in Oakland. They in fact tried to stop it. They should have blocked off streets and made a carnival out of it. Could have done tents on the Cathedral lawn, etc. Alas, that ship sailed. Hail to Pitt!

When the Cathedral was first built, they tried to prevent anyone from walking on the Cathedral Lawn, such was the special type of grass blend they were trying to preserve. That didn't last long. Of course, if you've ever seen the lawn after hosting a big event, like the student bonfire, you'd know after 6 home game tailgates it would likely look like a Cathedral mud pit by the end of the fall semester....and it often does anyway. However, tailgating there would have been really cool if they could have figured out how to do it without destroying the lawn.

In any case, Pitt's total owned Oakland campus is ~140 acres.

The surface lots alone around Heinz Field, not counting parking garages, are about 35-40 total acres. The OC lot is about 3 acres, and you could add another acre for the parking deck. The roof deck of the OH garage is about 0.4 acres. The Syria Mosque lot, which is disappearing, and was occupied prior to 1992, is about 1.5 acres. Even if you used the entire Cathedral Lawn, you'd have about 9 acres there. Close Bigelow Blvd and you'd get another acre. It's hilarious to even wonder if the tailgating space in Oakland was anything close, or could have been anything close, to what is Heinz now as far as tailgating space, unless you are going to convince Pittsburgh Parks to let you tailgate in Schenley Park.
 
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My wife rides a Trex 800 and I ride a Scwinn Avenue Aluminum. We ride around 30 miles on a good day but not as often as possible as we are self employed and have to pay the damn bills. Wife is also a Pitt grad!



Frisbee what kind of bike do u ride.
Mrs Buffett and I ride alot and have six bicyles between the two of us including our two Margaritaville Beach Cruisers.
Mrs Buffett rides a Trek 5200 all carbon road bike and I have a Trek Madone 2.5 mostly carbon and we have Trek mountain bikes. I dont like all carbon fiber road bikes to unstable at 50 mph coming down a big hill. Mrs Buffett likes to fly I prefer to be grounded at that speed!
We ride every weekend on Sunday before we embark on our 300+ mile drive home from Pittsburgh to Eastern PA.
This year we're coming up Friday for the Youngstown game to ride alot that day with some PITT fan friends from Ohio. After riding back to the Northshore hotel, bars and restaurants for food and drinks!
Great way to spend the day and its amazing how much more you notice riding rather than driving!
In October we both ride our road bikes in the Gap Gallup a 100 mile big hill road race. Mrs Buffett can ride! Takes us a week to recover but its fun!
 
When the Cathedral was first built, they tried to prevent anyone from walking on the Cathedral Lawn, such was the special type of grass blend they were trying to preserve. That didn't last long. Of course, if you've ever seen the lawn after hosting a big event, like the student bonfire, you'd know after 6 home game tailgates it would likely look like a Cathedral mud pit by the end of the fall semester....and it often does anyway. However, tailgating there would have been really cool if they could have figured out how to do it without destroying the lawn.

In any case, Pitt's total owned Oakland campus is ~140 acres.

The surface lots alone around Heinz Field, not counting parking garages, are about 35-40 total acres. The OC lot is about 3 acres, and you could add another acre for the parking deck. The roof deck of the OH garage is about 0.4 acres. The Syria Mosque lot, which is disappearing, and was occupied prior to 1992, is about 1.5 acres. Even if you used the entire Cathedral Lawn, you'd have about 9 acres there. Close Bigelow Blvd and you'd get another acre. It's hilarious to even wonder if the tailgating space in Oakland was anything close, or could have been anything close, to what is Heinz now as far as tailgating space, unless you are going to convince Pittsburgh Parks to let you tailgate in Schenley Park.


Interesting stats...not sure where you got them, but fine. Not sure acres is the right measure though. The appropriate measure would be actual parking spots where you could conceivably tailgate. I presume Heinz still has more...but the gap is certainly closing every year...throw in forced parking policies and other events on the north shore which disrupt tailgating before or after a game...and that is the appropriate context from which the situation should be viewed. Hail to Pitt!
 
...but the gap is certainly closing every year...throw in forced parking policies and other events on the north shore which disrupt tailgating before or after a game...and that is the appropriate context from which the situation should be viewed. Hail to Pitt!
Outside of pirate games, what else are you referring too?

I've seen people complain about those pesky Alco employees not allowing you to park wherever you want or to save spaces for your buddies who are late but think that's pretty much everywhere. the day of parking in the corner and putting out folding chairs in spots next to you so you can be by your buddy is long gone..
 
When the Cathedral was first built, they tried to prevent anyone from walking on the Cathedral Lawn, such was the special type of grass blend they were trying to preserve. That didn't last long. Of course, if you've ever seen the lawn after hosting a big event, like the student bonfire, you'd know after 6 home game tailgates it would likely look like a Cathedral mud pit by the end of the fall semester....and it often does anyway. However, tailgating there would have been really cool if they could have figured out how to do it without destroying the lawn.

In any case, Pitt's total owned Oakland campus is ~140 acres.

The surface lots alone around Heinz Field, not counting parking garages, are about 35-40 total acres. The OC lot is about 3 acres, and you could add another acre for the parking deck. The roof deck of the OH garage is about 0.4 acres. The Syria Mosque lot, which is disappearing, and was occupied prior to 1992, is about 1.5 acres. Even if you used the entire Cathedral Lawn, you'd have about 9 acres there. Close Bigelow Blvd and you'd get another acre. It's hilarious to even wonder if the tailgating space in Oakland was anything close, or could have been anything close, to what is Heinz now as far as tailgating space, unless you are going to convince Pittsburgh Parks to let you tailgate in Schenley Park.

People will find a way, as they did before. There are a fair amount of smaller open air lots throughout Oakland that people park in everyday for work. Hard to calculate total number of spaces, but money is to be made so there would be lots of spaces available.
 
Same as everywhere else. They have an area near the stadium that they set up tents that people can rent. The schools then get a cut of the fees.

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I wouldn't want it unless I could bring my own beers, so if I drink a beer in 5 minutes I grab the next one instantly and not have to wait in line for the next one.

As long as it's a free for all and you can bring what you want and there can be a constant flow of cheap alcohol and nobody says shht about it, then fine.
 
IMO when they say they'll improve it, it's done, it's crap, it's not what we grew up with, now it's "tame" and "safe" and "responsible"... all I know is if they ever end true, free for all, do your own thing tailgating, I won't go to any games anymore Steelers or Pitt.
 
If they replicate this, especially if they or pitt add a long to flags and stuff, this will be a really really nice addition.



Here are some photos from Auburn (my daughter goes there). They do a really nice job and I would love to take advantage of this for a PITT game. Everything is set up and taken down for you- just show up and enjoy:






 
I wouldn't want it unless I could bring my own beers, so if I drink a beer in 5 minutes I grab the next one instantly and not have to wait in line for the next one.

As long as it's a free for all and you can bring what you want and there can be a constant flow of cheap alcohol and nobody says shht about it, then fine.
Well, you rent the tailgate spot and however you want to upgrade that set up, but you can bring whatever else you want to bring to the tailgate, including beer, drinks, food, etc.
 
Outside of pirate games, what else are you referring too?

I've seen people complain about those pesky Alco employees not allowing you to park wherever you want or to save spaces for your buddies who are late but think that's pretty much everywhere. the day of parking in the corner and putting out folding chairs in spots next to you so you can be by your buddy is long gone..

A little thing called the Pirates greatly disrupts tailgating. First, it impacts kick-off times. Second, it often requires leaving early or starting later than normal. I also believe the Pirates impact traffic, which likely also impacts attendance--which impacts tailgating. Of course this is only true in the months of September and October...but they have a big impact on Pitt. As for forced parking, when Pitt owned and "operated" their own lots...they never did that. Hail to Pitt!
 
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People will find a way, as they did before. There are a fair amount of smaller open air lots throughout Oakland that people park in everyday for work. Hard to calculate total number of spaces, but money is to be made so there would be lots of spaces available.

There was never a lot of surface spaces available in Oakland and there is considerably less now. More is planned to disappear. There are very few surface lots, and they are widely scattered.
 
A little thing called the Pirates greatly disrupts tailgating. First, it impacts kick-off times. Second, it often requires leaving early or starting later than normal. I also believe the Pirates impact traffic, which likely also impacts attendance--which impacts tailgating. Of course this is only true in the months of September and October...but they have a big impact on Pitt. As for forced parking, when Pitt owned and "operated" their own lots...they never did that. Hail to Pitt!

Maybe one game a year a Pirate's game impacts kickoff times. I personally don't think it impacts tailgating or attendance one bit outside an effect kick time might have. I actually think having a night game at PNC as a doubleheader has a positive impact on attendance and probably tailgating. I know it hasn't impacted our tailgating at all, except people stay after the game longer to tailgate between the games. That's just my personal experience.

My personal experience is that I've never been forced to park anywhere in a lot except the Gold lots. Never been forced to park anywhere in the Green or Red Heinz surface lots. The tailgating scene is light years bigger and better on the North Shore.
 
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Maybe one game a year a Pirate's game impacts kickoff times. I personally don't think it impacts tailgating or attendance one bit outside an effect kick time might have. I actually think having a night game at PNC as a doubleheader has a positive impact on attendance and probably tailgating. I know it hasn't impacted our tailgating at all, except people stay after the game longer to tailgate between the games. That's just my personal experience.

My personal experience is that I've never been forced to park anywhere in a lot except the Gold lots. Never been forced to park anywhere in the Green or Red Heinz surface lots. The tailgating scene is light years bigger and better on the North Shore.

My experience as well
 
Maybe one game a year a Pirate's game impacts kickoff times. I personally don't think it impacts tailgating or attendance one bit outside an effect kick time might have. I actually think having a night game at PNC as a doubleheader has a positive impact on attendance and probably tailgating. I know it hasn't impacted our tailgating at all, except people stay after the game longer to tailgate between the games. That's just my personal experience.

My personal experience is that I've never been forced to park anywhere in a lot except the Gold lots. Never been forced to park anywhere in the Green or Red Heinz surface lots. The tailgating scene is light years bigger and better on the North Shore.
Red 6 requires people to park in specific spots as they enter. They have a small army of lot attendants that direct you and no deviation is allowed.

It doesn't particularly bother me if just going to the game (although it precludes choosing the optimal side of the lot for easier egress after the game... the earliest arrivals are ironically often punished by getting relegated to the farthest part of the lot on the 'wrong' side for departure). Otherwise who cares, a spot is a spot.

But if considering having a sizable tailgate that include different cars, people have actually had to meet up at outside locations (we've used the NS Giant Eagle) and try to drive to the lot in a convoy so they'll have their cars placed near each other's. I tailgate less than I used to though (a lot of my old crew have dropped their tickets in recent years... the Chryst years were a breaking point for whatever reason) so this is less a factor for me now.

We used to be in Red 7D and that was a great lot for tailgating or for choosing a preferred spot, never a hassle, you could park wherever spots existed, cool attendants. Red 6, they're kinda the parking Nazis, lol. The attendants are kinda douchey. I guess they probably get bitched at by some people over these tactics though, so they tend to be bitter with everyone (the officer at the booth is a great guy though).

Oh well, Red 6 is apparently doomed to disappear for a hotel or such this or next year so its moot. I think I'm getting placed in 7B this season. Never been, we'll see how that works.
 
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you rent the tailgate spot .

But now you are paying for a tailgate spot AND parking somewhere else, I'd rather just stick to the traditional tailgate. luckily I'm 58 and been to a lot already, so I won't be disappointed when I have to stop attending games because they ruined the party.
 
As someone who got bumped back to parking in a garage last season, I love this idea. It's in a great area, close to the stadium and along the river with a great view of the city. And you're close to the restrooms at Stage AE. I got pricing and I thought it was fairly reasonable. For the Varsity package it ranges from $250 to $400 per game depending on the opponent. Some of the other packages get a little pricey. There's a 35% discount if you purchase the whole season. I'm pretty much only interested in the YSU and Virginia games as I will have family coming in for those games. Considering Pitt probably has the cheapest season tickets of any P5 school, I really can't complain about this additional cost to enhance the tailgating experience. Hail to Pitt!
 
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There was never a lot of surface spaces available in Oakland and there is considerably less now. More is planned to disappear. There are very few surface lots, and they are widely scattered.
I remember tailgating on side streets in Oakland and at places like Calico's parking lot, but in the BS America we live in now they'd stop that for safety reasons, F SAFETY by the way.
 
I think the steelers and with that goes Pitt, really do understand the future of sporting venues, getting fans to show up early and stay late and that's why we are seeing a lot more options in the north shore. You guys recall three rivers stadium in 80's and 90s (and of course 70's but that was before my time), it was nothing but a sea of concrete as far as the eye can see. NOTHING at all remotely interesting in the whole north side.. Yeah, great for sitting on your car bumper and drinking the beer you had in your fridge but not exactly a tourist attraction for anyone without a drinking problem..

Tons of eating/dining drinking establishments pre and post game now. Yeah, it costs money and I like BYOB'ing it as much as the rest of you but like I said, this is the future of professional sporting entertainment, especially in urban environments.
 
I remember tailgating on side streets in Oakland and at places like Calico's parking lot, but in the BS America we live in now they'd stop that for safety reasons, F SAFETY by the way.

I believe that parking lot is still there, as well as smaller lots at that same intersection. I could very well be mistaken, but there are probably about 75 spaces at that location.
 
I think the steelers and with that goes Pitt, really do understand the future of sporting venues, getting fans to show up early and stay late and that's why we are seeing a lot more options in the north shore. You guys recall three rivers stadium in 80's and 90s (and of course 70's but that was before my time), it was nothing but a sea of concrete as far as the eye can see. NOTHING at all remotely interesting in the whole north side.. Yeah, great for sitting on your car bumper and drinking the beer you had in your fridge but not exactly a tourist attraction for anyone without a drinking problem..

Tons of eating/dining drinking establishments pre and post game now. Yeah, it costs money and I like BYOB'ing it as much as the rest of you but like I said, this is the future of professional sporting entertainment, especially in urban environments.
And fewer and fewer people are driving themselves in and out around a booze filled tailgate.
 
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