Poll....................

[Las Panteras]

Take the Pitt team of 1980....or for that matter....the Nat championship team of 76, or even the 81 team.

Lets assume those teams could line up and play today and let us assume they played Pitt's schedule this year. (and no, not a bunch of 60 year old men.......)

would Pitt draw better at

A) Pitt stadium if it were still there

B) Heinz Field

Explain your reasoning......

 

[NTOP]

Take the Pitt team of 1980....or for that matter....the Nat championship team of 76, or even the 81 team.

Lets assume those teams could line up and play today and let us assume they played Pitt's schedule this year. (and no, not a bunch of 60 year old men.......)

would Pitt draw better at

A) Pitt stadium if it were still there

B) Heinz Field

Explain your reasoning......

Probably A. HF is a dump...Pitt Stadium was OUR dump.

 

[PhPanther1]

Stadium A has backs to seats
Stadium B has metal bleachers

Stadium A has some lots you can tailgate in
Stadium B has no tailgate lots

Stadium A has up to date concession stands
Stadium B has hardly any concession stands

Stadium A has great sitelines
Stadium B has terrible sitelines and has you very removed from the field

Stadium A has a ton of club seats
Stadium B has a couple

Stadium A has access to pretty much all major highways
Stadium B has access to 1 after you fight through a series of 1-way streets

Stadium A has up to date bathrooms
Stadium B has troughs

So, there really is no comparison here. However if you told me the plan was to tear down Pitt Stadium and build an updated stadium with some of the things I listed above, then I would be willing to give up the ability to tailgate and sit in some extra traffic just to have an on-campus stadium.

 

[jtownknowitall]

I think they would draw about 23 more fans at Heinz Field. Parking, chair backs and highway access.

 

[ksquared33]

Stadium A has backs to seats
Stadium B has metal bleachers

Stadium A has some lots you can tailgate in
Stadium B has no tailgate lots

Stadium A has up to date concession stands
Stadium B has hardly any concession stands

Stadium A has great sitelines
Stadium B has terrible sitelines and has you very removed from the field

Stadium A has a ton of club seats
Stadium B has a couple

Stadium A has access to pretty much all major highways
Stadium B has access to 1 after you fight through a series of 1-way streets

Stadium A has up to date bathrooms
Stadium B has troughs

So, there really is no comparison here. However if you told me the plan was to tear down Pitt Stadium and build an updated stadium with some of the things I listed above, then I would be willing to give up the ability to tailgate and sit in some extra traffic just to have an on-campus stadium.

And yet Stadium A still does not bring in better attendance w/ all those so called improvements you so passionately pointed out.

H2 PITT !!!
p.s. I'm a realist & understand that a on campus stadium is not gonna happen but that does not mean that I do not think we are not hurt because of not having a on campus stadium.
Heinz Field sucks for a number of reasons least of which is I never feel like I am at a truly home field advantage each time I attend a Pitt home game. Just does not represent Pitt like I had at Pitt Stadium regardless of all those so called negatives that were mentioned.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

Let's be clear about this: Pitt Stadium had next-to-no parking (unless you arrived 5-hours early), and therefore, lousy tailgating. The bleacher seats were tolerable when I was younger, but now that I'm a grizzled old geezer, I like my Heinz Field seat that has a back on it.

I was in Oakland this past Friday afternoon. It took me 30 minutes to drive from Heinz Chapel to the Parkway on-ramp. I don't even wanna think about what the traffic would be like after a football game.

Sure, I wish that we had an on-campus stadium, but I chuckle as the fond memories of Pitt Stadium continue to grow and get embellished as the years go on.

 

[NCanton Panther]

And yet Stadium A still does not bring in better attendance w/ all those so called improvements you so passionately pointed out.

H2 PITT !!!
p.s. I'm a realist & understand that a on campus stadium is not gonna happen but that does not mean that I do not think we are not hurt because of not having a on campus stadium.
Heinz Field sucks for a number of reasons least of which is I never feel like I am at a truly home field advantage each time I attend a Pitt home game. Just does not represent Pitt like I had at Pitt Stadium regardless of all those so called negatives that were mentioned.

I guess I just don't get it because I don't in the slightest think people don't go to Pitt games because they play in Heinz field instead of Pitt stadium or any other on-campus stadium.

I can see the people complaining about how bad the empty yellow seats are but that's an effect of people not attending not a cause.

We simply don't get better attendance because the interest isn't there and the competition from our pro sports teams. Start winning for a sustained period and we'll see some improvement.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

The answer is obviously Heinz Field. Because Heinz Field is bigger and so the games in both years against West Virginia would have had more people at them at Heinz than would be possible at Pitt Stadium. And the crowds for all the other games in those season would be pretty much the same whether the games were being played at Heinz or Pitt Stadium.

 

[UPitt '89]

The 1976 and 1980 teams didnt draw more than 45k, so we already have that data point.

we've also already have seen Pitt draw much better than that at HeinZ with lesser teams than the 1976 and 1980 teams.

So we already know the answer:

Heinz >>> Pitt Stadium

 

[Piranha]

The 1976 and 1980 teams didnt draw more than 45k, so we already have that data point.

we've also already have seen Pitt draw much better than that at HeinZ with lesser teams than the 1976 and 1980 teams.

So we already know the answer:

Heinz >>> Pitt Stadium

The 2003 team had a lot of buzz and we averaged about 60k people. A good schedule and a good team would equate to something similar.

 

[rojo36]

The 2003 team had a lot of buzz and we averaged about 60k people. A good schedule and a good team would equate to something similar.

When has Pitt ever averaged 60 K at a football game ?? The 1930s ??

 

[OriginalEther]

When has Pitt ever averaged 60 K at a football game ?? The 1930s ??

2003.
And it was a legit number. Even the Notre Dame game didn't look like an abberation.

 

[UPitt '89]

When has Pitt ever averaged 60 K at a football game ?? The 1930s ??

Averaged 58K in 2003.

 

[Pittx9]

Pitt stadium will draw more students, Heinz field more general fans.

 

[andypappas]

I chuckle when people call Heinz Field a dump. A professional franchise worth over $2,000,000,000 plays there yet it is not good enough for a college team.
Sorry but I find it much easier to go to Heinz Field than Oakland. Remember 40,000 people in a 55,000 seat stadium looks better than in a 70,000 seat stadium.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

All things being equal, I think attendance would be better at Heinz Field. Pitt diehards are going to go no matter but Yinzers who are jumping on a bandwagon would be more likely to go to Heinz due to the convenience and chair backs.

I've always said the biggest problem Heinz poses to Pitt are

1. Its size
2. The color of the seats

If Heinz sat 45-50K, a lot of our problems would go away. It just looks 2nd rate playing in front of 30K empty yellow seats all the time.

 

[doubleAA's]

dont understand the question, of course we draw better when we win... same as any pittsburgh team. I remember going to Pirate games in 2002 at PNC park and paying 5 dollars a ticket... I remember going to Lemieux games his rookie season and having a couple thousand people in the arema

 

[giveitarest]

I watched the 76 team play Army in an half empty Pitt stadium and we were ranked #1. Winning didn't seem to have any effect on attendance.

 

[Panther_in_Kentucky]

Take the Pitt team of 1980....or for that matter....the Nat championship team of 76, or even the 81 team.

Lets assume those teams could line up and play today and let us assume they played Pitt's schedule this year. (and no, not a bunch of 60 year old men.......)

would Pitt draw better at

A) Pitt stadium if it were still there

B) Heinz Field

Explain your reasoning......

C) A Renovated Pitt Stadium re-opened in 2003. The Track was eliminated. The football field shifted to the end closest to Salk Hall. The original Bowl mostly retained. A Steel Superstructure added over the old inside bowl moving seats closer to the field. New chair back and bleacher seating added to bring maximum capacity to 52,000. A Field Turf surface with a large Script Pitt at midfield and Panthers in each end zone. Heck, even put ACC logo's at each 20 yard line. Pitt would still draw 45,000 to most games but start to sell out important ACC games. The students could walk to the games and wouldn't have to leave at the end of the 3rd quarter to catch a bus back to campus.

The end of Pitt Stadium opposite Salk Hall could be an ultra modern locker room and suite area.

Fitzgerald Field House could be updated to seat 10,000 as Pitt Basketball sucks, isn't the driver and 10,000 is more than it ever needs for any home game.

Of course, the above scenario makes too much sense and was really too easy to do. Pitt's Administration had no vision and was too stupid and short sighted to do something so obviously simple.

Pitt: Run by the Dumbest "Smart People" to walk the face of the earth.

Take a bow Nerdyberg.

 

[Piranha]

C) A Renovated Pitt Stadium re-opened in 2003. The Track was eliminated. The football field shifted to the end closest to Salk Hall. The original Bowl mostly retained. A Steel Superstructure added over the old inside bowl moving seats closer to the field. New chair back and bleacher seating added to bring maximum capacity to 52,000. A Field Turf surface with a large Script Pitt at midfield and Panthers in each end zone. Heck, even put ACC logo's at each 20 yard line. Pitt would still draw 45,000 to most games but start to sell out important ACC games. The students could walk to the games and wouldn't have to leave at the end of the 3rd quarter to catch a bus back to campus.

The end of Pitt Stadium opposite Salk Hall could be an ultra modern locker room and suite area.

Fitzgerald Field House could be updated to seat 10,000 as Pitt Basketball sucks, isn't the driver and 10,000 is more than it ever needs for any home game.

Of course, the above scenario makes too much sense and was really too easy to do. Pitt's Administration had no vision and was too stupid and short sighted to do something so obviously simple.

Pitt: Run by the Dumbest "Smart People" to walk the face of the earth.

Take a bow Nerdyberg.

Who exactly was going to pay for all of this?

 

[Panther_in_Kentucky]

I watched the 76 team play Army in an half empty Pitt stadium and we were ranked #1. Winning didn't seem to have any effect on attendance.

I watched every Pitt home game at Pitt Stadium in 1976. The student attendance was great. Pitt average about 45,000 fans to each game. The best game, at home, that season was a close win against a stubborn Syracuse team Quarterbacked by Bill Hurley. Al Romano's stop on 4th and inches preserved the win and Pitt's perfect season.

The truth.

 

[Panther_in_Kentucky]

Who exactly was going to pay for all of this?

Who exactly paid the $300,000,000 for an over budget, ill conceived fiasco of a project to build the Peterson Events Center?

The same people.

Pitt: Run by the dumbest "Smart People" to walk the face of the earth.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Who exactly paid the $300,000,000 for an over budget, ill conceived fiasco of a project to build the Peterson Events Center?

If you think that the Pete cost $300,000,000 then you have even less of a grasp on reality than what you had exhibited until that post.

 

[MarySki]

Who exactly paid the $300,000,000 for an over budget, ill conceived fiasco of a project to build the Peterson Events Center?

The same people.

Pitt: Run by the dumbest "Smart People" to walk the face of the earth.

Probably John and Gertrude Peterson, who donated money to build it, 10 million to be exact. Thank you Mr & Mrs Peterson!

 

[Piranha]

Who exactly paid the $300,000,000 for an over budget, ill conceived fiasco of a project to build the Peterson Events Center?

The same people.

Pitt: Run by the dumbest "Smart People" to walk the face of the earth.

$300,000,000 - WTF are u smoking tonight? Do u think $60,000,000 would have covered all of these projects? That is what it cost to build the Pete.

 

[MajorMajors]

Like the view of the game much, much better from my seat at Heinz. Always bothered me that we were so far back from the field at Pitt Stadium due to the track.

My suggestion was to lower the field at Pitt Stadium, bring the seats down close, and build the luxury boxes around the top of the bowl.

Go Pitt.