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Solving Pitt's Attendance Problems....

burnie1105 said:
Honestly? I think the problem is that football games - especially at Heinz Field - simply aren't that enjoyable to attend. The bathrooms are the ninth circle of hell, the traffic and parking can be terrible, the concessions are bad, the weather is a crap shoot, and the sight lines in the upper deck are terrible (and you basically climb/walk three miles to get to said terrible seats).

I still go to a few games a year, and some of my gripes are alleviated by getting club tickets (honest to god I think the bathrooms alone are worth the extra cost), but it simply isn't a pleasant experience beginning to end. And it isn't as if I'm adverse to going to big events - I have no problems going to Pirates games, Penguins games, Pitt basketball games, etc. - but I find the experience of going to Heinz Field with 40,000+ people to be particularly dreadful.
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Wow I never realized I was having such a lousy time at the PITT Heinz field games.

The only thing I can't speak for is the parking since Mrs Buffett and park at Northshore Hotels.
Pittsburgh traffic in general is terrible on gameday that's why we make our 300+ mile drive in on Friday now doubling our event costs.

It's only money and we're happy boosting the Pittsburgh economy and attending PITT games.
 
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Burnie how much time are you spending in the men's room.
Get it done and out? Right!
From what I can tell this is the Ohio St stadium restroom.
urinals.jpg


Heinz has escalators from the ground floor to the 500 level.

Concessions?? It's a football game?

Fine dining comes later !

Parking and traffic sure but I've never been to a sporting event without both being a problem.
 
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McKee Place said:
I like when they have channel 4 meteorologists on the scoreboard in mid game telling us what weather we're experiencing.
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The best was the game when he was telling us that the forecast was for cloudy skies and a good chance of rain while those of us who actually sit outside were roasting because it was 85 degrees and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.
 
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...or when you are sitting in the stands during a deluge and he is on the scoreboard screen reading his weather report calling for "a chance of scattered showers."
 
With the televising of every game the attendance problem will not go away unless PITT wins every televised game. I went to the Pirate/Dodger game last Friday and the game was over by the 3rd inning, I wanted to leave but it was fireworks night and my grandkids wanted to see them. The next time I think about going to a game I will think about this blowout and watch it at home. I still remember being at the Oklahoma State game getting cooked in the sun and wondering why am I staying.
 
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pbrad said:
With the televising of every game the attendance problem will not go away unless PITT wins every televised game. I went to the Pirate/Dodger game last Friday and the game was over by the 3rd inning, I wanted to leave but it was fireworks night and my grandkids wanted to see them. The next time I think about going to a game I will think about this blowout and watch it at home. I still remember being at the Oklahoma State game getting cooked in the sun and wondering why am I staying.
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That Oklahoma State game was torture for those in attendance, for multiple reasons.
 
Bernie's opinions are as valid as anyone else's, and to his credit he remembered to not say he eagerly would go to Steeler games at the same stadium if given the opp. And he may well earnestly refuse that as well.

But my experience is that so many who turn up their nose at going to Pitt games because of traffic, weather, parking, tailgating, game start, concessions, prices, etc magically are fine with all that if they have a chance to go to a Steelers game.
 
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burnie1105 said:
Honestly? I think the problem is that football games - especially at Heinz Field - simply aren't that enjoyable to attend. The bathrooms are the ninth circle of hell, the traffic and parking can be terrible, the concessions are bad, the weather is a crap shoot, and the sight lines in the upper deck are terrible (and you basically climb/walk three miles to get to said terrible seats).

I still go to a few games a year, and some of my gripes are alleviated by getting club tickets (honest to god I think the bathrooms alone are worth the extra cost), but it simply isn't a pleasant experience beginning to end. And it isn't as if I'm adverse to going to big events - I have no problems going to Pirates games, Penguins games, Pitt basketball games, etc. - but I find the experience of going to Heinz Field with 40,000+ people to be particularly dreadful.
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Wow. Try going to a Penn State, a WVU game, a Michigan game, Ohio State, Clemson, etc.... you want traffic, crowded and spartan rest rooms, steep and seats far away and bad concessions??

What makes it a bad experience is likely the lack of crowds and atmosphere and the lack of wins.
 
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So the question becomes, is being at a game better than watching on TV? I have been offered Steeler tickets on numerous occasions and have turned them down because I really don't like going to the games and would rather watch on TV, oh and Burnie I have very nice bathrooms.

As far as PITT games, breakfast out with fellow ticket holders arrive at Heinz 20 minutes before kickoff (to a half empty stadium) we are 30 steps from the adequate bathrooms leave after PITT breaks our hearts again down the parking garage ramp to the HOV lane and back in Cranberry less than an hour after the game.
 
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pbrad said:
So the question becomes, is being at a game better than watching on TV? I have been offered Steeler tickets on numerous occasions and have turned them down because I really don't like going to the games and would rather watch on TV, oh and Burnie I have very nice bathrooms.

As far as PITT games, breakfast out with fellow ticket holders arrive at Heinz 20 minutes before kickoff (to a half empty stadium) we are 30 steps from the adequate bathrooms leave after PITT breaks our hearts again down the parking garage ramp to the HOV lane and back in Cranberry less than an hour after the game.
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It's getting more advantageous to stay home and this is happening all over. TV's are great, food is better and cheaper, bathrooms, drinks, no parking, reduced time......I think it is also a product of where you are in life.

I completely understand these cities buying up parking, putting up garages, and replacing open parking with bars and restaurants, but what is becoming obvious, is the allure of football to many is not just the game, but the event, and that event includes tailgating with friends. So....if you are forcing more and more people to go to crowded bars, waiting in line for overpriced food and drink, can't hear a conversation with friends because of loud music, and not even having a defined area where a group can party together, well people are staying home.

As I and my group got older, kids come and go, families, there is less tailgating, it is less fun. Younger, yeah you go and have fun no matter what. Now at my age, while looking at hot young 20 year old girls is fun at a bar, I would prefer the middle aged folks to have some drinks in a parking lot, good food, friends, and it is a picnic/party before and or after the game. You take that away, I got multiple high def TV's, a nice grill a deck, lots of open bathrooms, comfortable chairs, free parking, etc....at home.

As much as people say "hockey is better live", I say "football is better on TV". Sure you miss things, especially the overall passing plays and routes and who is open, but the close ups and replays on a home High Def TV far outstrips being 150 yards from the line of scrimmage and maybe at a low angle where a 9 yard run looks like a 1 yard run.
 
It really has "nutting" to do with wishing ill on the Pirates, but it's actually refreshing that more and more seem to be rejecting attendance of Pirates games for the same obvious reason they've been rejecting attending Pitt games.

As many have noted, both organizations operate similarly (gleefully uninterested in winning) yet year in and out the Pirates would get annoyingly good attendance for way too many years while Pitt (quite appropriately) got shunned in punishment.

I realize the demographics and even the weather/seasons have something to do with that, baseball attendees typically have more interest in food, brew and trinkets, and lounging about in nice summer evenings, and don't really care about the game. While football fans, certainly slobs and drunks in our own right, actually prioritize the game a bit more.

But still it didn't seem right the Bucs got none of the wrath that Pitt does. That stadium ain't that much nicer than Heinz.

Finally it seems to be happening though; the Pirates actually aren't all that bad this year, I glanced today and was surprised to see them still near .500 and ahead of the Cards. But fans seem underwhelmed.

Not that it matters financially; attendance for both is not a huge factor for success any longer. Both get rewarded by their respective (warped) conferences/leagues despite being purposeful losers (or even because of it).

Both sports apparently generate so much money from TV, sponsorships, etc. by having the same few dominant giants in contention every year that it's ditch diggers are valuable merely in their willingness to take it in the rear. It's warped as I said but very real.

Pitt fans (the unretarded ones anyway) have long caught on to this; finally Pirates fans are too.
 
burnie1105 said:
Honestly? I think the problem is that football games - especially at Heinz Field - simply aren't that enjoyable to attend. The bathrooms are the ninth circle of hell, the traffic and parking can be terrible, the concessions are bad, the weather is a crap shoot, and the sight lines in the upper deck are terrible (and you basically climb/walk three miles to get to said terrible seats).

I still go to a few games a year, and some of my gripes are alleviated by getting club tickets (honest to god I think the bathrooms alone are worth the extra cost), but it simply isn't a pleasant experience beginning to end. And it isn't as if I'm adverse to going to big events - I have no problems going to Pirates games, Penguins games, Pitt basketball games, etc. - but I find the experience of going to Heinz Field with 40,000+ people to be particularly dreadful.
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What makes the bathrooms at PNC so much better than Heinz?

Or, more specifically, what makes the bathrooms at Heinz the ninth circle of hell?

I've never thought they were bad at all, and they are much better than 90% of college stadiums I've been to.
 
RaleighPittFan said:
What makes the bathrooms at PNC so much better than Heinz?

Or, more specifically, what makes the bathrooms at Heinz the ninth circle of hell?

I've never thought they were bad at all, and they are much better than 90% of college stadiums I've been to.
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In my experience, the bathrooms at Heinz are much dirtier and much more crowded. I have to self-cath due to spinal damage, so I'm sensitive to both matters.
 
Stripper and midget mud wrestling after the game. Followed by Fireworks and then those Summo wrestling costumes with strippers in jello. Good wholesome activities for all ages.
 
SoufOaklin4Life said:
Where I pee is my primary concern for enjoying any venue
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It's certainly brought up enough when the Pitt Stadium topic comes up.

Frankly, bathroom quality and commute time don't matter. Watching the game at home is always going to be more comfortable.
 
Zeldas Open Roof said:
I enjoy peeing at Bettis' bar and grille. they have one of those one way mirrors so you pee while staring at people but they cant see you. It's kind of liberating in a very weird, sick, sexually demented way..

on a not so weird note, the bathrooms at Heinz seem pretty avg to me, no worse or better than your newer football or baseball stadium.. much worse at pitt stadium and three rivers in my opinion..
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No judgement here. Fly that freak flag, brother.

I really think most large stadiums are using the trough now. I was a big fan of the "waterfall wall" until I realized that you're going to pretty much soak your shoes. The only quality peeing experience I've ever had was in Vegas. Someone created a urinal that won't splash back if you are able to target the right spot (a little sea shell) in the urinal. Must be expensive because I've never seen one anywhere else.
 
pittdan77 said:
No judgement here. Fly that freak flag, brother.

I really think most large stadiums are using the trough now. I was a big fan of the "waterfall wall" until I realized that you're going to pretty much soak your shoes. The only quality peeing experience I've ever had was in Vegas. Someone created a urinal that won't splash back if you are able to target the right spot (a little sea shell) in the urinal. Must be expensive because I've never seen one anywhere else.
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The trough never bothered me, don’t get the anti trough speech on here.

What I do hate is the urinals that go all way down into floor. Jacks in south side used to have these. You always splash your feet. Terrible designs.
 
Zeldas Open Roof said:
The trough never bothered me, don’t get the anti trough speech on here.

What I do hate is the urinals that go all way down into floor. Jacks in south side used to have these. You always splash your feet. Terrible designs.
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Our elementary school had those. Talk about stupid design given the designated clientele!
 
HailtoPitt said:
Wouldn't stop Ohio State from filling their stadium.
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That's because a lot of PITT fans are primarily cheap, complainers and excuse makers rather than real fans.

They will find almost any reason, it's to cold, it's to hot, it might rain, it might get hot, I don't like the restrooms, to skip a game and sit home, save the money and watch the game on TV.

This thread is a classic and includes most of the cry babies who call themselves fans!

A restroom is reason enough for the crybabies to close their wallets and skip games!

They know who they are!
 
BuffetParrothead said:
That's because a lot of PITT fans are primarily cheap, complainers and excuse makers rather than real fans.

They will find almost any reason, it's to cold, it's to hot, it might rain, it might get hot, I don't like the restrooms, to skip a game and sit home, save the money and watch the game on TV.

This thread is a classic and includes most of the cry babies who call themselves fans!

A restroom is reason enough for the crybabies to close their wallets and skip games!

They know who they are!
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Pitt isn't going to build on their fan base playing at HF. They have to play on campus and get the students interested in going and becoming lifelong fans and donors. We are moving backwards playing at HF in the long term. Mark and Steve didn't see that. They saw the new shiny object, as did many here.
 
SoufOaklin4Life said:
This clarifies your perspective.
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It does indeed clarify my perspective; it is also silly that people are zeroing in on one thing I mentioned - out of many - that I think make Heinz Field an unpleasant game day experience. I really could not care less about being a 'real fan' (whatever that means), so scoff however much you want, but at least have the self-awareness to realize how ridiculous it makes you all look.
 
burnie1105 said:
It does indeed clarify my perspective; it is also silly that people are zeroing in on one thing I mentioned - out of many - that I think make Heinz Field an unpleasant game day experience. I really could not care less about being a 'real fan' (whatever that means), so scoff however much you want, but at least have the self-awareness to realize how ridiculous it makes you all look.
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I don't like Heinz Field's design. I like where it is situated, the baseball park takes this location and runs with it. I think the means of egress in and out of the stadium suck, even wore than TRS was.

But comparing its "accouterments" in comparison with most, even legendary college stadiums, Heinz is far superior as it was built for an NFL team and crowds.
 
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burnie1105 said:
It does indeed clarify my perspective; it is also silly that people are zeroing in on one thing I mentioned - out of many - that I think make Heinz Field an unpleasant game day experience. I really could not care less about being a 'real fan' (whatever that means), so scoff however much you want, but at least have the self-awareness to realize how ridiculous it makes you all look.
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Speaking only for myself-
I just scoffed at bathrooms impacting game viewing in a stadium.
As any crowd and public facilities are limited.
 
HailtoPitt said:
Pitt isn't going to build on their fan base playing at HF. They have to play on campus and get the students interested in going and becoming lifelong fans and donors. We are moving backwards playing at HF in the long term. Mark and Steve didn't see that. They saw the new shiny object, as did many here.
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They saw the old shambles of an object-
The revenue constraints the lack of premium seating yielded-
And saw a way to drastically increase a revenue steam for athletics at very little cost.

In other words- it was a purely business decision.
They aren’t children like some ruled by emotion.
 
Zeldas Open Roof said:
The trough never bothered me, don’t get the anti trough speech on here.

What I do hate is the urinals that go all way down into floor. Jacks in south side used to have these. You always splash your feet. Terrible designs.
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I personally wonder about how much water they use but as long as I don't get splash back, I really don't have a problem. Honestly never thought about it much until this thread came along.
 
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