It's a risk you take when you cede control. Heinz has good points and bad points, and this is a bad point. We have no reason to complain because we knew this could happen going in.
Why do the Pirates own Saturday nights in September?
- Thread starter Sean Miller Fan
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It's a risk you take when you cede control. Heinz has good points and bad points, and this is a bad point. We have no reason to complain because we knew this could happen going in.
No, just like we didnt when we had a nooner with the Pirates having a 4PM. So, if we kick at 3:30, the Pirates will have to inform their fans that parking wont be available.....just like they had to before.
This is the compromise since they apparently cant start games at 1PM.
Its not that our fanbase "sucks." Rather, it "sucks" we dont have that many fans. This is the direct result of a small living alumni base (less than 300K with many of those grad school alums without allegiance to their grad school) competing with 3 massively popular pro teams for attention. We've had this discussion a billion times.
Pitt has a very small fanbase to pull from. Contrast this with PSU, who has 700K alumni and are the NFL team in Central PA. Central PA isnt very populated but within 90 minutes of the stadium, there are probably 500K people, many of whom are diehard PSU fans or just looking for something to do since entertainment options in Pennsyltucky are limited.....primarily because there are no pro teams.
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Red Sox/Blue Jays, Cubs/Astros 1:00 this weekend.
Pirates/Reds 12:10 next Saturday
Yankees/Red Sox, Nationals/Braves 1:00 next Saturday
Cardinals/Cubs, Yankees/Blue Jays 1:00 9/24
Blue Jays/Red Sox, Oriels/Yankees TBD on 9/31
What am I missing here?
Pirates/Reds 12:10 next Saturday
Yankees/Red Sox, Nationals/Braves 1:00 next Saturday
Cardinals/Cubs, Yankees/Blue Jays 1:00 9/24
Blue Jays/Red Sox, Oriels/Yankees TBD on 9/31
What am I missing here?
You think the Pirates have 0 say in this? You can't honestly think that the MLB hands out a schedule and the team has no say. The fact is, they don't give a rats ass. They tell Pitt to deal with it.
This whole thread is hilarious. The Pirates are a primary tenant on the North Shore and host a guaranteed 81 events, probably averaging around 18,000-20,000 per game in actual bodies (their announced attendance is over 28,000). They rightfully have certain rights granted to them in their contract with the City of Pittsburgh Stadium Authority, which controls the parking lots in and around Heinz and PNC Park.
And who can blame the Pirates when college football game times are dictated by TV and some times aren't set until between 6-14 days ahead of the game?
And who can blame the Pirates when college football game times are dictated by TV and some times aren't set until between 6-14 days ahead of the game?
And even if it's tries, that fine.
It fact, I'm sure the Pirates prefer to have home games the game weekend as Pitt. Some out of town fans might attend.
Of course, your and smfs rant ignores that...
A. Surveys Pitt has done says the fans prefer early starts.
B. The networks may not want Pitt on at 8pm anyways. Who were the Pirates playing last year when Pitt v Notre Dame, Louisville, and Miami all had early starts?
Ya, attendance really shows that fans love the noon starting time. Can you link the results of the survey?
You are so clueless sometimes that it is hilarious.
First of all, Joe is right. Fox has a national television window on Saturday at 1:00. The two regional games are Cubs - Astros (Pittsburgh gets this one) and Red Sox - Blue Jays. However, no where did I ever say that MLB teams are not allowed to start a 1:00 on all Saturdays, or even any Saturday other than this one. Fox has different national television windows on different Saturdays. Some Saturdays Fox doesn't have a game at all. There are other times when Fox is showing a national game but they do not have a guaranteed national window, so other teams can broadcast their games at the same time Fox is showing a national game. There is not one solution that fits every Saturday. It varies from week to week.
If you want a few examples, the Pirates have played three Satuday home games at 4:00 this year. On every one of those Saturdays Fox had a national window at 7:00. 4:00 was the latest the Pirates could start and still televise the game. So that is when they started. On the other hand, the Pirates played three Saturday night games (that I can think of off the top of my head) that were Fox national games. The one at Texas in May, and then two games in June against the Cardinals and the Dodgers. There may have been one or two others (maybe one of the Cubs games earlier this year?). but there were at least three for sure.
Secondly, for someone who claims to have studied economics and claims to understand economics you sure are clueless as to the way that economics works in the real world. The Pirates have, and always will have, precedent over Pitt for the parking lots because the parking lot operators make a lot more money selling parking to Pirates fans than Pitt fans. It isn't even close. If you really can't understand why the Pirates are number one on the pecking order then you surely must have failed any and all economics classes you've ever taken.
Thirdly, I suppose it would be possible when there was a 7:00 Pirates game for Pitt to say screw it, we don't care, we are playing at 3:30. But the upshot of that isn't that PIrates fans would have no where to park on the North Side. The upshot of that would be that Pitt would not be allowed to sell parking passes to that game and Pitt fans arriving on the North Side at 10:30, or 12:00 or 2:00 for the Pitt game would find all the lots closed. Because THE PIRATES TAKE PRECEDENCE. As anyone with even a minimal understanding of economics would be able to guess.
I remember it being mentioned here numerous times in the past.
As for your other comment, be sure to factor in the opponent and Pitts record.
Attendance sure doesn't show they like night games either.
Unless it's ND, PSU, or WVU, or the it actually means something and we are good (VT 2003 (night), Cincy 2009 (day)), it doesn't really seem to matter what time we play. Seems our fans always has an excuse.
This discussion happens EVERY year and it's not going to change. Even though it has been shown contractual that the Succos can influence their game times (those suggesting otherwise are wrong), the reality is that once Steve/Nordy decided to send Pitt football packing from Oakland they pretty much forfeited influence on game start times, save maybe one 'big' game every 10 years against an opponent like Notre Dame.
Bottom line, if you are a fan of Pitt playing games at Heinz Field so that you can roll down the 279 HOV lane from the North Hills instead of trecking into Oakland, then you've also gotta be ok with the reality of "thank you sir may I have another for Pitt". That's how it is. Stop complaining or else support a new on campus stadium.
Bottom line, if you are a fan of Pitt playing games at Heinz Field so that you can roll down the 279 HOV lane from the North Hills instead of trecking into Oakland, then you've also gotta be ok with the reality of "thank you sir may I have another for Pitt". That's how it is. Stop complaining or else support a new on campus stadium.
Yep, doesn't really matter except for conflicting with the 8p prime time ABC tv spot which rarely ever came into play with Pitt being in the BE and ACC. And in those couple instances the buccos flipped. It could maybe be more of a factor with the ACCN. IMO for Pitt having 12p is the same as say a 7p espn2 tv and attendance wise.
Like I said, 1 game every 10 years or so the Succos are ok with adjusting their schedule. Great deal for them. Almost like they have an incentive for Pitt to continue being mediocre.
Joe,
A few things:
1. Pitt had a 1AA game at noon one year when the Pirates played at 4 because it was a national FS1 game. There was talk of Pitt moving to 11AM but Pederson wouldn't. The result was that the Pirates alerted fans of limited parking options.......and everybody survived the 1 game of 81 where Pirates fans couldn't park across the street
2. I am not saying the Pirates should TBA some game times for economic or financial reasons. I understand they will draw slightly fewer fans at 1PM than 7PM (though I really dont think the difference is that drastic) so I agree it would not make much financial sense to do that. Plus, they obviously have it in their contract where they get first rights on game times/parking lots.
I'm saying that its really not that big of a deal if the Pirates have to TBA a few games per year. Sure they dont have to do it and probably wont do it but, if they did do it, its not going to hurt Nutting's bottom line much of at all. Nutting's accountant could also probably find a creatibe way to write off any potential ticketing loss.
3. There has to be some kind of compromise. 3 of Pitt's 7 home games are usually in September, which actually draw more people on those days than the Pirates. Its just unreasonable that the Pirates set those game times for Pitt. Even if its just letting Pitt "protect" 1 game. Lets say when PSU comes in next time or ND or Ten, the Pirates agree to play at 1 (if there is no national TV window that day). Otherwise, if TV wants Pitt at 3:30, Pirates fans cant use the lots for the night game.
This is going to become more of an issue with ACCN with Pitt having the opportunity for later start times.
