PNC Park facts for kids
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PNC Park in 2016
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 PNC Park
Location in Downtown Pittsburgh
PNC Park
Location in Pennsylvania
PNC Park
Location in the United States
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| Address | 115 Federal Street |
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| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 40°26′49″N 80°0′21″W / 40.44694°N 80.00583°W |
| Public transit |  North Side |
| Owner | Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County |
| Operator | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Capacity | 37,898 (2001–2003) 38,496 (2004–2007) 38,362 (2008–2017) 38,747 (2018–present) |
| Record attendance | 40,889 (October 7, 2015) |
| Field size | Left Field – 325 feet (99 m) Left-Center – 383 feet (117 m) Deep Left-Center Field – 410 feet (125 m) Center Field – 399 feet (122 m) Right-Center – 375 feet (114 m) Right Field – 320 feet (98 m) Backstop – 51 feet (16 m)  |
| Surface | Kentucky Bluegrass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 7, 1999 |
| Opened | March 31, 2001 |
| Construction cost | US$216 million ($357 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | HOK Sport (now Populous) L.D. Astorino & Associates |
| Project manager | Project Management Consultants LLC |
| Structural engineer | Thornton-Tomasetti Group Inc. |
| Services engineer | M*E Engineers GAI Consultants, Inc. |
| General contractor | Dick Corporation/Barton Malow JV |
| Tenants | |
| Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB) (2001–present) | |
PNC Park is a cool baseball stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's home to the Pittsburgh Pirates, a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. This park is the fifth place the Pirates have called home.
Opened in 2001, PNC Park sits right along the Allegheny River. It offers amazing views of the Downtown Pittsburgh skyline. The stadium is made of strong steel and limestone. It has a real natural grass field and can hold 38,747 fans. It was built next to the old stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, which was taken down in 2001.
Plans for a new stadium started in 1991. The park was built quickly in just 24 months. It cost about $216 million. PNC Park has a "retro-classic" style, like older, famous ballparks. It also has special features, such as a riverside walkway and a big scoreboard showing other games. There are many tributes to a famous Pirates player, Roberto Clemente. The nearby Roberto Clemente Bridge was even named after him. Besides baseball games, PNC Park has hosted the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and many concerts.
PNC Financial Services bought the rights to name the stadium in 1998. They paid $30 million for 20 years. They still hold the naming rights until 2031. Many people say PNC Park is one of the best baseball stadiums in America. They love its location, the views, and its classic design.
Contents
PNC Park's Story: How It Was Built
Planning a New Home for the Pirates
In 1991, Pittsburgh's mayor, Sophie Masloff, suggested building a new stadium. The Pirates' old home, Three Rivers Stadium, was built for many sports, not just baseball. It wasn't very pretty and was hard to get to. Talks about a new park became serious when Kevin McClatchy bought the team in 1996.
A group of leaders looked at 13 possible spots for the new stadium. They chose the "North Side site." It was affordable and offered great views of the city. This spot is close to where the Pirates played their very first games at Exposition Park.
Funding the Stadium Project
Public money helped pay for PNC Park. At first, a sales tax increase was suggested to fund three projects. These included PNC Park, Acrisure Stadium (for the Steelers), and a bigger convention center. But people voted against this idea in 1997.
Then, a new plan, called Plan B, was created. Some people didn't like it, saying it used too much public money. They felt the Pirates should pay more than their promised $40 million. Still, the plan was approved in 1998. It included $228 million for PNC Park. Soon after, the Pirates agreed to stay in Pittsburgh until at least 2031.
Many fans wanted the stadium named after the legendary player Roberto Clemente. However, PNC Financial Services bought the naming rights in 1998. They pay the Pirates about $2 million each year. The total cost to build PNC Park was $216 million. To honor Clemente, the city renamed the 6th Street Bridge near the park the Roberto Clemente Bridge.
Designing and Building PNC Park
The company Populous designed PNC Park. They have designed many other famous ballparks. The goal was to make PNC Park feel like "classic style" stadiums. Think of places like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. The park's arches, steel, and light poles show this classic look.
PNC Park was the first two-deck stadium built in the U.S. since 1953. It has a large Sony JumboTron screen. It also had the first LED video boards in an outdoor MLB stadium. A special scoreboard shows scores, innings, and base runners for other games. This scoreboard was removed in 2022 but brought back in 2023 after fans asked for it.
Construction began on April 7, 1999. A ceremony took place on the newly renamed Roberto Clemente Bridge. On game days, the bridge closes to cars. This lets fans walk from downtown Pittsburgh to the stadium. PNC Park uses Kasota limestone from Minnesota. This makes it look different from other stadiums that use brick.
The stadium was built in just 24 months. This was three months faster than most modern ballparks. Special computers helped builders work quickly, 24 hours a day. All 23 worker unions agreed not to strike during construction. This helped the project finish on time.
Statues of Pirate Legends
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Outside PNC Park, you can find statues of famous Pirates players. These players are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. They include Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Bill Mazeroski.
Wagner's statue was first at Forbes Field in 1955. Clemente's statue, shaped like a baseball diamond, was put up in 1994. Both were moved to PNC Park when Three Rivers Stadium was taken down.
Stargell's statue was unveiled in 2001. Mazeroski's statue was added in 2010. It's at the right field entrance. This was 50 years after Mazeroski hit a game-winning home run in the 1960 World Series. His statue shows that famous moment.
Opening Day and How Fans Liked It
The Pirates played their first games at PNC Park in March 2001. The first official game was on April 9, 2001, against the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds won 8–2. Sean Casey hit the first home run in the park. Jason Kendall got the first hit for the Pirates.
In its first year, PNC Park had about 30,742 fans per game. Businesses nearby saw a 20–25% increase in sales on game days.
Many people praised PNC Park right away. Pirates vice-president Steve Greenberg said they built "the best ballpark in baseball." Major League Baseball executive Paul Beeston called it "the best he's seen." ESPN.com even ranked it as the best stadium in MLB. They gave it a score of 95 out of 100. Writers called it "perfect" and "everything a baseball stadium could hope to be." In 2017, Washington Post sports writers ranked it the 2nd-best stadium in MLB.
Changes and Updates Over Time
In 2006, an exhibit honoring Pittsburgh's Negro league baseball teams was added. It features statues of seven players. These players competed for the city's Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords. The exhibit also has a theater showing a film about the Negro leagues.
In 2007, Allegheny County banned smoking in most public places. This made PNC Park completely smoke-free. Before the 2008 season, the Pirates made more changes. They added a new restaurant called The Hall of Fame Club. It's open to all ticket-holders and has an outdoor patio with field views. The Pirates also started a program to make the park more eco-friendly.
In 2012, the "Budweiser Bow Tie" bar and lounge was added. It's in the right-field corner. For the 2015 season, more improvements were made. These included a left-field terrace and "The Porch" patio. These areas offer standing room and seating with great views.
Before the 2017 season, the manual scoreboard in right field was replaced with an LED screen. For the 2022 season, new open-air bars were added in center field. A pirate-ship-themed playground for kids was also built. Signs and plaques about the team's history were put up. Outside the park, a display honors retired numbers. Large baseballs along the river list Pittsburgh-based Hall of Fame members. In September 2022, the Pirates started their own Hall of Fame inside the park. Before the 2023 season, the main scoreboard was replaced and made larger.
Exciting Events at PNC Park
Baseball Games and Milestones
PNC Park hosted the 77th Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 11, 2006. The American League won 3–2. It was the fifth All-Star Game in Pittsburgh. During the game, Roberto Clemente was honored. His wife, Vera, accepted an award for him. The night before, the Home Run Derby took place. Ryan Howard won, and he and David Ortiz hit home runs into the Allegheny River!
PNC Park saw its first no-hitter on September 28, 2012. Reds pitcher Homer Bailey didn't let any Pirates get a hit. The Pirates have not yet thrown a no-hitter in their home park.
The Pirates played their first playoff game at PNC Park on October 1, 2013. They beat the Cincinnati Reds 6–2 in the 2013 National League Wild Card Game. This was their first postseason win since 1992. Record crowds also watched playoff games in 2014 and 2015.
In 2020, the Toronto Blue Jays wanted to use PNC Park as a temporary home. This was because of travel rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Pennsylvania officials did not allow it.
College Baseball Games
The first college baseball game at PNC Park was on May 6, 2003. The Pitt Panthers played the Duquesne Dukes. Duquesne won 2–1. This game, called the City Game, was played every year until 2010.
Concerts and Music Shows
PNC Park has hosted many famous musicians and bands. Some of them include Pink, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Styx, Jason Aldean, Billy Joel, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, Ed Sheeran, Zac Brown Band, Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, Metallica, Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe.
PNC Park in Movies
The park has been a filming location for several movies. These include She's Out of My League (2010), Abduction (2011), Jack Reacher (2012) and Sweet Girl (2021).
Safety Drills and Other Events
PNC Park has also been used for important safety drills. These drills help practice how to respond to emergencies. In 2005, 5,000 volunteers took part in a large evacuation drill. The goal was to test how different emergency groups would work together. Similar exercises have been done on the Allegheny River.
Cool Features of PNC Park
The Playing Field and Its Size
The field has natural grass called Tuckahoe Bluegrass. This type of grass is great for northern cities like Pittsburgh. The infield dirt is a special mix called "Dura Edge Custom Pro Infield Mix." The warning track is made of crushed lava rock. A special drainage system can remove a lot of rain very quickly.
Unlike most ballparks, the Pirates' home dugout is along the third base line. This gives the home team a great view of the city skyline. The outfield fence changes height. It's 6 feet (1.8 m) in left field and 21 feet (6.4 m) in right field. The 21-foot wall is a tribute to Roberto Clemente, who wore number 21.
The distance from home plate to the outfield fence also varies. It's 320 feet (98 m) in right field and 410 feet (125 m) in left-center. The center field fence is 399 feet (122 m) away. The Allegheny River is only 443 feet (135 m) from home plate. Some players have hit home runs directly into the river! Daryle Ward was the first in 2002. Garrett Jones was the first Pirate in 2013. Josh Bell hit two into the river in 2019. Carlos Santana hit a walk-off home run into the river in 2023. The longest home run ever hit in PNC Park was 484 feet (148 m) by Sammy Sosa in 2002.
Seats, Fans, and Ticket Prices
PNC Park can hold 38,496 people. It was one of the smaller MLB stadiums when it opened. The seats are angled towards the field for better views. Most of the seats (26,000) are on the first level. The highest seat is 88 feet (27 m) above the field. The batter is closer to the seats behind home plate than to the pitcher!
Most seats offer a view of Pittsburgh's skyline. There are also standing-room-only areas. These are in the four-level steel rotunda and above the scoreboard.
Ticket prices at PNC Park have often been among the lowest in MLB. In 2009, they were the third-cheapest. Even with price increases, they remained affordable. From 2006 to 2013, average ticket prices were between $15 and $17. They rose to about $30 in 2016.
For many years, the Pirates didn't have many winning seasons. This meant attendance sometimes dropped below 20,000 fans per game. But in 2012 and 2013, the team started winning more. This led to many sold-out games. In 2014, average attendance went over 30,000 for the first time since 2001.
Delicious Food Options
The main food area is called "Tastes of Pittsburgh." It has many choices, from classic ballpark food to local favorites. You can find Primanti Brothers sandwiches, a Pittsburgh specialty. These sandwiches have meat, cheese, French fries, tomatoes, and coleslaw all piled between two slices of Italian bread. Other local foods include Mrs. T's Pierogies and Quaker Steak & Lube.
Behind center field, there's Manny's BBQ. It's named after former Pirates catcher Manny Sanguillén. He sometimes signs autographs for fans there! There's even an all-you-can-eat section in right field. Fans can enjoy unlimited hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, and more. A cool thing about PNC Park is that fans can bring their own food into the stadium. This is rare for MLB parks.
For its first 13 years, PNC Park sold Pepsi products. But in 2014, the Pirates switched to Coca-Cola. The Pepsi signs in right field were changed to ads for a local health insurance company. In 2016, PNC Park introduced a unique "Cracker Jack & Mac Dog." It was a foot-long hot dog with macaroni and cheese, caramel sauce, and fried jalapeños. It was served on naan bread with caramel popcorn.
Stadium Announcers
From 2001 to 2021, Tim DeBacco was the public address announcer. He was known for his welcoming message: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and welcome to PNC Park." After he retired, different Pittsburgh personalities filled in. Guy Junker became the main announcer for the 2023 season.
Getting to PNC Park
PNC Park is easy to reach by car. It's near exits for Interstate 279, Interstate 376, and Interstate 579. You can also get there by public transport. The North Side station of Pittsburgh's subway system is right there.
Climate
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See also
In Spanish: PNC Park para niños
