Here's to hoping some of the positive energy Ben Cope shares in his essay about attending Steelers games at Heinz Field will have an effect on the outcome of this week's game. Favorites or not, I think Kansas City taught us you can't just roll your helmets out onto the field and expect a W.
The Heinz Field Experience
By Ben Cope
The morning of February 11, 2001 will forever be remembered in the hearts and minds of Pittsburgh Steelers fans as the end of Three Rivers Stadium. In a matter of moments, the home of the football champions, beloved by our fathers and grandfathers, came crashing down in a giant plume of ash and debris. “Pittsburghers were in tears after the dust cleared” (Beavers). Three Rivers Stadium was no more. But with every ending there is a new beginning.
The death of Three Rivers Stadium gave way for the birth of the new home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Heinz Field, built directly beside the old stadium, stands tall and displays its uncovered steel girders, spiral walkways, and bright yellow seats for all eyes to see. As the Steelers began to win football games in the new arena, Three Rivers Stadium faded into memory, and Steelers fans made Heinz Field their new home to tailgate, watch the game, and wave those Terrible Towels.
One cannot fully experience Heinz Field without tailgating. As you near the stadium, hordes of Steelers fans, donning their black and gold attire, can be seen gathering together to perform their pre-game ritual. When you finally claim your parking space and get out of your vehicle, you instantly realize that you are in Steelers Nation. The once desolate parking lots have become seas of black and gold.
Cars and RV’s with custom Steelers paint jobs are scattered throughout. The echo of horns, bells, and whistles can be heard, along with the cries of the famed Pittsburgh chant, “Here we go Steelers, here we go!” Footballs fill the sky like mortars in battle. Food is devoured and alcohol is consumed as fans get ready to cheer for their team.
When pre-gaming concludes and the grills and coolers have been put away, it is time to make the journey to the stadium. Like a moth to a flame, Steelers fans anxiously walk from their cars to the gates of Heinz Field. As you approach Gate A, the Heinz Field sign and the back of the Jumbo-Tron scoreboard tower above you. Steelers fans hurry to finish their drinks while they wait in line to be admitted.
When you reach the front of the line, the security guard gives a quick pat-down and checks bags for any contraband. After your ticket has been approved, a few more steps and you are in Steelers heaven.
As you come through the entranceway and continue to the large brick and concrete laid courtyard, the whole stadium opens up. Feelings of awe cause the hair on your arms to stand up. “It’s pure excitement” (Beavers). “I feel somewhat overwhelmed just because of the history of the team” (Kaczmarek). Two spiral walkways that lead fans to seats on the middle and upper levels stand to the left and to the right. When you turn around and look up, the huge scoreboard makes you feel tiny. Straight ahead, the football field and the bright yellow seats around it fill your entire view.
“It almost looks like a giant yellow horseshoe” (Susman). The goal posts shine a shade of yellow that cannot be truly appreciated when looking at Heinz Field through a television screen. “The open end of the stadium adds an element that you don’t have in domed stadiums” (Beavers). Wind swirls in that end giving the home team’s kicker an advantage. The stadium as a whole gives the impression that it was built for one thing only…football.
Fans hurry to their seats, stopping at the concession stands and bathrooms along the way. High-fives are given by perfect strangers, and more various Steelers chants echo though the walkways. A few escalators and staircases and you arrive at your seats. Homemade signs depicting fans’ favorite players and witty sayings are everywhere. The seats begin to fill up and as game time nears, the energy in the stadium rises.
The anticipation for the start of the game is almost unbearable. The announcer comes over the loudspeaker and gets the crowd fired up for the introduction of the players. As the players come through the tunnel and out onto the field, the crowd volume becomes deafening, and the whole stadium turns into a sea of swirling Terrible Towels.
“There is nothing like it in any other sports venue. It’s almost hypnotizing to see all of those yellow towels circling” (Susman). When the introductions are over and the game begins, the stadium takes on a life of its own. It becomes a living, breathing entity fueled by the electricity of the Steelers and their fans.
“Heinz Field has sparked a new excitement into the team and that excitement has trickled down to the fans” (Kaczmarek). The new home of the Pittsburgh Steelers has also revitalized the city. Businesses and parking garages have been built around the stadium and continue to help the economy in Pittsburgh.
It might not be the most extravagant stadium, or the most expensive, but it was built to depict a city and it inhabitants. The uncovered steel reminds Pittsburghers of a time when steel mills were closing down, employees were being laid-off, and the only thing that kept them going was their football team. “Heinz Field is a hard-looking stadium for a hard-working town” (Susman).
Three Rivers Stadium set the stage for Heinz Field to become the best place in the world to watch a football game. Championships were won and dynasties were built in that old building. Now, the Steelers and their fans have created a new home of champions.
Works Cited
Beavers, John. Personal Interview. 23 Oct. 2009.
Kaczmarek, Corey. Personal Interview. 23 Oct. 2009.
Susman, Carmen. Personal Interview. 23 Oct. 2009.
