by Baseball stadiums in America are like no other, each venue takes the feel of a new country. No two teams have the same look, feel, and atmosphere as any other. This stadium ranking will be off my experience during my quest to visit all 30 MLB stadiums that stand today. I have visited seven stadiums in my 21 years of life.
Each stadium will get a letter grade depending on five different categories, Location, aesthetics, atmosphere, food, and bells and whistles. These rankings come from my experiences at the ballpark. With that being said, your experience may differ from mine.
Park Info: PNC park is the home for the Pittsburgh Pirates since 2003. PNC replaced Three Rivers Stadium Which was located between PNC and Heinz field currently stand. No other pro team has called the park home other than the Pirates. The record attendance at PNC was set in October 2015 as over 40 thousand fans watched the Bucco’s compete that day.
Location: PNC park is located at the North end of the city of Pittsburgh, it is a 10 minute (at most) walk from Heinz field and shares parking lots with the neighboring football field. The field is easy to reach and if you are on the other side of the city, no worries the Gateway Clipper can take you across the Allegheny River to the stadium in just a few minutes. With Clubs, restaurants, and concert venues right next to the stadium there is always something to do no matter the time of day.
Location gets an A grade.
Aesthetics: Aesthetics will be based on how the stadium looks inside and out, grass and field dimensions will be in play as well as the background of the city.
I once heard someone say “It looks like the city was built around the stadium” the view of the city is like no other in baseball, PNC gives you a perfect view of the skyline that Pittsburgh is known for, no matter how many times you see the city from your seats it will take your breath away. The stadium is designed so you can see the game no matter where you are. Even if you are getting a hotdog, you are a few steps away from seeing the action. The dimensions on the field are unique and allow the fans to have a different experience depending on where they are sitting.
Aesthetics gets an A+
Atmosphere: Atmosphere usually depends on if the team is competitive or not. Being a native of Pittsburgh I was able to be at games in July during their three-year run where they were competing for playoff spots. It would be packed every game in the summer making it standing room only. Jolly Rogers being waved everywhere you look, fans dressing up like Jack Sparrow. That remains even when they only win 50 games but on a lower level. Instead of 40 thousand fans doing this, only 17-20 thousand do so.
Atmosphere is a B+
Food: When visiting PNC, you can get all the flavors of Western PA, of course no cheesesteaks will be in sight. Pa staples like Quaker Steak n Lube and Primanti Bros are all present here at the ballpark as well as standard Pittsburgh beers like Iron City. If you aren’t looking for that they have standard ballpark options like hotdogs, pizza, and Nachos. Every ballpark must have an Ice Cream helmet, PNC has these in the lower bowl on the 3rd base line. It is hard to get ballpark food wrong, PNC hits it out of the ballpark.
Food is an easy A+
Bells and Whistles: PNC does not have a lot of bells and whistles compared to modern ballparks made in the past decade. PNC has a nice team shop with fun activities like a Wheel of Fortune where you can win prizes. The Pierogi race is a local favorite giving the fans something to look forward to no matter what the score. A bush that spells out Pirates, is in center field is unique and cool to look at but sadly you cannot interact with it. Lastly, there are statues of Bill Mazeroski and of course Roberto Clemente. As cool as these things are they don’t match up with other ballparks and lacks activities for younger fans.
Bells and Whistles is a C+
PNC is a must-see ballpark and should be a top ballpark on your list. It is my favorite ballpark to visit, and I have been there a countless number of times. No matter what the score is, it is always enjoyable to watch a game on the North Shore.
The final Grade for PNC is an A. A must visit for any fan.
I agree with your assessment of PNC park. The only thing missing there is a good team!
Hey PNC opened in 2001
Great article. New information I didn’t know about the stadium even though I live near pittsburgh!
ive been there once and it just so happened to be a statement game by the fans where they all left in the 4th inning it was crazy but cool at the same time! also got a Bob Walk Bobble head that game.