Field: PNC Park
Official Site: https://www.mlb.com/pirates/ballpark
Year Completed: 2001
Capacity: 38,362
Covered: No – Ticket Policies
Mascot: Pirate Parrot
The Game We’ll See: Thursday, August 24: Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburg Pirates (see all 30 here!)
Parking & Transportation:
PNC Park partners with Waze. Thanks to this relationship, the Pirates say that Waze is the only navigation app that includes the PNC Park parking lots and accurate event day traffic patterns.
PNC Park has several lots and recommends specific lots based on the direction from which you are driving. For more information, look at the parking page on the official. You can prepay for parking using SpotHero and save up to 50%.
Tailgating is permitted.
Oversized vehicle: There is no specific reference to RV or oversized vehicle parking. According to Prked.com, RV parking is available in the Gold Lot, which is adjacent to the ballpark, and it costs $40 per game.
The stadium is also served by buses and light rail. For more information, see the public transportation page on the official site.
Stadium Tour:
PNC Park offers 60-minute, game day tours Monday through Friday and on some home game Saturdays. The pregame tour includes watching batting practice and/or warmups is offered 3 hours and 35 minutes before evening games. Tickets can be purchased on advance or the day of the tour. However, advanced purchase is recommended. The cost is $25 to $30 per person.
General Information:
Bags: PNC Park allows fans to bring any style bag, if it is no larger than 16” x 16” x 8”. The MLB site does not mention any lockers or storage service.
Food & Beverages: Fans may bring their own food and one, factory-sealed plastic bottle of still water no larger than 24 ounces.
Cashless transactions: All transactions are cashless.
Signs: Signs are permitted if they are don’t block views, interfere with the game, contain advertising, or contain offensive materials. They must be no larger than 4” by 8” in size, according to the MLB website.
Foul Balls: Fans may keep foul balls, as long as they don’t interfere with play or enter the playing area to retrieve them.
Gates: Gates open 90 minutes before all start times except 6:35 p.m. games played Monday through Thursday. For those games, the gates open 60 minutes before first pitch.
Cameras: Cameras and video recorders are permitted, but hard-sided cases, tripods, and monopods are not.
Umbrellas: Umbrellas are permitted. However, they may not be opened during play.
Where to Sit:
The left field side has lovely views of the city skyline.
For shade, look for seats on the first base/right field side.
If you aren’t on a tight budget, almost any seat on the 100 level is a good one, particularly near the dugouts and baseline boxes. Look for seats in Sections 1 to 32, or 109 to 124.
The best value seats are still in the 100 level and into the 200s. Aim for Sections 125, 127, and 128. You can also try for 101 to 108 (for less sun) or 142 – 147 (for more). Sections 130, 131, 132, 139, and 144 are also good. For 200 level seats, aim for Sections 211 to 221.
TrueBluLA.com suggests that the best seats for the price are in Sections 212 through 220. These are Pittsburgh Baseball Club seats. In addition to a good view, they have access to a climate-controlled private restaurant area and a collection of Pittsburgh Pirates memorabilia.
To catch a homerun ball, Ballpark Savvy says that Section 135 is your best bet. Sections 144 and 142 are also good locations.
To enjoy the view at a lower price, try Sections 313 to 319.
Avoid Sections 315 – 317 and 333.
Food:
- The Primanti Brothers Sandwiches, in Section 110, sell sandwiches that are a meal between two pieces of bread and receive rave reviews. TrueBlueLA.com recommends adding the hot sauce, as it takes the sandwiches from “good” to “great.” This seemed to be the number one recommendation from Ballpark Chasers as well as most blogs and books about the Park.
- Pierogies, little dumplings stuffed with potates, cheese, and onions, are another popular item at the Park. You can find them all over the stadium.
- Ballpark Chasers on Facebook recommend Manny’s BBQ. Manny Sanguillen was a catcher for the Pirates and is usually at the park sitting near his BBQ. Plus, the food is great!
- The Athletic suggests trying the new Fried Pickle Curds, available from The Chicken Pitt in Section 127. This 2023 addition to the PNC Park menu is 8 ounces of deep-fried cheddar, tossed in vinegar and dill powders, and served with garlic ranch aioli and sliced pickles.
First Time Visitors:
While there is no mention of first game certificates on the website, TrueBlueLA.com says they do have them. Check with Guest Services.
Autographs:
Autographs are permitted before the game around the perimeter of the field.
Other Stadium Tips & Highlights:
Miller Lite sponsors the Pittsburg Pirates’ designated driver program. Sign up at the Designated Driver booth behind Section 101. According to Ballpark Chasers on Facebook, registering will netyou a free Coke product for signing up.
There are four statues of Pittsburgh players scattered around the park. These include Roberto Clemente (main gate), Bill “Maz” Mazeroski (right field entrance), Wilver “Pops” Stargell (Federal Street entrance), and Honus Wagner (West Entrance).
My research uncovered few other highlights within the field. Outside PNC Park, fans recommended walking the Riverside and making an appointment to see the Roberto Clemente Museum. They also recommended the Andy Warhol Museum and riding the incline at Mount Washington. The Heinz History Center also hosts a tribute to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which was filmed in Pittsburgh.
The Team’s retired numbers are displayed as steel numbers positioned in the landscaping of the Lower Riverwalk. They include:
- 1 – Billy Meyer
- 4 – Ralph Kiner
- 8 – Willie Stargell
- 9 – Bill Mazeroski
- 11 – Paul Waner
- 20 – Pie Traynor
- 21 – Roberto Clemente
- 33 – Honus Wagner
- 40 – Danny Murtaugh
- 42 – Jackie Robinson (retired by the MLB)
