I still say forget basketball and forget baseball, go for the NFL. Yes, it will cost more to build a stadium, but I think you get more use out of it in the long run. And if we build a football stadium, it could be converted for baseball if a team were to be looking for a new home. It also could be used for concerts, as Heinz Field is being used, according to this story below.
The whole thing about how the revenue is generated in the NFL makes it less of a risk for a team to come here. And we would not have to sell out as many dates. NFL fans are more rabid than fans of Major League Baseball or the NBA. The NFL cuts across all socioeconomic, racial and ethnic boundaries. And I believe that is because of the league's marketing scheme which focuses on the teams rather than the individual players. The players hate it because they think it cuts their ability to garner endorsement money. But, to me, it is has taken power away from jerks to mess up the marketing of the game.
Not to get racial, but the NBA has the perception of being the African American, urban sport. It has had trouble in recent years marketing to middle class white America. I'm not criticizing, I'm just stating a point. Conversely, Major League Baseball has been struggling in recent years to build interest among young African American kids. And let's not even talk about the NHL or soccer.
For those reasons, I think the NFL would do better here. Believe it or not, this is NOT just Redskins country. And considering how traffic is and how hard tickets are to come by, why in the world would you even want to trek to FedEx field?
Heinz Field converts for concerts
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
By John Hayes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The owners of Heinz Field are tapping the bottle to find 57 varieties of Heinz Field usage, although they admit they're playing "catch-up" with other venues.
The Steelers routinely sell out all of their games, but as part of a plan among NFL field owners to discover more ways to draw people to their stadiums, the Rooney Sports and Entertainment Group announced yesterday the unveiling of a new Heinz Field configuration which, in effect, creates a new 5,000 to 6,000-seat summer concert venue.
On Aug. 22, classic rock favorites Styx, Kansas and another co-headliner (either an Outlaws reunion or 38 Special) will play the new North Shore Stage. The riser will be placed on the goal line in the enclosed north end zone with bands facing the steeply inclined end zone seats. About 500 additional seats will be placed on the turf between the north end zone and the stands, and the south end-zone video screen, the largest in the NFL, will serve as backdrop. No word as to whether the giant lighted ketchup bottle will pour during encores.
Tickets to Styx and Kansas go on sale July 22 for $35 to $45 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster locations or 412-323-1919.
Heinz Group president Tom Rooney adds that while more shows may be booked at the North Shore Stage, he's still working on building a permanent amphitheater on the site where Cirque du Soleil performed this year between Heinz Field and PNC Park.
Upcoming non-football uses for the stadium include a Bassmasters Classic performance by Josh Turner in the Coca-Cola Great Hall on July 28, a full-stadium show by Kenny Chesney and other country stars July 30, and the Rib and Music Festival at the South Plaza and Art Rooney Avenue Sept. 1-5.
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(John Hayes can be reached at
[email protected] or 412-263-1991.)
