pnc park guide
In 2001 the Pittsburgh Pirates opened PNC Park which would be the new home to one of the most consistently pathetic teams in all of baseball. With few exceptions, they tend to be near the bottom of the standings over the last 30 years. However everything you read says that the PNC ballpark is one of the best in all of baseball. You can pick up some great local food at the stadium, and really take in some phenomenal views of downtown Pittsburgh from the upper deck. Most of my life the Pirates have played terrible baseball, so if that trend continues so will the ticket values available!
cheap or free parking at pnc park
Lets talk about where you can park for free at PNC Park. Most of the free parking is going to be on the street in and around the cultural district near the Clemente Bridge. If you have seen overhead pictures of the Pirates' Stadium you have seen the yellow Clemente bridge behind center field which leads to downtown. So many people actually prefer to park on the opposite side of the bridge and walk across before the game. The feeling you get walking across the bridge before the game is pretty cool, and it's a relatively short walk. If you don't mind a little walk, or if you are Mr. Energy and really enjoy a good walk - you really should park in downtown and walk across the bridge.
Now I mentioned free parking at PNC Park in downtown, and that would be
in the way of metered parking. According to the Pittsburgh parking
authority their meters are only in effect until 6 pm, so after that you
are home free. You shouldn't have any problem driving around within a
couple blocks of the bridge and finding a spot if you are arriving
before 6 o'clock. There is construction in the area right now so as game
time draws closer it can get pretty crazy in that area - so you may
want to just give it up and pay to park.
If you don't feel like doing a little searching for free parking, or if you parallel park like my wife, you can easily find $5 garages around the bridge as well. That will save you some money vs. the stadium lots and you have a pretty easy out after the game.
Another nice option for parking at PNC Park is Park Whiz. This website lets you pre-pay and reserve a spot ahead of time so you can cut out some of the stress and guesswork when it comes to finding a spot. Certainly that isn't a bad option. Check it out here.
If you don't feel like doing a little searching for free parking, or if you parallel park like my wife, you can easily find $5 garages around the bridge as well. That will save you some money vs. the stadium lots and you have a pretty easy out after the game.
Another nice option for parking at PNC Park is Park Whiz. This website lets you pre-pay and reserve a spot ahead of time so you can cut out some of the stress and guesswork when it comes to finding a spot. Certainly that isn't a bad option. Check it out here.
I mentioned earlier that bad teams and the thickness of your wallet generally go hand in hand. In most years, The Pirates could have $1 tickets for all seats and not sell out. That is good news for you if you are a baseball fan and you want to check out PNC Park. Regular game ticket prices start at about $9 for the bleachers and the outer view level which ain't bad. The Pirates also offer a fair amount of specials and incentives throughout the year, so if you plan your trips to PNC Park ahead of time you can really save some money. PNC Park is known for having great sight lines wherever you sit. The view from behind the plate in the upper deck is tough to beat not only for a birds eye view of the field, but a breathtaking view of downtown Pittsburgh. If I was going, I would buy upper deck seats close to right behind the plate. In fact the outfield is so open you really get a nice view of downtown in the lower level behind the plate and down the 3rd base line.
However another way to look at this if you are doing a baseball trip, or coming from out of town, PNC Park is also a great place to splurge a good seats without getting killed on price. Infield box seats are some of the cheapest in all of baseball and there will be plenty available. Another thought to keep in mind is that the right field side of the stadium is going to be the first in the shade for a summer evening game and may prove to be a little more comfortable than it's left field counterpart.
The Pirates have all you can eat seats which are right behind the outfield fence in right. Classic ballpark fare is included, but no alcohol. You don't get the cool view of downtown from here either.
Speaking of all you can eat seats; if you are overweight and tend to feel uncomfortable and cramped in stadium seats, the PNC Park has you covered. They have a fair amount of seats that are on the aisle and don't have an arm rest. So you can spread out a bit and not worry about trying to cram into a seat. These are usually in the last couple rows of the section, but if you go to the ticket window and just ask about the seats with no arm rests - they will know what you are talking about.
If you fit comfortably in a stadium seat, you might want to think about a seat in the middle of the row; especially in the lower level. It seemed to me that Pirate fans weren't all that into the game, which led to fans constantly walking up and down the steps. We were on the aisle so we missed what seemed like 45 minutes of the game because of people walking by us in the middle of the inning. It was a small sample size, but you could greatly reduce that by sitting mid-row.
The vast majority of the time, you should not be paying face value for tickets anyway. If you are smart about buying from trusted 3rd parties, you can save huge on Pirates tickets.
Stubhub is the official marketplace for MLB tickets, and they protect you against fraudulent tickets. If you want to buy on Stubhub, you are usually better off if you can wait until close to game time. For baseball, you usually print your tickets at home after you buy. This means you can often buy tickets up until a couple hours before game time. From the seller perspective, Stubhub encourages sellers to reduce their price incrementally as the event gets closer so they aren't stuck with the tickets. So when you are looking at a game that starts in just a few hours, it is likely you are going to find some great value.
However another way to look at this if you are doing a baseball trip, or coming from out of town, PNC Park is also a great place to splurge a good seats without getting killed on price. Infield box seats are some of the cheapest in all of baseball and there will be plenty available. Another thought to keep in mind is that the right field side of the stadium is going to be the first in the shade for a summer evening game and may prove to be a little more comfortable than it's left field counterpart.
The Pirates have all you can eat seats which are right behind the outfield fence in right. Classic ballpark fare is included, but no alcohol. You don't get the cool view of downtown from here either.
Speaking of all you can eat seats; if you are overweight and tend to feel uncomfortable and cramped in stadium seats, the PNC Park has you covered. They have a fair amount of seats that are on the aisle and don't have an arm rest. So you can spread out a bit and not worry about trying to cram into a seat. These are usually in the last couple rows of the section, but if you go to the ticket window and just ask about the seats with no arm rests - they will know what you are talking about.
If you fit comfortably in a stadium seat, you might want to think about a seat in the middle of the row; especially in the lower level. It seemed to me that Pirate fans weren't all that into the game, which led to fans constantly walking up and down the steps. We were on the aisle so we missed what seemed like 45 minutes of the game because of people walking by us in the middle of the inning. It was a small sample size, but you could greatly reduce that by sitting mid-row.
The vast majority of the time, you should not be paying face value for tickets anyway. If you are smart about buying from trusted 3rd parties, you can save huge on Pirates tickets.
Stubhub is the official marketplace for MLB tickets, and they protect you against fraudulent tickets. If you want to buy on Stubhub, you are usually better off if you can wait until close to game time. For baseball, you usually print your tickets at home after you buy. This means you can often buy tickets up until a couple hours before game time. From the seller perspective, Stubhub encourages sellers to reduce their price incrementally as the event gets closer so they aren't stuck with the tickets. So when you are looking at a game that starts in just a few hours, it is likely you are going to find some great value.
Another great place to buy tickets is from Score Big. Let's face it, most ticket broker sites are the same but this one is actually different. It is kind of like the Priceline of sports tickets. Essentially you can search events in your area, and make an offer on tickets and get an instant answer on whether your bid is accepted.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets! I have a feeling this site is going to get big. From time to time, I'll have a promo code available for Score Big. Click here to see if there are any current discounts.
Click here to check out tickets on Score Big.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets! I have a feeling this site is going to get big. From time to time, I'll have a promo code available for Score Big. Click here to see if there are any current discounts.
Click here to check out tickets on Score Big.
best food at pnc park
Like many other stadiums PNC Park allows you to bring your own food into the stadium. You can also bring sealed bottled water in a soft sided cooler if you would like. That is a great way for a fan on a budget to save a few bucks at a Pirates game. If you are coming from out of town, I would recommend ponying up the cash for a Primanti Brothers sandwich in section 310. Pictured below, these are one of the things that Pittsburg is famous for and worth the money in my opinion.
Another option that I consistently recommend is restaurant.com Here you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of PNC Park (15212) to see what restaurants are nearby.
Another option that I consistently recommend is restaurant.com Here you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of PNC Park (15212) to see what restaurants are nearby.
free stuff at pnc park
- Located on Federal Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. before each Sunday home game. The Kids Fun Zone is free to all fans and offers a variety of kids-oriented games, activities and entertainment for Pirates fans ages 14 and under.
- Young children attending Pirates games may obtain a free ID bracelet personalized with their name and seat location, enabling event staff to return lost children to their seats. Wristbands are available for all home games at any Guest Relations location.
- Beginning in the seventh inning and continuing post-game, AAA East Central will offer complimentary service to Guests needing automotive assistance. The "Buc Truck" is located at the west side of the ballpark to help fans with automotive difficulties. To reach the Buc Truck, please see a Guest Relations representative or stop by the nearest Guest Relations location. Guests may also contact AAA directly by phoning (412) 362-1900.
- PNC Park offers complimentary admission to children under 32-inches in height. However, we do request that these children sit in their parent or guardian's lap and not occupy an additional seat.
- The Designated Driver booth is sponsored by ARAMARK. Registrants for the "Responsibility Has It's Rewards" Program must be 21 years of age and have a valid Driver's License. In return for promising responsibility for the safe and sober transportation of their group from the ballpark, a registrant will receive one (1) coupon redeemable for a non-alcoholic beverage during the game at Northshore Refreshment Company locations only. Registrants also receive a Designated Driver paper wristband. The Designated Driver booth is located on the first base side of the Main Concourse across from Section 101.
