PNC Park
A retro-classic ballpark on the Allegheny River with skyline views.
PNC Park is a baseball stadium on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth location to serve as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates. Opened during the 2001 MLB season, PNC Park sits along the Allegheny River with a view of the Downtown Pittsburgh skyline. Constructed of steel and limestone, it has a natural grass playing surface and can seat 38,747 people for baseball. It was built just to the east of its predecessor, Three Rivers Stadium, which was demolished in 2001.
Quick Facts
- Opened
- 2001
- Location
- North Shore, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Replaced
- Three Rivers Stadium
- Type
- Single-use baseball stadium
- Riverfront
- Allegheny River
- Signature feature
- Bullpen View (downtown skyline from behind home plate)
Lore & Background
Plans to build a new stadium for the Pirates originated in 1991 but did not come to fruition for five years. Funded in conjunction with Acrisure Stadium and the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the park was built for $216 million in 24 months, faster than most modern stadiums. Built in the 'retro-classic' style modeled after past venues such as Pittsburgh's Forbes Field, PNC Park also introduced unique features, such as the use of limestone in the building's facade.
The park has a riverside concourse, steel truss work, an extensive out-of-town scoreboard, and local eateries. Several tributes to former Pirate Roberto Clemente are incorporated into the ballpark, and the nearby Sixth Street Bridge was renamed in his honor. In addition to the Pirates' regular-season and postseason home games, PNC Park has hosted other events, including the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and numerous concerts. PNC Financial Services originally purchased the naming rights in 1998 for $30 million over 20 years, and currently holds the rights through 2031.
Reader's Guide
The stadium was built just to the east of Three Rivers Stadium. The Sixth Street Bridge was renamed the Roberto Clemente Bridge. Statues of Pirates Hall of Famers Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Bill Mazeroski sit outside of PNC Park. The park features a 24 by 42 foot Sony JumboTron and the first-ever LED video boards in an outdoor MLB stadium. The out-of-town scoreboard was disabled for the 2022 season and replaced with advertising, but after fan outcry it was returned in 2023.
Did You Know?
- The stadium was the first two-deck ballpark built in the United States since Milwaukee County Stadium opened in 1953.
- The Roberto Clemente Bridge is closed to vehicular traffic on game days to allow fans to walk from downtown.
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