PNC Park — Attraction in Pittsburgh

This was the 23rd MLB ballpark that I've visited, and I'd heard many people sing its praises. Several had told me it was the best they'd seen. Visiting a ballpark during a pandemic means you'll get a different experience, but the ballpark itself doesn't change.

I toured the exterior of the ballpark to see the Clemente, Stargell, and Wagner statues--all of which were very well done--and entered PNC as soon as the gates opened. I then walked all around to see it from many perspectives. It's a nice ballpark...but there are issues.

A team store employee said that the ballpark is woefully understaffed. This person was the only employee in the store for most of the time I was shopping. There was a line of several people waiting to check out, and the employee was also trying to set up the machine for a jersey customization. Adequate staffing is a basic necessity at a ballpark.

The ushers were friendly and helpful, but have to cover several sections in the upper concourse, so they were hustling around to address different things, such as fans not wearing masks, to help people find their seats, or to wipe down wet seats. More ushers were needed.

I visited the Sweet Spot concession stand on the main concourse off the first base side for an ice cream helmet sundae. While waiting in line, I noticed that an employee there wasn't wearing gloves while handling food. Inevitably, I drew her when I got to the front of the line. I asked her politely (I'm a Midwesterner, after all) if she would please put on gloves. The rather rotund woman proceeded to act rather offended, and gave me a lot of attitude; I thought that she was going to refuse me service.

She finally went over to the box of gloves, and proceeded to take out...one glove. She donned it, paused for effect, and then said in a smart-mouthed manner, "There; now I'm wearing a glove."

Acting condescendingly to customers is always a bad idea. I should have walked away from her rude display, but wanted the ice cream, as I try to get a helmet sundae in every ballpark I visit. Additionally, it seems intuitive that anyone handling food--let alone in the time of a global pandemic--must wear gloves. Tellingly, all of her coworkers did so.

I then had to remind her of my one-item order (she'd forgotten it while putting on her faux grievance show), and said nothing thereafter. Eleven dollars for a helmet sundae is pricey; perhaps her talking back was free?

As for the seating bowl, the sightlines are good from most anywhere--except for one inexplicable flaw in the upper deck. Rather than having fans walk down the stairs and into the vomitorium (entrance/exit into and out of the seating bowl), there are landings with railings that obstruct fans' views of the field. These are ostensibly to provide room for the handicapped seating below, but the landings with the railings several rows up wouldn't have been necessary had the architects put the vomitories at the base of the upper deck. Obstructing fans' views of the field in such a way is inexplicable in a modern ballpark.

Overall, it was a nice night, particularly for April. Other fans I visited with were friendly, and welcoming when they learned it was my first time in Pittsburgh. The Pirates won, and I was pleased to finally visit PNC Park. However, I can't rate it at the top of my ballpark list, and a four-star rating is rather gracious, when considering my experiences...

Pnc Park is one of the nicest ball parks in the MLB. We have been going since it opened and had some impressive games through the years. One great thing about the park is finding it and getting parking. Unless there is a football game the same day, parking is easy to find. There are several options for parking near the park. Parking has increased since the playoff runs, but depending on the day, the team will either be lower or higher. Leaving the park to 28 or 279 both are easy to get on from the park. The view is amazing inside the ballpark and lots to see around the park or by the water. I have sat in every area except for right behind the catcher. There is not a bad seat in the park. I prefer the diamond club, which is along the 3rd base line, and it is 2 club areas turned into the diamond club. Seats are expensive, but it's all you can eat, lazy boy seats, about 12 inches in between the seats, and I think 40 people it fits. 2 rows of seats and 1 row of bar seats. The food is amazing, and there are coolers with sodas and water, a desert table, and snacks by the bar. You can get food while never mixing a moment of the game. Parking and alcoholic drinks are the only things you pay for. Separate entrance that has an elevator. If you're warm or cold, they have a large room to watch from. You will not get wet here. The other area is the club level, cheaper seats but padded on the bottom and a large area to keep cool or dry. The food is not included, but you don't wait or not at long, and it's amazing. The hotdog was probably 9 hotdogs in one, all beef, too. But the food is different from other areas and is hot and has lots of flavor. Both areas you won't have problems seeing the game without people walking in your view. The reason for only three stars is that the quality has gone down the last few years. Ushers let people go up and down through the game you miss so much that it's not worth going. Tickets, food, etc. Has went so high that it's hard to take kids and have fun. Smaller AA ball games are more kid friendly. The last reason several months ago, I received an email about getting my season ticket package renewed. I have gotten different packages and was looking to get a Sunday package. She took all my information and told her what I wanted. She said she passed this along to the ticket rep. That was November it's February. When I started getting the season tickets, it was before the playoff runs and during the runs. They got back to me the same day and invited me to the park to see the different locations and packages. The guys were amazing and knowledgeable. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm very disappointed how we have been treated at the games and now before the games. They didn't lose my info either. They have email phone and have reached out every year. I can't give 5 stars with the ticket reps not getting back or with how so much of the game is missed because ushers let people go down during play. Going up is different. If it is a kid or older individual, it is very different. Getting nachos and beer, be respectful. In New York or Boston, you would be thrown out. That's not a joke. The fans don't put up with it or the ushers. You wait unless you're a kid or older individual. Pitt, Steeler, Penguin, and Curve do not...

Came here to see Green Day on 9/1/24. First off, locals told me to park in one of the near by garages and they said "it's around $30 ($8 daily parking on a normal day) for events but worth it so you don't have to walk far since you aren't familiar with the area." When I arrived (traffic was horrendous and very hard to navigate the streets when you aren't from here) in the area, every single parking garage sign said $50. It seems they jack the price up for concerts, which is wrong. It made me sick to pay $50 just to park. I had to save money for this trip and I didn't expect that. Had I known this, I would've definitely parked further away and walked. After we parked and got out, we were very confused on where to go. We saw people with Green Day shirts so we basically just followed them. We even saw some people selling Green Day shirts in the parking lot. But at the same time, it looked like another event was going on. Long story short, after realizing something seemed off, I asked a policeman where to go etc. He laughed and said we were at the wrong stadium. Google maps led me to the wrong place. He said we could walk to the right one and it was 4 blocks away, a straight shot. It was so hot out and by the time we got there I was sweaty and gross - not how you want to arrive to a concert. Due to this whole situation, I missed Rancid and half of the Smashing Pumpkins performance. I found our seats just fine - section 121 row E seats 13 and 14. This was my first time to a baseball stadium and let me say those seats are absolutely dreadful. So rock hard and uncomfortable. Obviously, when Green Day came out I stood up anyway. But, that's just my opinion on the seats. I had a decent, open view BUT they left the netting up so in all my pics, you can see it. If I come here again, I'll definitely get pit tickets as I couldn't actually see them on the stage very well. I mainly looked at the screens. The prices were insane. $8.49 for a large bottle of smart water! I didn't plan on eating nor do I drink alcohol so I didn't even look at those prices, but I'm sure they were even more than the water. Leaving this place after a concert is unreal. Absolutely no staff around to direct us on where to go. I held my 13 year old son's hand because I was terrified we'd get separated. It was like a mob! Extremely difficult driving as they seem to close certain streets down and Google Maps wasn't aware of these changes, so I got lost and missed exits and looped around 6 times....at midnight in the rain. So if you aren't from the area, research everything you need to know before attending an event so you're prepared. I'm not sure this place should host concerts until they fix certain issues. Some people had a really bad view, worse than me, due to the netting and other people on the floor blocking their view. In my opinion, if Billie Joe knew his fans couldn't see the show well or not at all from their seats, I think he'd be pretty upset. Pics are the view...