On the surface, last Saturday afternoon’s weather on the North Shore was simply picturesque. The sun was shining brightly, only a dabbling of clouds dotted the blue sky, and temperatures hovered around 70 degrees with a slight breeze swirling from the city’s three rivers.
Spring, as the age-old adage states, is when a young man’s fancy turns to baseball. Truer words may have never been spoken. However, this is “Steel Town,” where football is king on any level of play. In a football town spring signifies the end of drills at the collegiate football level culminating with an intrasquad game as fans return to area stadium seats for the Spring game. However, this year die-hard Pitt Panther fans who normally bleed blue and gold were looking black and blue as if they had just gone 12 rounds with the heavyweight boxing champion.
Duquesne University labels its game as the Spring Showcase, at Robert Morris University it’s the annual Blue/White game and the University of Pittsburgh tabs it as the Blue/Gold game. It happens nationwide at every college and university at every level and division, and the sole purpose is to showcase the team’s development for the upcoming season.
The games frequently include special features for fans, such as DJ music and T-shirt giveaways along with performances by the college band and cheerleaders. Its format is simple, beginning with offensive and defensive drills to loosen up the players followed by a controlled scrimmage with complete game action and hitting. A time for fans to whet their palate and satisfy their football appetite until games begin in September.
Normally for Pitt’s spring Blue/Gold game, the North Shore parking lots surrounding Acrisure Stadium would have people doing their best to replicate what they would be doing come the actual fall season. Lots would be packed with cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, buses and campers as tailgating season commences. Coolers would be packed full of water, soda and adult libations meticulously iced down ensuring proper serving temperatures. Chips, dips, cheeses, pepperoni, salami, salads and more would adorn tabletops as grills offer a vast array of meats and chicken as the smoke rises above the gathering, tempting even the strongest willed person to enter fest mode.
Unfortunately, this year’s version of the Blue/Gold game was anything but normal, to the dismay of thousands. You can blame the NFL powers that be from their offices in New York City and the upcoming NFL Draft, which is one week away, for putting the kibosh on fans of all ages.
Understandably, the planning for such a marquee event has been ongoing since last year’s draft ended with the final pick in Detroit, with players, family and fan safety being paramount. Pittsburgh has been planning this event since the announcement was made that it was granted the privilege of entertaining between 500,000 and 1 million people. Trust me, I get it.
As the author of the column, there are several things I just don’t get or understand, so allow me to elaborate. Why, why, why did the NFL brain trust have to pick Saturday, April 11, to procure and take over every aspect of Acrisure Stadium with so many stipulations placed upon the university? The league was well aware this annual event had been in the works since the stadium scoreboard clock lit up with all zeroes at the end of last year’s final game. There was a point in time when the NFL wasn’t going to allow the game to even take place.
You mean to tell me that all the chaos that evolved in reference to the game couldn’t have been held off for one more day, a scant 24 hours later? The students and fans weren’t the only entities that suffered as the so-called trickle-down effect worked its way through the players’ families, friends and yes, even those of us who make up the working media.
Acrisure Stadium was basically on lockdown; absolutely nothing was normal inside or outside as the NFL employees descended on the North Shore. Outside, parking lots were closed as signs adorned the entrances stating NFL Draft employee parking only. Roads were in the process of closing as workers scurried about posting signs and barricades weeks before the first scheduled event. Portable fencing was installed weaving around sidewalks and pathways resembling single lanes of pedestrian foot traffic.
Inside, no fans were permitted to enter the game. Only a splattering of players’ families planted themselves in the stadium seats in three designated sections on level 200. The rumor mill said the NFL only allowed two people per player to be granted admission. From the sidelines gazing up to the stadium’s 200 level, I would estimate perhaps 150 permitted fans actually showed up.
From a media standpoint it affected those of us showing up to cover the game as well. The NFL set a limit on the number of media credentials that were to be granted/distributed after the application process. Photographers were granted sideline access as per the norm; however, there were very few of us, Again, not the normal crowd gracing the stadium turf. Writers were also banished to the 200 level in two designated sections and were out of the normal realm of the press box.
Continuing the inside tour, the stadium press box and accompanying dining area were tabbed for NFL employees’ use, with the dining portion set up solely for their meals. Writers were given a sectioned off area of a level 200 club box to file their stories. Both the local and overflow photo workrooms adjacent to the field were off limits to us as the NFL took over those areas as well.
New automatic garage doors were installed in areas of the stadium where they never have been since the stadium opened in 2001. Chain link fences were in place securing what was the normal open hallway area, rooms were padlocked, rest rooms locked tight, and open areas framed in as makeshift storage rooms were built from the ground up. Regular entrances were closed and sealed shut. The old girl — Acrisure Stadium — has an entirely new look, much to the chagrin of many, including myself.
As previously mentioned, I get it — I totally understand the method to all the madness. Doesn’t mean I have to condone it, as I still believe this could have been held off for a mere 24 hours. It would have allowed everything to be status quo for all involved — fans, players, employees and media members. Everyone. Normal!!!
NFL Draft 2026 is about to jump-start the local economy giving every business in every county north, south, east and west of the city for miles a much welcomed and much needed so-called shot in the arm. Will everything pan out as planned? Highly unlikely, as nothing ever does in any aspect of life.
I wholeheartedly believe this is going to be one big cluster unlike that of anything this region has ever seen. There is just too much space in between venues, making it too difficult to navigate from point A to B to C to D. Too many road closures and restrictions in too much of a confined area in proximity of venues and events.
Forget about crowd movement and packing in 100,000 people for a Stanley Cup or Super Bowl parade/celebration, the Pittsburgh Marathon or anything else, as the amount of pedestrian traffic will be six times more at minimum. Don’t want to hear about road closures and how people navigated around said closures in the past. All that can be labeled as ancient history
No doubt this is going to be a major inconvenience for an ocean of people as schools will have remote learning. Offices will be closed, with employees working remotely. A wide variety of employers are reporting they have received more requests for vacation, personal and PTO days due to the panic and stress of attempting to get to work.
In the event I’m totally incorrect and this thing goes off without a hitch, I’ll take my lumps, swallow my pride, admit defeat and chomp on some humble pie. My belief is there will be plenty of glitches in the matrix. Hopefully it all works out, and the city achieves a passing grade come report card time.
Almost forgot — the only NORMAL thing from last Saturday was the actual playing of the game. Thanks, NFL!
Photos by Mike Longo Jr.
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