The Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC reached soccer’s promised land last season as they captured the first championship title in the program’s 26-year history. They defeated highly touted FC Tulsa 5-3 on penalty kicks after battling to a 0-0 draw at the end of regulation in the USL Championship Final.
Last year’s title was not only rewarding for the club, but its host of loyal followers, led by the infamous “Steel Army.” Those die-hard fans take over the sections behind the initial Riverhounds defensive net game after game in all the elements that mother nature chooses to toss at them.
Clad in Riverhounds garb, complete with flags, banners, signs and assorted props, they are vocal with an almost deafening tone every match. Perhaps they relished last season’s championship as much as the players.
Locally, soccer at every level has been on the upswing for many years, with the Riverhounds’ success playing a huge part in the sport’s meteoric rise for male and female players of all age groups. Fast-forward to this season, which is well underway and already has seen its share of sellouts or large crowds, and the Hounds have developed a new way to reward their massive fan base.
As the calendar flipped to June on Monday, the Riverhounds announced yet another way to bolster attendance while giving more fans the opportunity to attend matches at F.N.B. Stadium ahead of their next home match on June 13. The team has formally launched the “Hounds Pass,” which is a Fan Affordability Initiative. The plan is a new, limited-time and limited-quantity ticket that offers flexibility along with affordability to fans with its newly designed standing-room pass to 12 Riverhounds matches for $60.
Pass holders can claim their tickets beginning two days prior to each eligible match. On match days, they’ll have access to experience the action through numerous social viewing areas throughout the venue, including the Surfside Crossbar and the Goal Line Alley located behind the net on the west end.
Riverhounds reserved and general admission section seating to matches have been and continue to be in high demand. The new pass potentially garnishes more supporters to join the crowd and experience firsthand the excitement and atmosphere at F.N.B. Stadium.
Riverhounds soccer has always been committed to offer one of the best values in sports and entertainment in the Pittsburgh area. This plan gives the fan a chance to enter the stadium for a mere $5 per match. That’s roughly one-half of the cost of an extra value meal at your local McDonalds. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Riverhounds President Jeff Garner offered, “At a time when many families and fans are feeling the impact of rising everyday costs, we want to continue finding ways to make Riverhounds match days as accessible as possible. We’ve always taken pride in offering an affordable sports and entertainment experience, and the ‘Hounds Pass’ is another way for us to proactively support our fans while welcoming even more people into the atmosphere that has made F.N.B. Stadium such a special place.”
I won’t argue with that last sentence. The stadium with the rivers as its foreground provides a picturesque view of Pittsburgh’s historic skyline in every direction. Garner summed it perfectly when he said, ” F.N.B. Stadium is one of the best summer environments in the city.”
He went on to say, “Whether someone joins us once a year or all season long, we want a Riverhounds match to feel easy, fun and within reach. This initiative is about continuing to serve our fans with great value while creating even more ways for people to experience a night with us.”
In addition to the new pass, the club is also introducing a new value concession option for fans at the Center Back Bites location, which is behind section 102. There fans can indulge in a discounted meal combo.
As they continue the affordability initiative in the coming weeks, the team will launch new value merchandise offers, which include $15 hats and T-shirts that give supporters an additional way to represent the club at an accessible price.
The club’s ultimate goal with the new ticket pass, concession and merchandise discounts is to continue to make Riverhounds matches affordable, welcoming, memorable and attainable for fans of all ages across the region and beyond.
In the event you have never witnessed a Riverhounds match in person, if it’s within your budget then do yourself a favor and at the very least make an attempt to view one live. The bigger the opponent, the more electric the atmosphere. Trust me, seating or standing, you won’t be disappointed as it will have been money well spent.
Fans can purchase the new Hounds Pass, which is available for a limited time, at www.riverhounds.com/houndspass.
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