The historic Heinz Field has been retired and newly-named Acrisure Stadium has officially been born. When the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the change of name and sponsorship to the Steelers stadium earlier this week, all of Steeler Nation was shook to the core. The immediate feedback across the entire Steelers fanbase was in favor of Heinz Field, and needless to say, it is going to be quite the adjustment period in getting used to the new name.
If you are like me and the majority of Steelers fans, you appreciate the history of the Steelers. Between the old-fashioned style of the organization and the memories of football games in the snow, on a grass field, and in the late December cold, all of those aspects were entrenched in the DNA of Heinz Field. After playing on fake turf for three decades in Three Rivers Stadium, fans adored the legitimate home field advantage the Steelers had at Heinz Field.
This advantage came in the way of combining a tough, physical, imposing play style on both offense and defense with a muddy, sloppy play surface with an opening at the south endzone facing the confluence. Visiting teams know what they're in for when they see games in Pittsburgh late in the season.
Looking ahead to the new era that is now Acrisure Stadium, it looks like the majority of Pittsburghers are not on board with the new name. In a recent study conducted by CivicScience, 66% of people who responded to the below question are going to hold onto the previous name.
Twitter: @CivicScience
I consider myself as a part of that 66%.
It is true that there is a price for everything. For the Steelers, they were able to agree to a fresh 15-year contract with Acrisure for $150M over that span. With this being almost triple than the original naming-rights agreement with Heinz more than 20 years ago, Steelers President Art Rooney II expressed his excitement earlier this week at the official press conference:
"Acrisure provided us with an opportunity to ensure our stadium continues to be a valuable asset for our fans as well as keeping up with the market value of NFL stadiums. We are very appreciative to partner with Greg Williams and his company, and we look forward to a long, beneficial relationship for years to come."
Williams, who is the Acrisure Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, is understandably ecstatic about the new name. For being based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Williams has big plans for Acrisure within the Pittsburgh community. Williams proclaimed:
"Through Acrisure Stadium, we will increase awareness of the extraordinary advantage Acrisure brings our clients while conveying our strong sense of community. Relatedly, we are eager to invest in the Pittsburgh community and broader region as we chart our course to an unforgettable first season. This relationship truly embodies and aligns two organizations that have high standards and are determined to achieve great things."
In addition to the giant ketchup bottles above the scoreboard, it looks like fans may see big changes and improvements to the stadium. While previously-named Heinz Field isn’t an ‘old’ stadium, it is over two decades old and is in need of upgrades at several key areas. Acrisure and the Steelers agree that this new deal is an investment in the entire facility and modernize the fan experience. These include improved amenities and revitalizing the stadium’s visual appearance. While we don’t know what the future holds for the Steelers stadium, fans will agree in hoping for nothing but the best in future renovations.
This new Acrisure Stadium-era is going to be one getting used to. But if history is any indication of what to expect, this new era is going to be a great one. Three Rivers Stadium hosted some of the greatest Steelers players in history with Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, and Joe Greene. The site of the Immaculate Reception is forever enshrined on the North Shore right outside the gates of the current stadium.
Heinz Field played host to another generation of younger Steelers fans. These fans grew up watching Kordell Stewart ‘slashing’ defenses on the new grass turf in 2001, to Jerome Bettis running over defenders in the mud, to the various Ben Roethlisberger-led teams setting new records on their way to winning AFC Championship games under the giant ketchup bottles. We must remind ourselves that no matter what name is on the front of the scoreboard, those memories will forever be engrained in that grass field on the North Shore in Pittsburgh.
Steelers' Jerome Bettis (#36) and Ben Roethlisberger (#7) line up against the Chicago Bears in 2005 (steelers.com)
While we don’t know the specifics regarding the timeline of the change of sponsorship, this seems to be timely with the current state of the Steelers. Future Hall of Fame general manager, Kevin Colbert has stepped down from his position, welcoming Omar Khan to his new promotion in the front office. Roethlisberger has retired after an incredible 18-year career in Pittsburgh, opening the door for the next franchise quarterback of the Steelers.
The Steelers are led by one of the youngest offensive units in the entire NFL, while building the next generation of a Steel Curtain defense around Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. As a team, the Steelers are fully embracing the start of a new era in the locker room and it looks like Rooney II and the front office is following suit. The new name of the stadium is simply the title of this next era.
This new chapter of Steelers history is starting with a fresh page, begging for the new generation of Steelers players and fans to write the first page in the history books.
What do you think of the new name? What name will you call the stadium? Let us know in the comments below!
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