Those of us who think the Cleveland Browns are the only team with strong fanbases with opinions they feel the need to share only need to look a few hours due east to Pittsburgh to see that the Steelers fanbase has some similarities.
They have their own issues, and today’s top one is the fact that acclaimed Heinz Field, the stadium where the Steelers and Pitt Panthers have played since 2001, has a new name.
No longer will the ketchup bottles from Heinz, a company begun in Pittsburgh over 150 years ago, flank the scoreboard.
To be fair, Heinz chose not to extend the sponsorship so the Steelers had to find a new partner whose name would be on the stadium.
The home of the Steelers/Panthers is now known as Acrisure Stadium.
Acrisure is a Michigan-based insurance company.
Here is a sampling of the opinions among the Steelers faithful on this name change.
Fans Are In Denial
Ken S leads the pack in denial of this change.
“See you all at Heinz Field on September 18th. I don’t even know what Acrisure is and I don’t care.”
See you all at Heinz Field on September 18th. I don’t even know what Acrisure is and I don’t care.
— Ken Sterner (@KenSterner) July 11, 2022
Heinz field forever🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/um4CDNN8GI
— 𝓒𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓽𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓡𝓪𝓮✨ (@Courtney_Rae_86) July 11, 2022
I feel like Heinz Field is like the sears tower or the staples center. Change the name all you want. It’s Heinz field https://t.co/nX2qUz2OlU
— Silky Johnson (@ruckus_jr) July 11, 2022
Listen, I know we're all still gonna call it Heinz Field. But I just can't imagine that the stadium will look at the same without the iconic Heinz logo on the front. Now it goes the way of the Civic Arena & CONSOL Energy Center, as a former first name in our sports history books. pic.twitter.com/VMzcdOK7UW
— Dave DiCello (@DaveDiCello) July 11, 2022
Knowing that fans will be in denial and probably still call the stadium Heinz Field is why Mike DeFabo said the Heinz people are geniuses.
Why should Heinz bother to spend the $57 million?
“I’m going to keep calling it Heinz Field anyway,” is exactly why Heinz decided, hey, maybe we don’t need to spend $57 mil to get people to eat ketchup.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) July 11, 2022
Second Rate
The name appears to be a downgrade for many reasons.
It is difficult to pronounce, and it has no Pittsburgh or even Pennsylvania ties.
BetMGM puts it best in terms only Heinz ketchup lovers would understand.
https://twitter.com/BetMGM/status/1546496954498162689
The new name is inferior just like Hunt’s Ketchup is to Heinz.
Perhaps More Irksome To Steelers Fans Than The Name
Not only is the name change awkward, but also is the fact that the last team to win a playoff game in Heinz Field was not the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It was the Cleveland Browns.
https://twitter.com/madden_tron/status/1546558035279204355
That could be a tough pill to swallow for the Steeler faithful also.
NEXT: Browns Fan Condoleezza Rice Joins Broncos Ownership Group
