Pitt has posted video of the nearly 16 minute press conference with AD Steve Pederson. Not much in the way of revelations in it.
Pitt has paid $2.5 million to the Big East back in September when it was announced Pitt was heading to the ACC. He didn’t specify when or how Pitt was going to pay the other $5 million, but made it clear that it wouldn’t be hard to do since Pitt will make that difference up in TV revenue in the ACC.
He defended the lawsuit, sticking with the argument that it was the catalyst to get movement on the settlement going. Didn’t really expect him to say, “Yeah, that was a waste of time.”
Apparently Pitt and Cuse were negotiating separately with the Big East. Okay.
Just because Heinz has lots of “bells & whistles” doesn’t mean a college game has to feel like a lower rent pro game.
Give t-shirts to everyone in attendance a game or two and show we are a unified Pittsburgh.
Student Section finally is getting matching shirts…finally.
Create a new tradition that will catch hold so that Pitt can finally have their “featured” tradition that is unique to Pitt.
Create Script week- Make it the week of Syracuse or any other big opponent but do it. Have events all week (free concerts or something) for students leading up to the saturday game and get them excited about having that game even if we are 0-11.
Get rid of Sweet Caroline. I don’t want to be Penn State and we copied it from them. Plenty of other Pittsburgh related music out there.
I agree the band should have a bigger role musically during the game. I don’t mind the loudspeaker stuff but less of it will be more satisfying.
Pitt is a diverse university. Feature some of the talent the student body has to offer between the whistles.
We are not going to get 70,000 a game. Cut the losses and tarp up a section for now. Until we win consistently again this is necessary. Condense the seating area and make the stadium look more full. The tarp can always come off if need be. People on TV will notice the difference.
The administration also must push for later games, even if they are at irregular times. Even if its 1:00, thats still better than 12.
Do the little things that will satisfy the fan base and make it more loyal.
My season tickets were on the 40 yd line oppo side and you could not hear a note.
Thank you SFPitt…great rant…almost Milleresque. Mine would fill 3 pages.
I take back all the guff I’ve given you over the years. Please tell the Man upstairs that I’m really a nice guy.
FRANKCAN on the other hand…. and Chas ain’t too great either.
P/S: I’ve got a widowed Aunt in NC who was playing tennis up until last year and she’s 95 years old. She’s a PITT grad, former PITT professor, Shakespearean scholar and was a Commander in the Navy Waves in WWII. She awesome in the truest sense of the word. Should I try to get her to a home game so you can ‘bump’ into us? Disregard if you are married of course.
But seriously, could you let all of us know the next home game you’ll attend so that we can meet and buy you dinner and a beer for being the great guy you are?
The place was electric with energy because everyone was excited about the BASEBALL GAME! Not fireworks or bobbleheads. There was no t-shirt toss or pirogi race. Just baseball…it was awesome!
Pitt need to place the emphasis on the product on the field. Make it about watching real college football.
SFPitt, you go boy! Glad to see the enthusiasm. Reed, I am not going to pile on Steve as everyone should know I don’t care for his management technique or lack thereof.
This is our time!!!
Minutiae you say, nonsense. Very important for fans, marketing, making it a college atmosphere.
May cost some extra money, well, ya.
May have to talk to the Steelers and Rooneys hard, send the big boys, because it needs to be done.
1. Get a larger and properly colored Pitt logo in the center of the field (Blue, Gold and white outlines), not some white chalk thing that looks like someone just threw together.
2. Get the end zones with Pitt or Panthers in both, and properly color them. (Blue, Gold and white outlines)
3. The ACC logo that all of the ACC teams have on their field. They are actually beautiful. Done nicely, done in the each schools particular colors. Make sure it is done right.
4. Extra idea for you. Install flag poles for large and “can be seen” flags of all 14 ACC members at Heinz Field. Take em down on Steeler day if you want. Whatever.
Six on one side (Coastal Div), Six on the other side (Atlantic) division. You have two in the end zone. One for the Pitt flag, and one for whoever we happen to be playing that day.
**yes, making the field markings correct, and looking like a college field will cost some money. Will need a company to come in and do it, and undo it Saturday night after the game in time for the Steelers on Sunday. Yes, I know this. You’re money will come back to you, as SF said. This is a unique time, to make enormous strides, even with some of our constrictions.**
Make it happen, I do not want to show up at the first 2013 home game, with some mess of just plain old white chalk ACC markings at the 20’s like you hired some kids out of William Pitt to do it for a dirty “o” dog.
These are just a few ideas. They actually come quite easily when everyone is on the same page, and you want to make a top impression and do things the right way.
Make it so people at the first 2013 home game, don’t go away saying, “why didn’t they do this, why didn’t they do that”, “boy, that looked chinzy”, “not very collegiate down there”.
Make it happen, do it!!
Make it a tight 40-45K stadium for lesser teams, and when crowds are expected to be lower.
If we play well, get some better attendance, better games, yes, they come right off.
START THINKING!!!!!!!
As for some of the game day stuff, our hands are tied with the field/stadium with markings and making it more Pitt-like. The Steelers and the visiting team, when there are back-to-back games are CHOMPING at the bit to get into the stadium to do their walkthroughs on Saturday afternoons. They are not going to move to the side or do their work around guys trying to undo paint on the field or end zones. “Excuse me Mr. Ray Lewis, can you move so I can paint over this Pitt logo. Oh and please don’t step on this area for the next two hours.”
Sorry, not happening. Unfortunately, that is the reality of the situation and sharing the stadium with a pro team. (cue on campus stadium grumblings)
Paint Friday over night. Paint drys within 1/2 hour.
Strip Pitt, and repaint over night Steelers, Sat night.
Only negative I see, the pro teams would have to practice one Saturday evening with Panthers in the end zone.
Yep, probably gonna have to pay the company time and a half. Pay it.
If it’s the Heinz field crew, tell them we’re hiring a private firm and we’ll handle it.
Start pressing the Rooneys now, and keep pressing them for how important it is, and your field will be ready before Sunday morning.
It’s not just the Rooneys stadium, the taxpayers of Pittsburgh and W.Pa. paid a hell of a lot of money to get that thing built.
You’re the biggest employer in Allegheny County.
Get it handled.
HTP, Rev Geo, FRANKAN, Reed and everyone else here!
Now, the task before the Pitt athletic department is to step up in all areas including the performance of routine things…ticket applications, ticket sales, marketing, branding, and most importantly FUND RAISING.
There has not been the build up of a large body of institutional knowledge at Pitt. Success is derived from the doing the common things uncommonly well and let’s face it, we have not been very good administratively.
Now, for anyone at the athletic department, don’t think I am judging the content of your character. I am not.
But don’t expect me to believe phony attendance figures when I’m not blind. Don’t expect me to be happy when my ticket app show up and doesn’t reflect my points. Don’t expect me to be pleased with mediocrity because I won’t be.
I expect best practices out of everyone there and that starts at the top with Steve P.
I don’t know if Steve is the man for this job–whether he is the guy who can take Pitt to the “next level” or not. But I know I won’t have any say in the decision.
Going to the ACC won’t mean a thing if we don’t step up our game and to do that, we need a leader. I expect it was a humbling experience for SP to get fired from Nebraska, but that is done and now I want to see proactive steps from the athletic department and that means you SP.
Nordy has another full time job so stop having him do yours. Here is my priority list for you.
1. Hire Tom Donahoe in some capacity and quit worrying about what the Rooneys think.
2. Get aggressive with fund raising. Stop telling people to give. Give them goals to shoot for “Your money will help build this _____” and so on.
3. Capitalize on all of Pitt’s glorious past…embrace the mustard script once a year and make money from it.
4. Stop using “my city, my Panthers” for God’s sake….why do you limit you geogrpahic sphere. Make the world your oyster “My friggen’ planet, my Panthers” at a bare minimum!
5. Make the game day experience in the stadium like a college game…show scores of all games including RMU and Duquesne. The scores you guys show on the big board look like what showed up on TV in 1970. Then you only show 8 games. Get with it.
6. Tell Joe Distio (sp?) to stop announcing everything; especially the glaringly obvious. It is annoying.
7.Can we hear a little of the Pitt band and less of that sketch guitar blaring in my ears on 3 and 2?
I’m done.