Bar owners hope for large crowds this Pirates season
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Pirates didn't beat the Washington Nationals on Friday, but bar and restaurant owners are hoping the Bucs keep bringing in big crowds this season.
It was a beautiful day for a ball game. Before the game Friday, people sporting Buccos gear filled bars and restaurants on Pittsburgh's North Shore.
"Just look at everybody out here, it's just nice. It's back to normal it feels like," said Scott Culver, a Pirates fan from the Wilkes-Barre area.
"It's like my dream come true, going to a bar and drinking a few beers. Yeah, we're back. Now, we don't have to wear masks anymore and just have a few beers and watch a baseball game," said Thomas Smith, a Pirates fan from Ambridge.
Friday was also a dream come true for bar owners, but it hasn't been this busy every game day this week.
"It was a terrific crowd for the opener. The crowds since then weren't so good. But today, we were pleasantly surprised," said Mike Sukitch, who owns Mike's Beer Bar and the North Shore Tavern.
Excitement filled the warm air, and there were long lines outside of PNC Park.
"Usually early in the season, you don't see such long lines even for a Friday night game. I think the weather had a bit to do with that. It makes you feel positive when you see bigger crowds in the stadium," Sukitch said.
Some Pirates fans from out of town said they haven't attended a game and enjoyed nearby restaurants since before the pandemic.
"It's just great to be outside again, warm weather, looking forward to spending the entire weekend here in Pittsburgh," said Marcie Erickson, a Pirates fan from Duncansville.
A winning season could be a home run for local businesses.
"We're feeling pretty good right now that we'll go beyond what we did last year, and we're hoping that we can potentially have a terrific year. Of course, it's all going to depend on if the Pirates stay somewhat competitive and can continue to bring crowds down. That's certainly going to be a big impact for us," Sukitch said.
The Nationals won Friday 7-2.