Steelers Nation Has Gathering Spots Worldwide
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Steelers fans aren't just confined to Western Pennsylvania. In fact, there are Steelers bars across the United States and across the world.
The Iron City Pittsburgh Fan Club meets each week to watch the games some 1,200 miles away in Miami, Fla. There are normally about 300 people, many of whom are originally from Western Pennsylvania.
"Pretty much transplants," said Steelers fan Terri Ging. "We're from Plum Borough, Pa."
In Raleigh, N.C., members of the Steel Triangle Fan Club meet at a place where they can watch games on 50 different televisions.
At the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's website, there's a list of Steelers bars across the country, as well as a list of fan clubs.
In Philadelphia, they expect the second floor of O'Neals Pub to be packed for the big game. They call that space "Steelers Alley."
The Steel City Mafia Fan Club meets in Alexandria, Va.; and in Washington D.C., fans get together at The Mighty Pint.
In San Diego, Calif., fans get together at Bub's Dive, which has a Steelers Country sign on its website.
In Ocean City, Md., the gathering spot is Buxy's Salty Dog Saloon, where they have a heated tent sent up for the game, and will have a pierogie eating contest.
"There's a connection. There's a definitely a Pittsburgh connection," said owner Buxy Buxbaum. "We call it the original hometown tavern, from Pittsburgh to the beach!"
Buxbaum is originally from Johnstown, and his bar is filled with Steelers memorabilia and t-shirts.
There are 3,000 people who have made reservations at Harold's Cave Creek Corral outside Phoenix, Ariz.
While some of the fans are former Pittsburghers who left over the years in search of jobs, many others have never been to Pittsburgh. Some of them aren't even Americans.
In North Belfast, Ireland, there's the Pittsburgh bar and Restaurant. Word is, Steelers fans also meet at the Camel Sports Bar in Shanghai, China.
In Kuwait, we know of a group of fans spearheaded by a Pittsburgh contractor doing work there, and the Post Gazette's Blog 'n' Gold has a picture of a Steelers bar in Italy.
In Monterrey, Mexico, about 140 Steelers fans gather to watch games in one bar.
Omar Santos says, "The Steelers are big in Mexico."
Santos says only one member of the group used to live in Pittsburgh. He says he became a Steelers fan watching television as a child, "I've been a Steelers fan all my life. The thing you need to understand is in the '70s… they showed Steelers games."
He says the Dallas Cowboys are much closer to him geographically, but the Steelers are in Santos' heart.
"It's the closest NFL franchise that we have, closer than Houston I believe," he says, "but why would I want to be a Cowboys fan? Ha!"
