The Steelers and Pirates both play in Pittsburgh Saturday. Here's what to know about parking and tailgating.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- In Pittsburgh, a confluence of rivers is a good thing. A confluence of fans from two major sports teams is not. That's exactly what will happen Saturday when both the Pirates and Steelers are in action on the North Shore, creating a parking conflict.
The Pirates are at PNC Park at 1 p.m. and the Steelers are at Acrisure Stadium at 7 p.m. Alco Parking says it has a plan to handle the lots, where many fans of both teams have purchased reserved parking in the presold lots. The hope is that they can get Pirates fans out before the heavy influx of Steelers fans.
"So what we're asking is that the fans coming to the Pirate game, they can come in starting at 9, they can tailgate. Once 1 o'clock comes and the game starts, we're asking all those fans, they need to leave the lot," Alco Parking manager Ralph Reetz said.
That means either head into the baseball game or leave. You can't linger.
"We're asking the Steeler fans to hold up a little bit on coming down, not to come until after 4," Reetz said.
Reetz says Steelers fans "can't come at 9 in the morning and tailgate all day."
Off-duty police will sweep through the lots to encourage everyone to leave when the Pirates game starts.
Normally, Steelers fans can tailgate in the lots five hours before game time, which would be 2 p.m. on Saturday.
"If we have space available at 2 o'clock, we'll allow them in. But if we don't have space, we're going to defer them, and they're going to have to wait till after 4, till the space opens up," Reetz said.
Bottom line: they want Pirates fans out as soon as the game ends and Steelers fans should hold off until later.
What are the options for parking?
There are alternatives with varying game day rates.
The Champions Garage has 441 spaces. You can tailgate, you just can't cook. There's Nova Place with 3,000 spaces -- again, no cooking in the garage. There's no tailgating at all at the casino garage, which will cost you $80 for game day.
You can also park in the Golden Triangle or near the arena and use the T. There's parking as well in Station Square, and you can ride across the river on the Gateway Clipper fleet.
Saturday's parking dilemma is all a warmup for Sept. 14, when the Pirates and Backyard Brawl are both on the North Shore on the same day.
