In a city that prides itself on its industrial success, Pittsburgh also pours an undeniable amount of affection into their sports teams. Arguably best known for its steel production and several hundred bridges, the city of Pittsburgh has become incredibly familiar with postseason play in recent years. While the Penguins suffered a heartbreaking elimination in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals at the hands of the New York Rangers this past season, the Pirates find themselves in the thick of a playoff hunt in the N.L. Central following an impressive 2013 that saw the team finish with an above-.500 record and playoff appearance for the first time since 1992. The Steelers have also shined in the last decade, entering three Super Bowls and winning two in 2005 and 2008 while seeing a winning record in seven of their last 10 seasons.
While the city’s passion for winning has been apparent in recent years, the Pirates currently see below-average ticket prices at home on the secondary market. Over the remaining 40+ home games at PNC Park, Pittsburgh Pirates tickets currently have an average price of $65.14, 20.2% below the MLB average of $81.64. The Pirates schedule will have several divisional teams visiting PNC Park over the second half of the season, including pivotal series with the second place Cardinals in August and first place Brewers in September, but season average will still fall below MLB average. If the Pirates make a run following the All-Star break in mid-July, secondary prices are more likely to rise toward that price.
The Steelers have made great strides in the past decade and, in turn, generated above-average ticket prices at home on the secondary market for the upcoming season. Steelers tickets at Heinz Field have a current average price of $225.38, 6.3% above the NFL average price of $212.11. The Steelers schedule pens a September 7 home game against the Cleveland Browns which currently acts as the highest priced home game of the season for the Steelers, perhaps largely due to the hype surrounding the Browns’ incoming rookie Johnny Manziel.
While both teams have flourished in recent years, they will see conflicting price averages on the secondary ticket market. Despite a winning record over the baseball season’s first 77 games, the Pirates home average falls below the MLB average over the second half of the season. The Steelers, on the other hand, currently see an average price that is above the NFL average three months prior to the season’s commencement.
The Pirates will look to continue their recent success in hopes of making back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since the ’91 and ’92 seasons while the Steelers are eager to improve following their 8-8 season last year. The ebb and flow of the secondary market will certainly fluctuate in the coming months for both Pirates and Steelers tickets, but the adoration Pittsburgh fans have for their hometown teams remains a constant in the Steel City.