The Pittsburgh Steelers are now into the offseason, following a year in which they had high hopes for Super Bowl success, but ultimately fell short of even reaching the postseason at 8-8. It was a tumultuous season, both on the field and within the roster, and the months to follow figure to have some drama as well, especially in light of the team’s failure to improve upon the year before.
The team made some bold moves over the course of the past year, and some areas of the roster look quite a bit different than they did a year ago, or even at the start of the regular season. Whether due to injuries or otherwise, a lot has transpired, and we’re left to wonder how much more will change prior to September.
How will Ben Roethlisberger’s rehab progress as he winds toward recovery from an elbow injury that cost him almost the entire season? What about some of the key young players, some of whom have already impressed, others still needing quite a bit of growth? Will there be changes to the coaching staff? The front office? Who will they not retain in free agency, and whom might they bring in?
These are the sorts of questions among many others that we have been exploring on a daily basis and will continue to do so. Football has become a year-round pastime and there is always a question to be asked, though there is rarely a concrete answer, as I’ve learned in my years of doing this.
Question: Would you attend a Steelers game at Heinz Field this year amid the coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions involved?
As we get closer and closer to the start of training camp, and potential preseason games, we are hearing more and more about more concrete steps that teams are taking regarding their plans for the season. I think most have taken it as a given at this point that, if fans are able to attend games at all, it will come with some restrictions.
The Steelers, for example, announced yesterday that all fans who choose to attend games at Heinz Field this year will be required to wear masks, and that their plans involve a reduced capacity inside the stadium. Loss of in-stadium revenue is significant, so this is not a step any team is taking lightly (and certainly isn’t a matter of being ‘politically correct’—they’re literally losing money by preventing full capacity).
Assuming that fans are allowed to attend, then the question becomes a personal one. For those who have attended games before, and especially those who somewhat regularly attend, or would somewhat regularly attend if time or finances would allow, would you personally attend a game, this season, at Heinz Field?
It’s a question that I imagine a lot of people in the area are asking themselves right now. These are unprecedented conditions within the past 100 years, something we’ve not had to deal with, so we’re all somewhat in the dark.
