Arguably the biggest disappointment of the Pittsburgh Steelers changing their stadium name from Heinz Field to Acrisure Stadium was the removal of the two giant ketchup bottles that “poured” over the scoreboard each time Pittsburgh’s offense worked into the red zone. If you’re one of those saddened by the decision, consider today a good day. Sort of.
In a press release, the Kraft Heinz company announced details of its new partnership with the Steelers, which include the digital ketchup bottles that will sit above the stadium. The real bottles will not go back up but there will at least be a similar feeling as to what the stadium had before.
As part of the company’s new multi-year deal, the bottles will be digitally rendered and pour down whenever Pittsburgh reaches the opposing 20, a staple of the stadium since opening in 2001.
Pittsburgh brought on Acrisure as a new stadium sponsor earlier during the summer, ending Heinz’s naming rights that existed since 2001. Weeks later, Kraft Heinz announced a reduced partnership with speculation the bottles would be on display in a different part of the stadium. According to the release, it sounds like a photo op with the old, actual ketchup bottles still seems on the table – the most Pittsburgh sentence I could possibly write – with the digital bottles taking the place of the real ones.
The Steelers will hold their home opener at the newly minted Acrisure Stadium this Sunday against the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh will also hold home games in Week 4, Week 6, Week 10, Week 11, Week 14, Week 16, and Week 18. There’s no official date on when the digital bottles will officially be shown.
