Heinz Ketchup Bottes Could Stay at Acrisure Stadium, Signage Changes Coming Quickly
PITTSBURGH — Heinz lost out on the naming rights bid for the Steelers stadium, which is now going to be named Acrisure Stadium. However, could the Steelers still keep the famous Heinz ketchup bottles on the scoreboard? Steelers team president Art Rooney II did not close the door on that possibility.
While Heinz may no longer own the naming rights to the stadium, there could be potential for a sponsorship deal between Heinz and the Steelers. Rooney noted that discussions around a potential sponsorship with the two sides are still ongoing and that the bottles could remain if something is worked out.
“Let me start by saying we appreciate the twenty-plus year relationship we had with Heinz and we are optimistic and hopeful that we will still continue to have a sponsorship relationship with them,” Rooney said. “We are having those discussions. Who knows, the ketchup bottles could be part of that, we’ll see.”
The rest of the signage around the former Heinz Field, now Acrisure Stadium, should change quickly. Heinz emblems will be replaced for Acrisure Stadium logos. In fact, this will move so quickly that the Steelers plan to have it done by the time the season rolls around. So, the stadium should be transformed in the span of about a month.
“I think what you see here is a representation of what you can expect,” Rooney said of the logos. “We’re planning to move quickly and have most of this done by the start of the season.”
More than just stadium signage, the new deal could potentially bring upgrades to the Steelers stadium as well. Rooney would not say exactly that the new deal could bring about some upgrades to Acrisure Stadium, but the Steelers are looking into those upgrades. Acrisure Stadium is now 20 years old. Upgrades could potentially come out of that.
“Certainly, we try to make improvements to the stadium every year,” Rooney said. “Part of that comes from our own private coffer. Some of that comes from the ticket charges. We have funded a lot of improvements over the years. This will allow us to continue to do that.”
The Steelers will look to change street signage as well. That will be a longer process. However, Rooney says the Steelers should get on that right away. It will take months, but it could be done in a swift fashion.
“Fair to say, we have a lot of work to do in that department,” Rooney said. “We will be working to get everything together there as quickly as possible. We will have to work through things like zoning approvals and things like that. But we have a lot of work to do here the next few months.”
There is still hope for the ketchup bottles on the scoreboard. Perhaps, the Heinz red zone sponsorship could still exist as well. That will all be decided throughout the negotiation process. Rooney and the Steelers seem keen on potentially bring that aspect of the stadium back.
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