Fansided

Ranking the best in-game experiences for each MLB team

By Joshua Sadlock

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 29 : Freeze races during game one of the 2019 Major League Baseball London Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees on June 29, 2019 at West Ham London Stadium in London, England. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 29 : Freeze races during game one of the 2019 Major League Baseball London Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees on June 29, 2019 at West Ham London Stadium in London, England. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 13: Fans walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge prior to the Opening Day game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on April 13, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 13: Fans walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge prior to the Opening Day game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on April 13, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /

Pittsburgh Pirates: Roberto Clemente Bridge

The Pittsburgh Pirates absolutely nailed their replacement for decrepit Three Rivers Stadium with PNC Park. It is the second-smallest stadium in the league and the only one of the new ballparks with only two levels of seating. The Pirates know their sweet spot and went for a small, intimate stadium instead of building extra seats for a crowd that was unlikely to ever materialize.

PNC Park pays homage to Pittsburgh’s industrial roots with the use of steel trusses and exposed metal throughout the ballpark. The ballpark’s facade strays from the brick template of the retro stadiums and uses limestone arches. PNC has received high praise from the moment it opened and is routinely ranked among the 10 best stadiums in the league.

The park features stunning views of downtown Pittsburgh, definitely an American city on the rise as it embraces the technology boom. In an effort to aid pedestrian travel to the stadium, the Pirates recommissioned the 6th Street Bridge as Roberto Clemente Bridge. The iconic yellow suspension bridge is now closed to vehicular traffic before and after Pirates games.

Pittsburgh’s MLB and NFL stadiums are separated from the downtown core of the city by the Allegheny River, but the Roberto Clemente Bridge allows them to feel connected to the city on game days. The city’s Golden Triangle district is directly across the river from the park, so plan on exploring the city before or after the game, walking across the bridge and then exploring the waterfront. My only gripe with PNC Park is that the Pirates did not do quite as much to bring the river into the stadium. There is a wide concourse behind right field, but it is closed to the public walking along the river.

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