.jpg){kind=link}
Upcoming Pittsburgh Pirates dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
The PNC Park seat that shows you the city
If you can only make one choice for a Pittsburgh Pirates game, choose the third base side. That is where the Pirates dugout sits, and it was placed there so the home side faces the downtown skyline, the Allegheny River and the Roberto Clemente Bridge. Seats on that side and behind home plate get the view that makes PNC Park famous. Right field and the outfield face the other way.
The second choice is level. Because PNC Park has only two decks, the upper deck is unusually close to the field, and its infield Grandstand seats deliver one of the best sightlines for the money anywhere in baseball. You do not need a lower-level ticket to have a good night here.
- Best view of the city: third base side or behind the plate, either level.
- Best value: upper-deck Grandstand on the infield.
- Closest: Home Plate Club and Dugout Box seats.
- Batting practice home runs: left field bleachers.
Two decks and why the upper one works
No American ballpark had been built with only two decks since 1953 when PNC Park went up, and its suites hide under the upper deck rather than splitting the levels apart. According to the team, even the top seat is a mere 88 feet from the field. Capacity figures differ: Wikipedia lists 38,747, while Ballpark E-Guides and Ballparks of Baseball cite 38,362.
Lower level
The Home Plate Club, six sections directly behind the plate, is the premium tier, flanked by Dugout Box seats. There is little foul ground, which puts the mid-priced Infield Box seats near the play, and an overhang seldom blocks anything, even from the last rows. The Pittsburgh Baseball Club seats, cushioned 200-level club sections that extend a little beyond first and third, are the other upgrade.
Upper level
Nearly every upper-deck seat looks at the city. The infield Grandstand is the pick for buyers who want the full field and the skyline in one frame without paying lower-level rates.
Outfield
- Right field: seats rise above the 21-foot wall that honors Roberto Clemente's number, and they face away from downtown.
- Left field bleachers: assigned metal benches that have backrests, set in front of the scoreboard, and an unreserved bleacher area farther back.
Lettered rows, skipped rows and other PNC Park quirks
A few details on the PNC Park map trip up first-time buyers:
- Rows are letters, and there is no Row I. Facing the field, seat 1 is at your right.
- Behind the dugouts, the lettering starts late. About seven rows are missing, and Row H is level with the dugout roof, so a Row H ticket there is a front-row seat, not an eighth-row one.
- Glass stair landings separate the club and Grandstand seats in upper sections such as 313 and 315. In rows H to K, avoid low-numbered seats on the third base side and high-numbered seats on the first base side.
- Press box columns rise behind sections 315 to 317, so check seat views there.
- Section 139 may miss part of left field.
None of these are reasons to skip a section, only reasons to look at the exact row and seat before you buy.
Evening glare and afternoon heat on the North Shore
Because home plate is in the park's northwest corner, the sun pattern runs backward. At night games the sun goes down straight into the third base side and the left field seats, and the skyline sections squint through the first few innings. Sunglasses fix most of it.
- Hottest on a day game: right and center field reserved seating in the outfield.
- Shade: upper-deck rows Q and higher, under the roof.
- During a rain delay: head for the indoor clubs or the club concourse.
Pittsburgh can be chilly at night in April and September, so carry a layer for early and late season games.
Fireworks nights and other dates Pirates fans circle
Each February and March the club trains at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida, as it has since 1969. Then come 162 games, 81 at PNC Park, from late March or early April to late September, with the All-Star break in mid-July. Since 2023, the balanced schedule has the Pirates facing each NL Central rival 13 times.
Demand on the resale market concentrates on a few kinds of dates:
- Friday and Saturday fireworks nights in summer. These draw the biggest crowds, and Ballpark E-Guides notes that the third base side sells out first.
- Opening Day, one of the best-attended games of the year.
- Philadelphia Phillies series, which bring fans across the state.
- June through August weekend series in general.
If you want a premium seat for less, look at April, May and September weeknights, when the club sections are easiest to find.
Clemente Bridge, the T and the riverboat
The ballpark's address is 115 Federal Street, on the North Shore side of the Allegheny, facing downtown.
- On foot: the Roberto Clemente Bridge closes to cars on game days. Park downtown and walk across; it is the classic Pirates arrival.
- The T: the light rail stops at North Side station in front of the ballpark, and the Pirates say rides in that area are free.
- Parking: the club suggests arriving early or using downtown Pittsburgh Parking Authority garages and walking or riding over.
- By water: Ballpark E-Guides reports Gateway Clipper riverboats running from Station Square to the outfield entrance.
Acrisure Stadium, where the Steelers play, is a short walk away, so parking tightens when the two schedules overlap.
As of the 2026 season, the Pirates gameday guide allows one soft-sided bag up to 16 by 16 by 8 inches, and every bag is screened. Gates open 90 minutes before most games and one hour before Monday through Thursday 6:40 p.m. starts; the Home Plate Club opens two hours early. Check for changes before you go. Every Reserved Seat order comes with guaranteed entry.
Wagner, Clemente, Stargell and Maz: the Pirates record
Founded in 1882 as the American Association's Allegheny Base Ball Club, the franchise switched to the National League in 1887 and landed in the NL Central in 1994. It has five World Series titles (1909, 1925, 1960, 1971 and 1979), nine pennants and nine NL East titles won between 1970 and 1992.
- Honus Wagner, the Hall of Fame shortstop of the early years.
- Roberto Clemente, the first Latin American player in the Hall of Fame.
- Bill Mazeroski, whose home run ended Game 7 of the 1960 World Series against the Yankees, the only Game 7 decided that way.
- Willie Stargell, leader of the 1979 "We Are Family" champions.
The 1971 champions made history before the title, too, as the first major league team to start a lineup made up entirely of Black and Latino players. From 1993 through 2012 they posted 20 straight losing seasons, an MLB record, before three straight NL Wild Card Games at PNC Park from 2013 to 2015.
Home was Forbes Field from 1909 to 1970 and Three Rivers Stadium from 1970 to 2000. PNC Park opened on March 31, 2001, and hosted the 2006 All-Star Game. Statues honoring all four of those players greet fans outside. Retired numbers are 1, 4, 8, 9, 11, 20, 21, 33 and 40, plus Jackie Robinson's 42.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the Pirates sit on the third base side?
The home dugout was placed on the third base line so the home side faces the downtown skyline. It also makes the third base side the best place for city views.
Is the upper deck at PNC Park worth it?
Yes. PNC Park has only two decks, and the Pirates say the highest seat is 88 feet from the field. The infield Grandstand is one of the best values in the park.
Is there a Row I at PNC Park?
No. Rows are lettered and skip I. Behind the dugouts, the first seven or so rows are skipped, so Row H is the front row there.
Can I walk to PNC Park from downtown Pittsburgh?
Yes. The Roberto Clemente Bridge closes to vehicles on game days, so fans can park downtown and walk across the river to the ballpark.
Which PNC Park seats get sun during evening games?
Early in night games, the low sun hits the third base side and left field. Upper-deck rows Q and higher are under the roof.
When did the Pirates last win the World Series?
In 1979, with the "We Are Family" team led by Willie Stargell. Their earlier titles came in 1909, 1925, 1960 and 1971.