Pittsburgh Steelers supporters are fighting tooth and nail against the name change of the home stadium Heinz Field. Now fans have started a petition – will it make a difference?

Munich – Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers have started a petition to avert the name change of the stadium.

Many Steelers supporters are unhappy because Pittsburgh’s stadium will be called Acrisure Stadium in the future. The team recently announced that the legendary Heinz Field – as the stadium was known for more than 20 years – will be renamed.

5000 Steelers fans have already signed up

The insurance brokerage company Acrisure has acquired the naming rights for the stadium for 15 years. Now some Steelers fans are publicly fighting back and have started a petition against the name change.

Almost 5,000 people have now signed the petition online at change.org. The founder of the petition, Daniel Sass, justifies the measure by saying that he finds the new name of the home ground “terrible”.

Steelers fans: “Name not easy to pronounce “

“An external sponsor comes and does the whole thing to us with the name change. This new name is not even easy to pronounce,” wrote the Steelers supporter in the petition description.

However, Sass already has a suggestion for what the stadium could be called instead: “Three Rivers Stadium, that would be something.” That is, after all, the name Pittsburgh’s home stadium has borne in the past. As well as Pitt Stadium and Forbes Field.

Steelers legend Roethlisberger twitter: “Forever Heinz “

Recently, longtime Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who recently retired, had also commented on the name change.

I can’t believe it, it doesn’t seem right or real! Home will always be Heinz Field! I will never forget the last game, and all the amazing fans at FOREVER HEINZ! — Ben.ForeverHeinz

(Thanks to @ThompsonFoto12 & @YinzerSzn for the great photos!) pic.twitter.com/BnYTDp9zEp

– BigBen7.com (@_BigBen7) July 11, 2022

“I can’t believe it, it doesn’t seem right or real! Heinz Field will forever be my home! I will never forget that last game and the great fans – forever Heinz!” the Steelers legend tweeted.

Steelers get cash boost

However, despite much displeasure from fans and (former) players, a reversal of the name change seems unrealistic. The Steelers have received a windfall from the deal – there is talk of 150 million US dollars – and the contract runs for the next 15 years.

Whether the Steelers supporters will become friends with the new name over time will probably also depend on the team’s sporting success.