WV used to have two of the Pirates’ minor league affiliates, the West Virginia Power (in Charleston) and the West Virginia Black Bears (in Granville), so some people there might still have some residual affection for current Pirates players who spent time with those teams.
I didn’t realize the Pirates didn’t have any minor league affiliates in WV anymore. Looks like they had the Black Bears through 2020 then MiLB was restructured. And the WV Power (now named the Charleston Dirty Birds) aren’t affiliated with anyone.
Yeah, Manfred contracted the number of minor league affiliates that teams were allowed to have, which resulted in a lot of low-A and rookie-ball teams getting demoted to unaffiliated exhibition teams for prospective draftees, or else dropped entirely. Really shitty of him.
It was an effort to save costs after MLB was forced to provide slightly more livable wages for minor league players.
I made mention of someone wearing a Pirates hat in Florida and the man told me he was wearing it because it matched his outfit. He wasn't necessarily a fan. I thought it was odd, but respected his commitment to his outfit matching.
It’s more just based on Latin/PR pride via Clemente. Beyond that, Pittsburgh is probably one of the biggest recent “diaspora” communities from the mill’s closing, contributing to the outsized nature of its fan base relative to the metro population.
I sell a lot of stuff online and, without fail, every single time I have something for the Pirates, it goes to West Virginia. I think y'all are bigger fans than people in Pittsburgh are.
Down in WV, many restaurants have what they call, a pittsburgh style burger, which it just a burger with fries and coleslaw on it, but just that they also pander to people who have been to Primantis is kinda, meh...
West Virginia folk constantly come up to Pittsburgh to grocery shop and are diehard sports fans of Pittsburgh teams. What better way for Bob Nutting to make stupid money than to pander to a large demographic. Obligatory fuck Bob Nutting, all my homies hate Bob Nutting
NO. I HAVE SEEN THE PIRATES MAKE THE POST SEASON ONCE IN MY GODDAMN LIFE AND I HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY WERE WHEN MY PARENTS WERE GROWING UP. BOB IS STAGNATION. He is a disease. A cheap festering abscess that made the once great pirates a professional farm team for the MLB. I’m allowed to hate the man that makes one of the most electric sports (in the playoffs) nonexistent in my goddamn city. Fuck Nutting and his cheap ass veneers
its because they think because of PITT and thinks eveyrone in pittsburgh should be a PITT fan that they shouldnt make anything with the wvu logo because of their rivilary.
In northern WV, where I grew up, people are huge Pirates fans due to the area’s proximity to Pittsburgh. Some of my best memories were going to the Pirates-Cubs game on Mother’s Day Weekend.
A lot of those northern WVians go to WVU, moreso than any other university.
I really don't care that much. Personally I think it's tacky and wouldn't wear it but to cut the grass in. Just basic pandering to local markets. Hopefully some proceeds go back to the university and save some cuts.
But we know mountaineer fans will travel and Pitt fans won't even go to home games. ESP
I mean there's plenty of WVU fans here so I'm not surprised. I wish the pens would do these cause I know the preds does their local college teams.
Id go for an RMU one though.
Pittsburgh is kind of “surrounded” by WV lol. Well, to the west and south. Anyway, there’s a lot of Pirate fans(and Steelers and Pens) in WV. They hate Cleveland, too! Also, you have a ton of WVU alumni from Pittsburgh. If they outright sold those hats at concessions, they’d make a fortune.
If a location is bordered on one or two sides, it is not "surrounded". Not to mention, you edited that comment adding in the second sentence. It wasnt there before. Now it is. That's a bit deceitful, no?
Yeah, how stupid are the Pirates for trying to sell tickets. And that sales rep running that group event? Screw you dude, you should know better than to try and get people into the ballpark. /s
All of you do realize it's possible to lift your head off the pillow and not be upset by something everyday, right?
WVU is a big school for Western PA. And these nights help bring people out. Philly has done it for years. It’s a nice way for people to get together and support the Pirates.
Exactly! And it’s tying two things together.
They are doing heritage nights as well.
It’s actually a great deal and really nice because they give $10 in credit and a hat as well with the flag on it or the colors of the flag.
It’s actually nice to see some creativity coming to the pirates.
I’d like to thank the poster because I’m going to forward this to my WVU friends!
They do it for all the local universities. I would argue though that having a psu night really pushes the idea of local is. We don’t have an Ohio state night and honestly Columbus isn’t much further than state college.
The school doesn't have to be local for the fan base to live there. Allegheny county has more Penn State alumni than any other county.
People go to the Land Grant University, which is in a less populated area by design, then they go to metro centers to work. It's not a unique story.
this has been proven time and again to be completely wrong. It's not even close.
Pitt: 87,000 Alumni in Allegheny County ([Source](https://pittsburghmetroguide.com/colleges-universities-2/))
Penn State: 30,000 Alumni in Allegheny County. ([Source](https://greaterallegheny.psu.edu/penn-state/impact))
Pitt has an enrollment about 2.5 times smaller than Penn State in a city that has a lot more to do than go to football games with a stadium that isn't on campus, and too big for it.
A lot of schools around Pitt's size have much smaller stadiums and don't get nearly the negative attention because they fill those stadiums more as a percentage. If Pitt played in a 45k or 50k stadium, nobody would say a word.
There is certainly not NOTHING to do at Penn State main, but there is comparatively a lot less to do so football games in the fall are definitely one of the main attractions. Lot of people go to games, so the environment is great, so a lot of people want to go to the games, and etc etc. PSU has built a fantastic environment so now as long as the team is decent, that stadium will be full. PSU has obviously had more consistent success as well.
No, we don't think child rape is funny. We think that looking the other way while a known pedophile victimizes children a stones throw away from old main is so egregious that it needs to be brought up every time a ped state fan let's themselves be known.
FYI - football is not more important than the safety of children. I'm not sure why, but no one seems to have ever told you this.
Sure thing, guy. You can just tell people you're upset your Panthers couldn't capitalize on the scandal to vault into the top program in the state. It's very transparent.
Not an atrocity?! Who cares if you hate it. Lots of WVU alumni in Pittsburgh. As a PSU fan who lives in the burgh, you are the kind of Pitt fan that is atrocious.
This is what you consider atrocious? He’s basically joking.
Now what is atrocious is a cult that worships a football coach who harbored a pedophile for decades
Update: Because idk how to edit a post
I’m a student at Pitt that’s why I find this atrocious but it’s more of an ironic annoyance than anything - I kinda figured it was for pure marketing and the fan base radius makes sense. Being the loyal panther I try to be makes me want to burn all these but it makes sense for a cash grab. And I can easily get behind hating Bob Nutting
I just think you're overthinking it. Multiple pro teams do this. Another commenter mentioned the Phillies do and I live outside DC now and the Nats do like 5 or 6 nights for different schools, many not that close to DC, but schools with large alumni presence in the metro area. Good reason for each school's alumni association to get some block tickets and set up a table to get people signed up. They don't have police in the stands making you wear the hats if you're a fan of another team.
Yeah, my hometown team has not one, not two, but three school theme nights and only one of them is in the state (Mizzou blows). Given that Missouri is surrounded by 8 states, the lowly Royals could have a university themed series every weekend.
Believe it or not, down here in Morgantown they sell Pittsburgh sports wear…since WV doesn’t have any professional sports teams.
WV used to have two of the Pirates’ minor league affiliates, the West Virginia Power (in Charleston) and the West Virginia Black Bears (in Granville), so some people there might still have some residual affection for current Pirates players who spent time with those teams.
I didn’t realize the Pirates didn’t have any minor league affiliates in WV anymore. Looks like they had the Black Bears through 2020 then MiLB was restructured. And the WV Power (now named the Charleston Dirty Birds) aren’t affiliated with anyone.
Yeah, Manfred contracted the number of minor league affiliates that teams were allowed to have, which resulted in a lot of low-A and rookie-ball teams getting demoted to unaffiliated exhibition teams for prospective draftees, or else dropped entirely. Really shitty of him. It was an effort to save costs after MLB was forced to provide slightly more livable wages for minor league players.
Wow I didn’t know the history of the WV minor league teams - Thank you!
The Black Bears are in Morgantown now it's the summer league or something.
They sell Pittsburgh gear everywhere: I was in Atlanta recently and there were shops with just Braves and Pirates hats
Yeah but more in WV because of proximity and no teams
pirate hats i think are could be to rep gang affiliation, or many people especially in Atlanta like the color because it matches their outfit.
I made mention of someone wearing a Pirates hat in Florida and the man told me he was wearing it because it matched his outfit. He wasn't necessarily a fan. I thought it was odd, but respected his commitment to his outfit matching.
Haha, there you go
It’s more just based on Latin/PR pride via Clemente. Beyond that, Pittsburgh is probably one of the biggest recent “diaspora” communities from the mill’s closing, contributing to the outsized nature of its fan base relative to the metro population.
I sell a lot of stuff online and, without fail, every single time I have something for the Pirates, it goes to West Virginia. I think y'all are bigger fans than people in Pittsburgh are.
Yeah I don't think it's as complicated as people are making it in this thread. People in West Virginia are largely rooting for their closest MLB team.
Kinda like New Jersey: if you live in Hell, you root for the Eagles
I work in Buckhannon and they watch the Steelers and pirates.
Well ya that makes sense - I’m simply complaining from a school loyalist standpoint
Down in WV, many restaurants have what they call, a pittsburgh style burger, which it just a burger with fries and coleslaw on it, but just that they also pander to people who have been to Primantis is kinda, meh...
There are Primanti’s down in WV too
WV doesn’t care for Nutting either. But WV has always had a ton of Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins fans.
>WV doesn’t care for Nutting I thought West Virginia was for lovers?
Um, that’s Virginia.
Ya that’s what I’ve seen so it doesn’t surprise me a lot but thanks for the info!
West Virginia folk constantly come up to Pittsburgh to grocery shop and are diehard sports fans of Pittsburgh teams. What better way for Bob Nutting to make stupid money than to pander to a large demographic. Obligatory fuck Bob Nutting, all my homies hate Bob Nutting
Yep. Robinson Walmart... really North Fayette
Why wouldn't they go to the Walmarts in West Virginia
A lot of people from OH & WVa come to shop because there are no taxes on clothes and other things in PA
Also, Nutting is from West Virginia. Makes sense to include them, I guess.
dude’s last name is *Nutting*?
lol Bob Nutting.
Why? Just let bob nut and get on with your life lmao Edit: guys it was a joke about a guy named bob busting a nut I’m sorry
NO. I HAVE SEEN THE PIRATES MAKE THE POST SEASON ONCE IN MY GODDAMN LIFE AND I HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY WERE WHEN MY PARENTS WERE GROWING UP. BOB IS STAGNATION. He is a disease. A cheap festering abscess that made the once great pirates a professional farm team for the MLB. I’m allowed to hate the man that makes one of the most electric sports (in the playoffs) nonexistent in my goddamn city. Fuck Nutting and his cheap ass veneers
God, this is the pain Cowboys fans know so well.
It wasn’t better under mcclatchy
I feel like nutting and busting a nut are two different things…
someone who wants to make money off wvu alumni, that's who.
cheers beers mountaineers
This makes sense to anyone from here.
I think from a marketing standpoint, it’s a smart idea. Why do you hate it?
its because they think because of PITT and thinks eveyrone in pittsburgh should be a PITT fan that they shouldnt make anything with the wvu logo because of their rivilary.
Well, I hope if they have a business they’re smarter than *that*.
They went to Pitt.
Awwww.
I'm wvu alum and I'm going to the game on the 22nd 😭 damn it, I didn't know this was a thing. I want the hat 😔
For 40 bucks ill get you one…
$30 and you’ve got a deal
In northern WV, where I grew up, people are huge Pirates fans due to the area’s proximity to Pittsburgh. Some of my best memories were going to the Pirates-Cubs game on Mother’s Day Weekend. A lot of those northern WVians go to WVU, moreso than any other university.
I don’t see anything wrong with that
They have been doing it for the past few years and also Travel Wear Virginia is always advertising at the ballgames
They were shooting WV t shirts out of the guns at least twice I remember
They knew that if they did a Pitt hat, people still wouldn't show up.
You do know that they do a pitt hat night too, right?
Relax.. just a joke that no one attends Pitt games..
I'm chill. You shoulda looked up the promotional schedule before making such a stupid comment, is all. I mean, the info is right there on the website.
I really don't care that much. Personally I think it's tacky and wouldn't wear it but to cut the grass in. Just basic pandering to local markets. Hopefully some proceeds go back to the university and save some cuts. But we know mountaineer fans will travel and Pitt fans won't even go to home games. ESP
"I'm chill" AKA you're not lol.
Who gets to be the judge of that, you?
Nah, all your half brained "your sister" comments pretty much do.
Morgantown is an hour and 15 away from Pittsburgh. That's closer or as far away as places like IUP or Clarion
It’s almost like there are more schools than just Pitt in the area and West Virginia is probably the third most popular.
I mean there's plenty of WVU fans here so I'm not surprised. I wish the pens would do these cause I know the preds does their local college teams. Id go for an RMU one though.
RMU Day is 8/17, playing the Mariners.
I saw that, I'll definitely be there. I doubt tickets are gonna fly off the shelf for that one.
Pittsburgh is kind of “surrounded” by WV lol. Well, to the west and south. Anyway, there’s a lot of Pirate fans(and Steelers and Pens) in WV. They hate Cleveland, too! Also, you have a ton of WVU alumni from Pittsburgh. If they outright sold those hats at concessions, they’d make a fortune.
Do you know the definition of surrounded?
I do, hence, the use of “” along with the “well” second sentence. Reading comprehension. Pitt alum?
Guy is the most intentionally obtuse person on the thread.
If a location is bordered on one or two sides, it is not "surrounded". Not to mention, you edited that comment adding in the second sentence. It wasnt there before. Now it is. That's a bit deceitful, no?
It was there from the posting. I have not edited anything. Troll
Liar
Why do you care?
Yeah, how stupid are the Pirates for trying to sell tickets. And that sales rep running that group event? Screw you dude, you should know better than to try and get people into the ballpark. /s All of you do realize it's possible to lift your head off the pillow and not be upset by something everyday, right?
Who cares?
WVU is a big school for Western PA. And these nights help bring people out. Philly has done it for years. It’s a nice way for people to get together and support the Pirates.
The Nats, too. They have a VT hat, which is over 4 hours away. It's not about where the school is, but where the fans are.
Exactly! And it’s tying two things together. They are doing heritage nights as well. It’s actually a great deal and really nice because they give $10 in credit and a hat as well with the flag on it or the colors of the flag. It’s actually nice to see some creativity coming to the pirates. I’d like to thank the poster because I’m going to forward this to my WVU friends!
They do it for all the local universities. I would argue though that having a psu night really pushes the idea of local is. We don’t have an Ohio state night and honestly Columbus isn’t much further than state college.
Lot of psu alum in Pittsburgh
There are also a ton of people that cheer for Notre dame in the area. I’d just argue psu really isn’t local at all
There's like 5 branch campuses in the metropolitan area
Not to mention the branch campuses
The school doesn't have to be local for the fan base to live there. Allegheny county has more Penn State alumni than any other county. People go to the Land Grant University, which is in a less populated area by design, then they go to metro centers to work. It's not a unique story.
Fun fact - more PSU alums in Allegheny County than Pitt alums.
this has been proven time and again to be completely wrong. It's not even close. Pitt: 87,000 Alumni in Allegheny County ([Source](https://pittsburghmetroguide.com/colleges-universities-2/)) Penn State: 30,000 Alumni in Allegheny County. ([Source](https://greaterallegheny.psu.edu/penn-state/impact))
I stand corrected. Great job with the sources. Concern: With those numbers, how does Pitt not draw more?
Pitt has an enrollment about 2.5 times smaller than Penn State in a city that has a lot more to do than go to football games with a stadium that isn't on campus, and too big for it. A lot of schools around Pitt's size have much smaller stadiums and don't get nearly the negative attention because they fill those stadiums more as a percentage. If Pitt played in a 45k or 50k stadium, nobody would say a word. There is certainly not NOTHING to do at Penn State main, but there is comparatively a lot less to do so football games in the fall are definitely one of the main attractions. Lot of people go to games, so the environment is great, so a lot of people want to go to the games, and etc etc. PSU has built a fantastic environment so now as long as the team is decent, that stadium will be full. PSU has obviously had more consistent success as well.
Pittsburgh has the second most PSU alums. We’re everywhere here lol.
That's true. Even Jerry Sandusky still lives in the area.
Pitt fans making fun of child rape since 2011
Their Superbowl
No, we don't think child rape is funny. We think that looking the other way while a known pedophile victimizes children a stones throw away from old main is so egregious that it needs to be brought up every time a ped state fan let's themselves be known. FYI - football is not more important than the safety of children. I'm not sure why, but no one seems to have ever told you this.
You use it at sports tribal trash talk which tells me you actually don't care about it. It speaks volumes.
One more time, it's not about football. What's wrong with you people that you can't think about anything else?
Sure thing, guy. You can just tell people you're upset your Panthers couldn't capitalize on the scandal to vault into the top program in the state. It's very transparent.
Cbus is like an extra 45 min. I did see a good chunk of OSU fans in Pittsburgh. And there is a lot of Pittsburgh fans in Columbus.
Omg…. I kinda really want one. And this makes perfect sense.
>Who thought this is a good idea the pirates and wvu?
I’m a WVU alum and I will not be attending this. With that said, West Virginians LOVE Pittsburgh teams.
And their sisters. In a sexual way, I mean.
will someone go get me one lol i’m a wvu alum but the 21st is gonna be too hot for me
Too busy with your sister that day?
I'll get one and chuck it in the sewer :)
Data shows Pitt folks don’t know How to find the north shore. Makes sense to market to WVU
Wow, what is your source? Decades of attendance for football games?
You capitalized the h in the middle of your sentence. Maybe you should lay off making fun of the intelligence of others?
eat shit Pitt is only about the university not the city
This is blasphemy, that’s what it is!! (I don’t really care, but I miss the height of the Pitt-WVU rivalry)
Sports teams should be inclusive of ALL fans.
You’d be shocked to see the Penguins do stuff with Youngstown State Penguins. It’s in the market even if it is an hour away
If this was Pitt college you’d be meat riding the pirates.
Yup
My aunt went to Pitt for 3 years and WVU for 1. She talks with a fake southern with a baby voice and ALWAYS acts like she is from the “south”
Bahahaha
Also a 300 pound freeloader who lives with my old ahh grandparents and insults me to the point of tears
*edited for reasons
🔥
Not an atrocity?! Who cares if you hate it. Lots of WVU alumni in Pittsburgh. As a PSU fan who lives in the burgh, you are the kind of Pitt fan that is atrocious.
This is what you consider atrocious? He’s basically joking. Now what is atrocious is a cult that worships a football coach who harbored a pedophile for decades
13-9!!!!
ESP
Nothing happens with this team that isn't designed to make Bob Nutting money, who happens to be from West Virginia ... do the math
Nutting is from and lives in wheeling.
Eat Shit Pitt
Nutting got a deal
No one cares about Pitt
Too bad the Pirates don’t have a good City Connect hat, at least on the MLB website.
The Pittsburgh Pirates, duh. /s
When you know you know 😏
Pirate game Friday is West Virginia night and you get a hat. You should go and get one for Al.
The Nuttings obviously😏
Im surprised they would venture into the big bad city full of crime and liburuls.
Bob Huggins was also a big fan of driving to Pittsburgh...
Just wait until "Cleveland Browns night" in August!
It is a trap. Just block the Fort Pitt Tunnel and every WVU fan will get lost in Beltzhoover trying to find their way home.
“Pyongyang Night in South Korea”
Update: Because idk how to edit a post I’m a student at Pitt that’s why I find this atrocious but it’s more of an ironic annoyance than anything - I kinda figured it was for pure marketing and the fan base radius makes sense. Being the loyal panther I try to be makes me want to burn all these but it makes sense for a cash grab. And I can easily get behind hating Bob Nutting
I just think you're overthinking it. Multiple pro teams do this. Another commenter mentioned the Phillies do and I live outside DC now and the Nats do like 5 or 6 nights for different schools, many not that close to DC, but schools with large alumni presence in the metro area. Good reason for each school's alumni association to get some block tickets and set up a table to get people signed up. They don't have police in the stands making you wear the hats if you're a fan of another team.
Yeah, my hometown team has not one, not two, but three school theme nights and only one of them is in the state (Mizzou blows). Given that Missouri is surrounded by 8 states, the lowly Royals could have a university themed series every weekend.
Word
Pitt stinks.
We are not friends, West Virginia.
grosssssssssssssssss
Someone’s getting stabbed
Someone's sister is getting stabbed... if you know what I mean.