Perhaps a foregone conclusion months ago but Penn State and Pitt will play in front of a sellout Heinz Field crowd the Panthers announced this week.
“It will be an incredible home game atmosphere,” Pitt athletic direct Scott Barnes told reporters. Penn State and Pitt are playing for the first time in 16 years. Barnes also believes that the majority of the fans will be there to support the home team despite Penn State’s strong travel contingent to Big Ten games, let alone just a few hours from Happy Valley.
‘This is our house,’ Barnes told the Tribune-Review. ‘We don’t mind a donation or two from the Nittany Lions, but our fans stepped up mightily very early in the process.’
Barnes’ optimism comes in the wake of reports that Penn State fans gobbled up Pitt season tickets, a value less than tickets sold on the secondary market. Pitt also announced a record season ticket sale increase bringing the total to 55,630 roughly 2,000 more than the goal, a number undoubtedly boosted by Penn State interest. Heinz Field holds nearly 70,000 for Panther home games.
“The way we have staggered our sales and provided our season-ticket holders with the opportunity to renew and purchase (tickets) and then the release of single-game tickets (including standing room), I don’t know what the percentage (of Penn State fans) will be, but it won’t be very high.” Barnes told the paper.
Whatever the split might be, it’s safe to say that the Week 2 meeting between the two rivals won’t be short on energy and plenty of bragging rights on the line.
