Heinz Field will remain Heinz Field for at least the 2021 season.
It appears fans will once again be able to attend Steelers games at Heinz Field. Although the exact capacity for any fans during the 2020 postseason has yet to be determined, fans are hopeful to be back in the stands come August 2021. With the lease for the naming rights of the stadium expiring after this season, the Kraft Heinz company has announced they have extended the naming rights for one year according to Steelers team reporter Missi Matthews:
The #Steelers and The Kraft Heinz Company announced today a one-year extension on the naming rights for Heinz Field. The one-year extension will ensure the name of the Steelers and the Pitt Panthers home stadium will remain @heinzfield through at least the 2021 season.
— Missi Matthews (@missi_matthews) January 6, 2021
With the construction of a new stadium which opened in 2001, a 20 year agreement was made for the naming rights of Heinz Field. In July, it was reported the Kraft Heinz company was considering cutting ties with their rights to name the stadium.
For Steelers fans who are fortunate enough to attend games in Pittsburgh, the iconic ketchup bottles on the scoreboard which open and tip in order to flow into the scoreboard whenever the team enters the Heinz Red Zone is one of the many things the naming right have associated with the stadium. In 2015, the Steelers added more than 2000 additional seats in the closed into the stadium to bring the capacity of Heinz Field up to 68,400.
Whether or not the Kraft Heinz company will pursue an additional contract for the naming rights remains to be seen. But for the 2021 season, as fans hope to return to their seats to cheer on their beloved Steelers and Pitt Panthers, they will be doing so at Heinz Field.
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