BRADENTON, Fla. -- After team president Travis Williams not-so-subtly dropped a hint that this would happen, the Pirates and PNC Bank announced a 10-year extension to their current agreement, the centerpiece of which is the continued naming rights to PNC Park.
“Simply put, the Pittsburgh Pirates are our hometown baseball team, and as Pittsburgh’s hometown bank, we believe the opportunity to renew our agreement makes a great deal of sense,” said Lou Cestello, head of Regional Markets and regional president for PNC in Pittsburgh. “Our relationship with the Pirates is a natural fit, as our two organizations share a focus on providing opportunities for those in our community to succeed, especially young children and families.”
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The Pirates and PNC Bank extended their original 20-year agreement for an additional season last year, but that was set to expire after 2021. The extension guarantees that the north shore stadium will remain "PNC Park" through its original 30-year lease.
"We were absolutely committed from Day 1 to making sure we try to find a way to keep PNC’s name on the park,"Williams told reporters in Bradenton, Fla. Wednesday.
As part of the new deal, the logo and signage to PNC Park will be updated:
As park of the extension, PNC Park's logo is getting updated. From the Pirates: pic.twitter.com/BimJjv1WZW
— Alex Stumpf (@AlexJStumpf) March 4, 2021
The Pirates will be welcoming fans back into PNC Park this season after the state loosened restrictions on mass gatherings this week. Williams anticipates there will be about 7,500-8,000 tickets available a game.
It will be a step towards normalcy, going into a ballpark with a more permanent name.
“It is an honor for us to begin the next chapter with PNC,” Williams said in a statement announcing the extension Thursday. “We have long been proud of the relationship between our two brands, and are pleased that PNC shares our optimism in the new course we have set as an organization. The spirit of this agreement reaches well beyond the ballpark. PNC’s shared pride in our city and commitment to make a difference in our community remains an important aspect of our work together.”
