In the past, it was all about large gatherings with friends and fellow Steelers fans, celebrating the common bond of their love of the black and gold.
But this year when Steelers fans around the world shared their photos, it was much different than past years. It was families and individuals, posing for pictures that showed their love for the team they cheer for every week.
On Sunday, September 6, Steelers fans around the world smiled for the camera, some of them just taking selfies, wherever they were to show their support of the Steelers as the team prepares to kick off the regular season this week against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football on Sept. 14 at MetLife Stadium.
The idea started off in 2014 as an opportunity for fans in Mexico to gather for a group photo to then share with the team to show their support. That idea grew into something much bigger, something that spread to other countries and soon because Steelers World Photo Day.
It has grown every year, but this year, it took on a new twist because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Large gatherings that were the norm in the past were discouraged, instead everyone asked to share their own personal photos either alone or with people in their households at a local landmark, wearing black and gold, and even more importantly, wearing a mask and following social distancing protocols.
"We have been analyzing several options and we came to the conclusion that we want to demonstrate our support and passion for the team by having Steelers nation all over social media with photos and messages focused on this 2020 season, but we want to act responsibly without putting people's safety and their well-being at risk," said Sergio Carrasco, who started the tradition.
The idea, which began in 2014, has grown every year with fans from additional countries joining yearly. Among the countries participating this year are the United States, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Bahamas, Australia, Columbia, Chili, Spain, Hungary, Germany, United Kingdom, Argentina, and Panama, and anyone sharing pictures from home were encouraged to do so holding a flag of their home country.
"Instead of getting everyone together at the same place and time, the idea is for all of us to show our presence on social media at the same time from different places," said Carrasco. "We are sharing photos with fans wearing black and gold, waving their Terrible Towels and supporting the Steelers from all over the world."
