The Pittsburgh Steelers are encouraging fans to arrive early to enjoy the many activities surrounding game day at Heinz Field at Sunday's home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In support of the NFL's initiative to support Hispanic Heritage Month, Sunday's game will have many different elements supporting the program. Barbara Blue, a Grammy-nominated blues artist who is originally from Pittsburgh and is of Hispanic descent, will sing the national anthem. Several Latin bands, including Puro Queso, Miguel's Mariachi Fiesta and Strolling Mariachi Group, will perform in and around Heinz Field prior to kickoff.
The Steelers will recognize their Spanish radio partner, Grupo Imagen, for bringing all of the team's games to their fans in Mexico. Also, Sunday's color guard will be made up of locally-based Army soldiers of Hispanic descent.
Additionally, the Steelers will recognize Victor Diaz on the field prior to kickoff. Diaz is the CEO of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and president of Videotek Construction. Diaz will be presented a check of $2,000 that will be donated to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation Scholarship Fund.
The Steelers 1st-IN-GOAL promotion, sponsored by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, will allow fans who enter Heinz Field early on game days the opportunity to win exclusive prizes from the team. The first 25,000 fans who enter the stadium will be given scratch-off cards, which will be distributed by volunteers from Ford and UPMC at all gates as well as suite and club entrances. Fans will have the opportunity to win pre-game field passes and the chance to participate in the pre-game Terrible Towel Twirl on the Steelers' sideline just prior to kickoff, Green Lantern Blu-Ray/DVD Combo packs, Stage AE concert tickets, free concessions (Coca-Cola fountain drinks, Augustine's Stadium Pizza, SilverStar Super Hot Dogs) throughout the stadium, private tours of Heinz Field, Terrible Towels, 2012 Steelers Fan Blitz passes, and $10 of Steelers' merchandise at any Steelers' Sideline Store.
Fans can stop by Stage AE prior to entering the stadium to participate in the Official Tailgate Zone of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tickets to Sunday's game will be given away along with many other prizes. Admission is free and doors open at 9 a.m.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fan Cam will take place during kickoff and will give fans the chance to prove they were at Heinz Field for Sunday's matchup against the Jaguars. Fans are asked to be in their seats early before kickoff each and every home game, and at that time, an ultra-high-def, 5-billion pixel image will be shot on the field. This 360-degree virtual image will capture Heinz Field in its entirety, and it takes between 5-7 minutes to shoot. Fans will be able to "step inside" the image and look around Heinz Field for a frozen moment of time at kickoff. Follow the Steelers Official Facebook page to be notified as soon as the image is available on Monday for tagging and sharing with friends on Facebook, email or twitter.
The Steelers are participating all season in the "Let's Tackle Recycling" campaign. At every Steelers home game, the Pennsylvania Resources Council and its partners are collecting aluminum cans, glass containers and plastic bottles and cups at tailgating parties in the parking lots outside of Heinz Field. The "Let's Tackle Recycling" campaign is sponsored by PRC and the Alcoa Foundation in partnership with Heinz Field, Alco Parking, City of Pittsburgh Environmental Services, Greenstar Recycling and the Sports & Exhibition Authority
The following are additional highlights for fans for Sunday's game:
- Hines Ward's Helping Hands Foundation will be recognized prior to kickoff. Ward is hosting eight bi-racial Korean kids for the weekend in Pittsburgh.
- A Youth Football Game between the St. Bonaventure Bobcats and the North Side Catholic Jaguars will take place at halftime as a part of Dick's Sporting Goods Youth Football Day.
- Astronaut Colonel Mike Fincke along with 1st-IN-GOAL pre-game field pass winners and season-ticket holder Frederick Nelson, will help lead this week's Terrible Towel Twirl.
- The McDonald's Steelers Kickoff Show will be broadcast from 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Coca-Cola Great Hall with Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson hosting the show on KDKA-TV.
- Fans attending Sunday's game are asked to bring nutritious non-perishable food and grocery items to Heinz Field. Fans may also make cash donations to Food Bank volunteers who will be stationed at the gates A, B and C, or at the Food Bank truck which will be parked along Art Rooney Avenue from 10 a.m. until a little after kickoff at 1 p.m. Fans can donate online by visiting Steelers Food Drive.
- 2011 Steelers Yearbooks will be distributed to all fans upon entering Heinz Field.
