It’s hard to imagine a ballpark with better views than PNC Park. It’s possible there’s one out there, but I seriously doubt it. Located on the North bank of the Allegheny River, PNC Park offers unobstructed views of downtown Pittsburgh. Which in my opinion, is one of America’s most underrated city skylines. I add that opinion, because many people who have never been to Pittsburgh, seem to hold a dim view of the city. The city has undergone quite a transformation since its industrial heyday, and PNC Park might be the best example of a reinvigorated Pittsburgh.
In addition to the amazing views, PNC Park offers an intimate and fan friendly atmosphere. With a capacity of just under 39,000, the ballpark is one of the smallest in MLB. I tend to favor smaller ballparks, especially with the backdrop of declining attendance across baseball. Regardless, PNC Park feels like the right size, and is conducive to an excellent fan experience.
I’ve previously been critical of ballparks that try to get too fancy, seemingly in an effort to attract non-baseball fans. PNC Park has no such issues. The ballpark feels like authentic Pittsburgh, a blue collar town known for its work ethic. You won’t find any frivolous extras throughout the ballpark, a refreshing change of pace from some newer stadiums. All of this contributes to the fan experience being focused on the actual game.
Rankings Update
PNC Park has a lot going for it, and I really only have one criticism, atmosphere. The Pirates have been bad for a while, and the crowd was somewhat lackluster. Not the ballpark’s fault, but something I do have to factor in. Given all that, I ended up slotting PNC Park into 3rd place. The view is unmatched, and the ballpark has no obvious weak points. If you look at just the physical ballpark, PNC Park is probably the best. But when accounting for overall atmosphere it drops a few spots in the rankings. But overall would highly recommend a trip to PNC Park for any baseball fan.
MLB Ballpark Rankings
- Fenway Park – Boston, MA
- Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO
- PNC Park – Pittsburgh, PA
- Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
- T-Mobile Park – Seattle, WA
- Oracle Park – San Francisco, CA
- Petco Park – San Diego, CA
- Target Field – Minneapolis, MN
- Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City, MO
- Nationals Park – Washington, D.C.
- Minute Maid Park – Houston, TX
- Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA
- Chase Field – Phoenix, AZ
- Truist Park – Atlanta, GA
29. Tropicana Field – St. Petersburg, FL
30. Oakland Coliseum – Oakland, CA
Is Pittsburgh still considered blue collar?
It is, but erroneously. You should have seen some of the messages I got when I posted a picture of Pittsburgh. A lot of people who have never been there, still think it’s this giant manufacturing city.
Wow that’s quite the view!! Third place is pretty impressive.
I went to a game in Pittsburgh in 2019 with very high expectations, having seen it on TV many times. My expectations were exceeded! The backdrop looks like a Hollywood set – especially during the golden hour around sunset. Even with the lack of fans I would say the view more than makes up for that. The backdrop at Dodger Stadium is pretty spectacular at sunset, especially if you’re at a higher level where you can see the sun splash on the San Gabriel mountains. Pittsburgh’s view is different, because it’s a city-scape, but it’s on par with Dodger Stadium.
My experience at PNC was first rate. Parking is simple. The food was great. The ushers were uber-friendly. The concourses are roomy. Of course, the view is stellar. The walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge is epic. And you’re rewarded with a great view of the park, all lit up at night, when the game is over.
I would have to rank PNC in the top three – with Dodger Stadium & Fenway. It is certainly the best of the new retro-parks. Busch over PNC? I can’t make that judgment call because I haven’t been to this iteration of Busch Stadium, but I, once again, am calling for an umpire review on this one. I just can’t imagine Busch breaking into the top three, especially over two majestic parks like PNC and Dodger Stadium.
I’ve been to St. Louis many times and if you take away the arch it’s a pretty boring skyline. Compared to the old, historic buildings in Pittsburgh the 1970-ish skyline of St. Louis has no character.
What do you say, Zach, can we get a review?
Busch versus PNC was a really hard comparison. If I was ranking purely based off the quality of the physical stadium, PNC would easily be number one. I seriously considered ranking PNC number 2, but ultimately I liked Busch a little better. I periodically review the rankings for revisions, and whenever there’s a close call, I ask myself which ballpark I would rather go back to. If I had the choice of seeing a game in St. Louis or Pittsburgh tonight, Busch Stadium would still be my choice. It’s hard to fully explain the preference, as Busch has a lot of intangibles while PNC’s strengths are obvious. I suspect most people agree with you that PNC is superior, but I’m sticking with Busch Stadium.