Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi - purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000 . It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers , the city ' s Major League Baseball ( MLB ) franchise and National Football League ( NFL ) franchise respectively . Built as a replacement to Forbes Field , which opened in 1909 , the US $ 55 million multi - purpose facility was designed to maximize efficiency . Ground was broken in April 1968 and an oft behind - schedule construction plan lasted for 29 months . The stadium opened on July 16 , 1970 when the Pirates played their first game . In the 1971 World Series , Three Rivers Stadium hosted the first World Series game played at night . The following year the stadium was the site of the Immaculate Reception . The final game in the stadium was won by the Steelers on December 16 , 2000 . Three Rivers Stadium also hosted the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers football team for a single season each . After its closing , Three Rivers Stadium was imploded in 2001 , and the Pirates and Steelers each moved into newly built stadiums . History . Planning and construction . A proposal for a new sports stadium in Pittsburgh was first made in 1948 ; however , plans did not attract much attention until the late 1950s . The Pittsburgh Pirates played their home games at Forbes Field , which opened in 1909 , and was the oldest venue in the National League ( Chicago ' s Wrigley Field was next - oldest , having been built in 1914 ) . The Pittsburgh Steelers , who had moved from Forbes Field to Pitt Stadium in 1964 , were large supporters of the project . For their part , according to longtime Pirates announcer Bob Prince , the Pirates wanted a bigger place to play in order to draw more revenue . In 1958 , the Pirates sold Forbes to the University of Pittsburgh for $ 2 million . The university wanted the land for expanded graduate facilities . As part of the deal , the university leased Forbes back to the Pirates until a replacement could be built . An early design of the stadium included plans to situate the stadium atop a bridge across the Monongahela River . It was to call for a 70 , 000 seat stadium with hotels , marina and even 100 lane bowling alley . Plans of the " Stadium over the Monongahela " were eventually not pursued . A design was presented in 1958 which featured an open center field design — through which fans could view Pittsburgh ' s " Golden Triangle " . A site on the city ' s Northside was approved on August 10 , 1958 , due to land availability and parking space , the latter of which had been a problem at Forbes Field . The same site had hosted Exposition Park , which the Pirates had left in 1909 . The stadium was located in a hard - to - access portion of downtown , making it hard in later years to get in before games and leave after games . Political debate continued over the " North Side Sports Stadium " and the project was often behind schedule and over - budget . Arguments were made by commissioner Dr . William McCelland that the Pirates and Steelers should fund a higher percentage of the $ 33 million project . Due to lack of support , however , the arguments faded . Ground for Three Rivers Stadium was broken on April 25 , 1968 . Due to the Steelers ' suggestions , the stadium ' s design was changed to enclose center field . Construction continued , though it became plagued with problems such as thieves stealing materials from the building site . In November 1969 , Arthur Gratz asked the city for an additional $ 3 million , which was granted . In January 1970 , the opening target date of the stadium was set for May 29 , however , because of a failure to install the lights on schedule , opening day was pushed back to July 16 . The stadium was named due to its location at the confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River , which forms the Ohio River . It would sometimes be called " The House That Clemente Built " after Pirates ' right - fielder Roberto Clemente . Design and alterations . Three Rivers Stadium was similar in design to other stadiums built in the 1960s and 1970s , such as Riverfront Stadium , the Houston Astrodome , and Busch Memorial Stadium , which were designed as multi - purpose facilities to maximize efficiency . Due to their similar design these stadiums were nicknamed " cookie - cutter " ballparks . The sight lines were more favorable to football ; almost 70 percent of the seats in the baseball configuration were in foul territory . It originally seated 50 , 611 for baseball , but several expansions over the years brought it to 58 , 729 . In 1993 , the Pirates placed tarps on most of the upper deck to create a better baseball atmosphere , reducing capacity to 47 , 687 . The stadium originally contained Tartan Turf , though it was replaced by a number of other surfaces including AstroTurf . Renovations for the start of the 1983 baseball season included the initial placement of AstroTurf , the center field scoreboard being removed and replaced with new seating - - while a new Diamond Vision scoreboard was installed at the top of the center field upper deck - - and the outfield fence being painted blue . The field originally used " Gamesaver vacuum vehicles " to dry the surface , though they were replaced by an underground drainage system . In 1975 , the baseball field ' s outfield fences were moved ten feet closer to home plate , in an attempt to boost home run numbers . The bullpen s were moved to multiple locations throughout the stadium ' s history ; however , their first position was also their final one — beyond the right - field fence . Due to Three Rivers Stadium ' s multi - purpose design , bands including Led Zeppelin , Pink Floyd , The Rolling Stones and The Who hosted concerts at the venue . On August 11 , 1985 , Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band hosted the largest concert in Pittsburgh history , when they performed for 65 , 935 on - lookers . And in 1992 , the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrated their second Stanley Cup victory at the Stadium . The stadium hosted various Jehovah ' s Witnesses conventions , including international conventions in 1973 and 1978 , and a centennial conference in 1984 . A Billy Graham Crusade took place at Three Rivers in June , 1993 . The venue also served as the premiere of the 1994 Disney film " Angels in the Outfield " which , despite being based around the then - Disney owned California Angels , paid homage to the original 1951 film , which featured the Pirates in heavenly need . Three Rivers Stadium had a beverage contract with Coca - Cola throughout its history . It was during the Steelers ' stay in Three Rivers that the now famous " Mean Joe " Greene Coke commercial aired , leading to a longstanding relationship between the two . When Heinz Field opened , Coca - Cola also assumed the beverage contract for that stadium ( the Pirates signed a deal with Pepsi for PNC Park ) , and also became the primary sponsor for the Steelers ' own hall of fame , the Coca - Cola Great Hall . Demolition . In September 1991 , planning began to build a new baseball park for the Pittsburgh Pirates . As talks continued , a proposal to re - model Three Rivers Stadium into a full - time football stadium was made . However , Steelers ownership did not support the idea , stating that a new venue would be needed for the franchise to remain competitive . On July 9 , 1998 , the Allegheny Regional Asset District board approved an $ 809 million plan which would fund the Pirates ' PNC Park and the Steelers ' Heinz Field . Ground was broken for the new stadiums in 1999 . On October 1 , 2000 , the Pirates were defeated 10 – 9 by the Chicago Cubs in their final game at Three Rivers Stadium . After the game , former Pirate Willie Stargell threw out the ceremonial last pitch . Two months later on December 16 , 2000 , the Steelers concluded play at Three Rivers Stadium , with a 24 - 3 victory over the Washington Redskins . Three Rivers Stadium was imploded on February 11 , 2001 at 8 : 03 a . m . on a chilly day . Over 20 , 000 people viewed the implosion from Point State Park . Another 3 , 000 - 4 , 000 viewing from atop Mount Washington and an uncounted number of people viewed the demolition from various high points across the city . Mark Loizeaux of Controlled Demolition , Inc . pushed the button that set off the 19 - second implosion , while Elizabeth and Joseph King pushed the " ceremonial old fashioned dynamite plunger " . The demolition cost $ 5 . 1 million and used 4 , 800 pounds of explosive . With the newly constructed Heinz Field only 80 feet away , effects from the blast were a concern . Doug Loizeaux , vice president of Controlled Demolition , Inc . , was happy to report that there was no debris within 40 feet of Heinz Field . Stadium usage . Pirates . Three Rivers Stadium opened on July 16 , 1970 , when the Pittsburgh Pirates lost to the Cincinnati Reds , 3 – 2 , in front of 48 , 846 spectators . The first pitch was thrown by Dock Ellis — a strike — to Ty Cline . The first hit in the stadium was by Pittsburgh ' s Richie Hebner , in the bottom of the first inning . The Pirates lifted their local blackout policy so that local fans could see the inaugural game . In the Pirates ' lowest season of attendance , 1985 , an average of 9 , 085 people attended each game . The average attendance would peak in 1991 , when Pittsburgh attracted 25 , 498 spectators to an average game . Game one of the 1970 National League Championship Series , at Three Rivers Stadium , was the first postseason baseball game to be played on an artificial surface . The following season , the Pirates advanced to the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles . Three Rivers Stadium hosted game four , in which the Pirates defeated the Orioles in the first ever World Series game played at night . Pittsburgh hosted its third Major League Baseball All - Star Game in 1974 . The National League won the game by a score of 7 – 2 . Pirates ' pitcher Ken Brett was the game winning pitcher . Twenty years later , the midsummer classic returned to Three Rivers Stadium . In front of 59 , 568 spectators , the largest crowd to ever attend a baseball game at the stadium , the National League won 8 - 7 in the 10th inning . On July 6 , 1980 , the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 5 - 4 in 20 innings — the most innings ever played at the stadium . The longest game at the stadium was played on August 6 , 1989 , when Jeff King hit a walk - off home run 5 hours and 42 minutes into the 18 - inning contest , as the Pirates once again beat the Cubs 5 - 4 . On September 30 , 1972 , Pirates ' right - fielder Roberto Clemente got his 3 , 000th hit at Three Rivers Stadium , three months before his death . Bobby Bonilla hit one of the only thirteen home runs ever hit into the upper deck of Three Rivers Stadium , and one of the six to the right - field side . Willie Stargell is the all - time leader in upper deck shots at the stadium , hitting four of the remaining five right - field blasts ; Mark Whiten hit the other . The left - field upper deck had been reached by Jeff Bagwell twice , and Bob Robertson , Greg Luzinski , Howard Johnson , Glenallen Hill and Devon White ( his home run struck the facade ) once each . Steelers . The Pittsburgh Steelers played their first game in Three Rivers Stadium on September 20 , 1970 — a 19 – 7 loss to the Houston Oilers . Throughout their 31 seasons in Three Rivers Stadium , the Steelers posted a record of 182 – 72 , including a 13 - 5 playoff record . The Steelers sold out every home game from 1972 through the closing of the stadium , a streak which continues through 2008 . The largest attendance for a football game was on January 15 , 1995 , when 61 , 545 spectators witnessed the Steelers lose to the San Diego Chargers . On December 23 , 1972 , Three Rivers Stadium was site to the Immaculate Reception , which became regarded as one of the greatest plays in NFL history . Three Rivers Stadium hosted seven AFC Championship Game s from 1972 to 1998 ; the Steelers won four . In the 1995 AFC Championship game , the Steelers ' Randy Fuller deflected a Hail Mary pass intended for Indianapolis Colts receiver Aaron Bailey as time expired , to send the franchise to their 5th Super Bowl . A Steelers symbol recognized worldwide , The Terrible Towel debuted on December 27 , 1975 at Three Rivers Stadium . The Steelers would move to Heinz Field after it was closed . Metallica and Guns N ' Roses brought their co - headlining Guns N ' Roses / Metallica Stadium Tour to the stadium on July 26 , 1992 , with Faith No More as their opening act . The Three Rivers Stadium is also part of a sequence from " The Song Remains the Same " ( 1976 ) , a documentary of Led Zeppelin ' s 1973 tour . Many other Pittsburgh landmarks are also shown , including the Liberty Tunnel , the old Pittsburgh International Airport ( 1952 - 1992 ) and Liberty Bridge .