Welcome to Pittsburgh, your new home for the next few years of your academic career and the residing city of the Pitt Panthers. Whether you’re from the area or coming in from around the world, you likely know Pittsburgh as a football town. While this is mostly felt for the Steelers, blue and gold run deep in the city’s lifeblood. 

As a student, it’s your job to bring that passion to Acrisure Stadium every Saturday to help lead the Panthers to victory. When you become a new member of the “Panther Pitt,” you enter one of the proudest and most storied football cultures across the country, and you’ll make memories that will last a lifetime. 

So whether you are a lifelong football fanatic or don’t even know the rules of the game, this guide is here to help you navigate game days and make your time as a Pitt Panther more enjoyable.

Arrive Early

Just like your classes, arriving late to a football game is never fun. You could miss out on tailgates and pre-game festivities, and you may get an undesirable seating spot. While I’d argue there isn’t a bad seat in Acrisure, arriving early means you’re more likely to sit in the lower bowl closer to the action. This section is the heart of the “Panther Pitt,” meaning the energy is generally higher and more fun than sitting in the upper section. 

Shuttle buses parked outside of Nordenberg Hall and Trees Hall will take students directly from campus to Acrisure Stadium, starting three and a half hours before kickoff. 

You can also take city buses, 71B and 61s, from campus to the Steel Plaza in Downtown, where the T will take you to the Allegheny Station outside of Acrisure stadium. 

What to wear

The weather in Pittsburgh is quite unpredictable, so it’s important to check the weather forecast before game day to make sure you’re prepared. 

Regardless of the weather, you should get dressed up in blue and gold and get ready to cheer on the Panthers. Whether you’re a classic jeans and T-shirt person or you want to bring your own customized crop tops and skirts, anything goes. 

The best places to find game day attire are at The Pitt Shop locations on Forbes Avenue and in the Petersen Events Center. Chaz’s shop outside of the William Pitt Union offers a variety of gear as well, as do a variety of online retailers. 

Game day etiquette

While you may not have the ability to affect the outcome on the field, you can control what you do inside the Panther Pitt to make sure you and your fellow fans around you have a memorable experience. 

First and foremost, you need to get loud at a football game. Whenever the visiting team is on offense, it is your time to make some noise to rattle the opponent and give the Panthers an edge. 

Follow the cheer team and marching band to make sure you’re in tune with some classic Pitt chants and dances, to give more life in between plays. To make the band performances more fun, familiarize yourself with Pitt’s two fight songs — the victory song and “Hail to Pitt.” The Pitt marching band also gives amazing performances during halftime, so be sure you get your concessions and bathroom breaks before so you don’t miss its big moments. 

Regardless of the score or the weather, you should stay at the game until the end. Leaving early means you miss out on some great traditions, like “Sweet Caroline” in between the third and fourth quarters and the players singing Pitt’s fight song after the game. If you make a commitment to coming to a football game, you should stay through it to the end in order to make some great memories with your friends and community.

Have fun

Wear wacky clothes and costumes to the game, make fun signs and throw your friends into the air after each score. These are the things that give the sport its character and why thousands of fans show up to games each year. 

There are many schools across the country that don’t have the same kind of passionate sports culture that the University of Pittsburgh does, and you should enjoy that privilege to the fullest. 

Regardless of whether you’re a diehard deeply invested in the game or just a casual fan there to have a good time, football is fun, especially when you’re surrounded by your friends and your community.

So go out to Acrisure Stadium, make some good friends and memories.