Heinz Field name may change in 2021

Written By Rachael McKriger, Staff Writer

Heinz Field will be no more.

There is no demolition coming, no brand new stadium. However, whenever the Pittsburgh Steelers enter the red zone, you might not see the giant Heinz Ketchup bottles pour down onto the jumbotron.

Take a moment of silence if you must. Heinz Field will not be called Heinz Field anymore. Sports Business Journal reported in July that the Kraft Heinz company may be giving up their naming rights in 2021. The stadium has been called Heinz Field since 2001.

However, thereā€™s no absolute answer to if Heinz will back out. Thereā€™s still some negotiations to be done behind closed doors.

Either way, the stadium will need a backup plan. What are some good companies to take the place of Heinz Field? I decided to break down three potential options that could be the new name of the Pittsburgh Steelersā€™ home grounds.

One: Alcoa Field

It doesnā€™t have the ring that Heinz does, but it is all about Pittsburgh.

The companyā€™s headquarters are in Pittsburgh and is the eighth-largest producer of aluminum in the United States. Also, the company has a long-standing history, as it was founded back in 1888 in the Steel City. Their revenue and income is on the rise, so they could have the opportunity to place a deal for naming rights.

The metal industry is what put Pittsburgh on the map. Thereā€™s history around the company and thereā€™s nothing that people in Pittsburgh love more than fries on a sandwich, pierogies and metals. Also, thereā€™s always talk throughout the NFL about growing the game to other areas of the world. Alcoa does business with 10 other countries, including Iceland, Jamaica and Australia.

Hypothetically speaking, Alcoa could provide some sweet customized aluminum cans for Steelers fans to enjoy. Who doesnā€™t love collectables?

Two: DICKā€™S Sporting Goods

Before I dive into this one, I have to admit some bias.

Iā€™ve been employed by DICKā€™S Sporting Goods since last November. I have the ultimate privilege of working for the company at the corporate office, located in Coraopolis, which is about 25 minutes outside the city. Itā€™s a wonderful company and theyā€™re genuinely trying to keep sports alive.

DICKā€™S Sporting Goods is the proud owner of the Sports Matters Foundation. The foundation was raised and started to help keep funding in high school sports. Kids deserve an outlet to play sports, and DICKā€™S is doing something about it. Even Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward has made donations and visited the corporate office to talk with teammates about Sports Matters.

DICKā€™S wasnā€™t founded in Pittsburgh, but thatā€™s where its headquarters are. Richard ā€œDickā€ Stack founded the company back in 1948 in Binghamton, New York. Now, his son, Ed Stack, has taken over the family business as CEO.

Sports is literally in this companyā€™s name. What better way to show off the love for sports than have a stadium named after you. However, the company is the proud naming rights owner of DICKā€™S Sporting Goods Park, which is the home of the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Three: American Eagle

Ever wonder what the ā€œAEā€ in Stage AE stands for? Itā€™s American Eagle.

The clothing company was founded back in 1977 by brothers Jerry and Mark Silverman. Its headquarters are smack-dab in the city, at Southside Works. Numbers are raising for the company and it also helps that Stage AE has produced multiple Steelers-themed events. There are plenty of official tailgates at Stage AE before games.

However, instead of just using ā€œAE Field,ā€ there should be a bit of a change-up, to differentiate the two venues. If the naming rights were to go to American Eagle, the full name should possibly be used in the stadiumā€™s name.

Agree with these decisions? Let us know!