Heinz Field will still be called Heinz Field for at least another year.
On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kraft Heinz Company announced a one-year extension on the naming rights of the field.
“We have enjoyed a tremendous and beneficial partnership with The Kraft Heinz Company since Heinz Field opened in 2001,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a release. “We are appreciative of the support Kraft Heinz has given the Steelers and the North Shore over the past 20 years with many marquee events taking place at Heinz Field.”
The Steelers and Heinz announced a 20-year partnership when the stadium opened in 2001, a partnership that was set to expire at the end of this season.
The move comes somewhat as a surprise. Reports in the Summer of 2019 claimed that it was “highly unlikely” that Kraft Heinz would renew their deal with talks stalling at the tam.
The Sports Business Journal reported in 2019 that Heinz currently pays an average of $2.85 million to have its name on the field, a relatively low price compared to some other facilities in the country.
UPMC, PNC and PPG were considered possible candidates to pick up the naming rights, but for now those two giant ketchup bottles will remain on the scoreboard.
The Steelers will host their 14th playoff game at Heinz Field this Sunday night against the Cleveland Browns.