Three Rivers Stadium - Definition and Overview

Three Rivers Stadium was a sports facility located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The name is derived from the joining of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers joining to form the Ohio River. The stadium was situated on the north side of the confluence of the three rivers.

Three Rivers was the home of Pittsburgh's Steelers (National Football League) and Pirates (Major League Baseball). The stadium design attempted to accommodate football and baseball with equal effectiveness. The fundamentally different designs of the playing fields made the stadium less than perfect for either sport. The cost of switching the field from sport to sport was a nuisance to both teams.

Three Rivers was demolished on February 11, 2001. The Pirates now play at PNC Park, situated farther east on the North bank of the Allegheny. The Steelers now play at Heinz Field, which was built immediately adjacent to Three Rivers. Special care was taken in designing the implosion of Three Rivers to prevent damaging the new stadium.