'Out of Our Control:' Narduzzi Disappointed by Closed Pitt Spring Game
PITTSBURGH — While Pitt football’s spring game is not the most notable spectacle by any stretch on the program’s calendar, the event still provides an opportunity for fans to check out the Panthers’ players for the upcoming season and enjoy some football on the North Shore of Pittsburgh.
To the disappointment of head coach Pat Narduzzi, the 2026 Blue-Gold Spring Game at Acrisure Stadium on April 11 will be closed to the public due to ongoing preparations for the upcoming NFL draft in and around the venue.
“Obviously not excited,” Narduzzi said Tuesday. “I’m happy for the NFL draft to be here. There’ll be 500 to 700,000 fans in Pittsburgh, it’s crazy. Not happy about it. Some things are out of our control as a university at times, but ESPN has taken over that whole parking lot. It’s gonna be, there’s no parking.”
The stadium will not remain completely empty for the spring game as parents and families of the Pitt players will be in attendance.
“Matter of fact, we were lucky to – we have a breakfast every spring [game],” Narduzzi said. “We’re still gonna have the breakfast, but we have to, all parents, they have to bus in, cuz there’s no parking. So it’s just a logistical thing. Again, everybody’s excited about the draft. So it’s one of those years. When’s the next time we’re gonna have a draft in Pittsburgh, okay? But our parents, families are gonna be there cuz we have a breakfast. We were trying to fight, fight, fight. Maybe go talk to Jimmy Sacco and the Steelers. We were fighting to get season ticket holders there, right? If you’re a season ticket holder, hey, you can go if you want. But it’s an issue to the point where we’ve still got to bus our guys. So obviously disappointing. I want as many fans in Acrisure Stadium as I can, cuz I think it becomes a pressure thing.”
There have been a few occasions in the past that Pitt has held its spring game away from the North Shore. In Narduzzi’s first season with the program in 2015, Pitt played its spring game at Highmark Stadium due to construction at then-Heinz Field. Pitt has has also held it at various high school stadiums prior to Narduzzi’s arrival.
Despite the complications this year surrounding the stadium, Narduzzi and the Pitt program opted to keep the game at its in-season home.
“I also wanna be in Acrisure Stadium. I think a couple years ago, we went to that soccer facility when I first got here. I don’t know if it was year one or year two, I’m not into playing in a soccer stadium, not being in our home. So most important thing is our kids get to go out there and practice. We’ll see if we can do something to take care of, try to replace that spring game with another fan experience. Summer, maybe it’s fall camp, I don’t know, we’ll figure something out. Cuz again, it’s not nothing we wanted to do. There’s nothing better than a spring game.”
Further details regarding start time and any broadcast information are still to be announced.
