Spending a frigid Christmas Eve with the Steelers? Here's what's drawing fans to Acrisure Stadium

A frigid Christmas Eve in Acrisure Stadium will be “firsts” for some Pittsburgh Steelers fans.

A 12-year-old boy will attend his first Steelers game. A devoted fan from Madagascar will go on her first blind date. A Lower Burrell insurance agent will wear a heated vest for the first time.

Despite the predicted freezing temperatures, these fans are among thousands who will spend Christmas Eve outdoors with the Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders for the 8:15 p.m. game.

“We’re all looking forward to it,” said Bill Aguglia, a Lower Burrell insurance agent, who plans to keep warm with his battery-powered garb. “It’s a memory to say we did.”

Aguglia, who will brave the cold alongside his family, bought the tickets before freezing temperatures were forecast.

Southwestern Pennsylvania anticipates record-low temperatures on Christmas Eve, with a high on Saturday of 12 degrees. The current recorded low is 13 degrees in 1983, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Shannon Hefferan.

“It will be uncomfortable for the game, so everyone needs to bundle up,” Hefferan said.

Frigid memories

The mother of the 12-year-old who will be attending his first game said she filled her Amazon cart with heated gloves and vests. She planned on gifting the tickets to her son on Christmas Eve morning and isn’t being identified here so that the gift will remain a surprise.

The middle schooler isn’t just going to the game — he’ll be watching it from the second row.

“I can’t wait to see his reaction of how close we are,” the Irwin mom said. “Seeing his face will be priceless.”

Attending Christmastime Steelers games is a tradition in the Cuccia family. Holly Cuccia, of Delmont, will go to the game with her brothers.

One of her brothers is a Marine who’s home for Christmas. Cuccia can’t wait to make memories wearing “layers upon layers” at the game.

“We’re going to look ridiculous, but it will be fun,” she said with a laugh.

Michael Cottle plans to attend the game with some friends. They’ll tailgate for a bit before heading into the stadium.

Cottle, of Millvale, will combat cold temperatures with multiple layers and blankets. He feels prepared for the temperatures after attending the 2017 Steelers-Dolphins game, which was played in 15-degree weather.

Cottle just hopes for a win.

Sthela Gun Holly Hanitrinirina, the Malagasy international student who attends Carlow University, is also hoping for a win but will support the team regardless.

Hanitrinirina’s ardent devotion to the Steelers only began recently. When she first came to the U.S., American football was foreign to her. However, after the pandemic hit, Hanitrinirina had time to learn the sport — and she fell in love with it.

Now she’ll spend her Christmas Eve cheering on the Steelers with her first blind date.

“I am there for the team,” Hanitrinirina said. “Either way, we lose or win, I want to make sure that they know we are there.”

Honoring Franco

Some fans planned on attending the game to watch the team retire Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris’ No. 32 jersey during halftime. Their attendance will now have a deeper meaning after Harris’ death this week.

“We didn’t plan on missing (the game) before, and now we really don’t want to miss it,” said Mandy Newill, who will attend the game with her daughter and sister.

Newill, from Acme, said she and her sister frequently attended Steelers training camp as children. Harris was her sister’s favorite player.

One time, Newill’s sister gave Harris a poster made of macaroni. As a thank you, Harris mailed game tickets to the family.

More than 40 years later, her sister still has them.

“She didn’t know him personally, but he made you feel like you knew him personally,” Newill said.

Brandon McPherson and his brother were excited to see Harris in memory of their mom, who died in October. Harris was one of their mother’s favorite Steelers.

After Harris’ death, McPherson said it “means a little more” that they get to attend the game.

“While my brother and I never saw him play, we understand what he means to the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh, thanks to our mom, aunt and uncles,” said McPherson, who grew up in Connellsville and now lives in Windham, Ohio.

Bad weather, good seats

The Irwin mom sold the tickets she initially bought in favor of buying “dirt cheap” tickets in the second row. As the game nears and temperature predictions loom, some ticketholders are selling their tickets for much less than usual.

McPherson bought two tickets six rows behind the Steelers’ bench for $81 each last week.

“That’s really cheap,” McPherson said. For context, tickets in that area for the Jan. 8 game against the Cleveland Browns are priced between $250 and $820 each on Ticketmaster.

On Friday, the cheapest tickets for the Steelers-Raiders game were priced at around $10 each on StubHub.

Megan Buckley, StubHub spokeswoman, said there were more than 3,700 tickets available to the game as of Wednesday evening. That number is consistent with other NFL teams’ Week 16 ticket availability, she said.

However, the average price to the Steelers game sits at $187 — 25% less than other NFL games this week. Buckley added that is “floating around” prices of other Steelers games.

“Unfortunately, we’d ordinarily like to compare this to games from last year, but ticket trends and demand were still largely influenced by covid at that time and it just wouldn’t be apples to apples,” Buckley said via email.

Increased ticket availability means those trying to sell their seats are struggling.

Colleen Meyer and her husband, who have been season ticket holders for 24 years, don’t usually have difficulty selling their tickets. This game is an exception.

“I have friends who have talked about (going), but now since it’s going to be so cold, they’re not interested,” said Meyer of Lamar, which is located about 35 minutes northeast of State College.

Christmastime plans and a six-hour round trip to Pittsburgh prevented the Meyers from attending.

Michael Bates of Cleveland also was struggling to sell his tickets. Around Thanksgiving, he knew he couldn’t make the game. Despite listing the tickets on Ticketmaster and in Facebook groups, they haven’t sold.

“An 8 o’clock game on Christmas Eve was not my favorite time for a home game,” Bates said. “I don’t regret (not going). Family first.”

Akron native and Greensboro, N.C., resident Todd Templeton said going to the game would be a “no-brainer” if it was at 1 p.m. He sold his tickets to a friend.

“Now that I’m looking at the weather forecast, I’m not extremely disappointed,” Templeton said. “I just feel like they’re going to see a lot of empty seats.”