Blacksmiths Secure Lease For Riverfront Stadium of Pittsburgh

Following the conclusion of the ACFL’s season at the start of January, Blacksmiths and Hammers entered negotiations with the City of Pittsburgh over the right to call Riverfront Stadium of Pittsburgh their home. Right from the start, the Hammers were fighting an uphill battle as the Blacksmiths had won over the city’s fanbase. In the past couple of seasons with the Blacksmiths fighting as a top contender in the NAAF, the fans have come out in droves to fill up the big stadium. The Blacksmiths have had the highest ticket sales in well over a decade. The Hammers have continued to sit at the back of the ACFL, causing fans to lose any care they had for the team that has been there for decades. The nail in the coffin may have been last year when the Hammers had their best season in years finishing 6-6. Despite the improvement, the fans couldn't care less and ticket sales went down this season. It also didn’t help that the Blacksmiths had finished 1st in the NAAF during the regular season. 

There was little to argue. The city gave the Hammers a chance to at least make their case, but they would’ve had to come up with something dramatic to change their minds. They did not. On top of that, the Blacksmiths put a lot of effort into their pitch with Owner William Braddock leading the charge himself. Within a week, the Blacksmiths would secure the lease and officially have control over their home stadium for the first time.

Along with the lease, there were some other additions to the deal. The Blacksmiths would inflict the same sanction on the Hammers that prevented them from building a new stadium in the city, and if they wished to continue to play at Riverfront Stadium, they would have to pay rent to the Blacksmiths.

The future of the Hammers is up in the air as they now have to head to the ACFL’s League Meetings empty-handed.

Right after securing the rights, the Blacksmiths were not done, they would then move forward with pitching the City of Pittsburgh a plan for a new stadium to replace the nearly 50-year-old stadium. The talks are ongoing, but it is expected that the City will be receptive to a new stadium with the Blacksmiths leading the charge.