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{{Short description|Term for fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
[[Image:SB43 parade route.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Steelers fans line the Boulevard of the Allies in downtown Pittsburgh for the [[Super Bowl XLIII]] victory parade in February 2009.]]
[[Image:SB43 parade route.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Steelers fans line the [[Boulevard of the Allies]] in [[downtown Pittsburgh]] for the [[Super Bowl XLIII]] victory parade in February 2009]]


'''Steelers Nation''' is the unofficial name of the [[fan (person)|fan]] base of the [[National Football League|NFL's]] [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], coined by [[NFL Films]] narrator [[John Facenda]] in "Blueprint for Victory," the team's 1975 highlights film. '''Steelers Country''' is often used for the [[Pittsburgh]] area where the fan base originates or for areas with a large Steelers fan base.
'''Steeler Nation''' is an official name for the [[fan (person)|fan]] base of the [[National Football League]]'s [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. The term was coined by [[NFL Films]] narrator [[John Facenda]] in the team's 1978 highlights film. '''Steelers Country''' is often used for the [[Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]], area where the fan base originates or for areas with a large Steelers fan base.


==History==
==History==
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By the 1950s, the Steelers had gained some popularity in the city and were on par with Pitt, but they were still a distant second behind the Pirates in the city.
By the 1950s, the Steelers had gained some popularity in the city and were on par with Pitt, but they were still a distant second behind the Pirates in the city.


In the early 1970s, the Steelers began to rise in popularity. 1969 saw the hiring of head coach [[Chuck Noll]] and the drafting of future [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] [[defensive tackle]] [[Joe Greene (American football)|"Mean Joe" Greene]]. [[1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season|By 1972]], the Steelers were a playoff contender and began a sellout streak in [[Three Rivers Stadium]] that carried over to [[Heinz Field]] and still stands to this day. The team is second to the [[Washington Redskins]] for the longest active consecutive sellout streak in league history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview08/columns/story?id=3530077|title=NFL's best fans? We gotta hand it to Steelers (barely) – NFL – ESPN |publisher=ESPN |date=August 29, 2008 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
In the early 1970s, the Steelers began to rise in popularity. In 1969, there was the hiring of head coach [[Chuck Noll]] and the drafting of future [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] [[defensive tackle]] [[Joe Greene|"Mean Joe" Greene]]. [[1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season|By 1972]], the Steelers were a playoff contender and began a sellout streak in [[Three Rivers Stadium]] that carried over to [[Heinz Field]] and still stands to this day. The team is second to the [[Washington Commanders]] for the longest active consecutive sellout streak in league history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/preview08/columns/story?id=3530077|title=NFL's best fans? We gotta hand it to Steelers (barely) – NFL – ESPN |publisher=ESPN |date=August 29, 2008 |access-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref>


The team's four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s coincided with a [[recession]] that struck the United States, and the city in particular, that would lead to the closure of several steel mills in the early 1980s. The team's success was credited with giving people in the city hope and leading to the increased fan base. Due to economic uncertainty in the area, many Steelers fans relocated to other areas but retained their identification with the Steelers as a reflection of their former hometown's steel industrial base.
The team's four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s coincided with a [[recession]] that struck the United States, and the city in particular, that would lead to the closure of several steel mills in the early 1980s. The team's success was credited with giving people in the city hope and leading to the increased fan base. Due to economic uncertainty in the area, many Steelers fans relocated to other areas but retained their identification with the Steelers as a reflection of their former hometown's steel industrial base.


During the lead up to [[Super Bowl XIII]] between the Steelers and the [[Dallas Cowboys]], Phil Musick contrasted the Dallas and Pittsburgh fans by saying that "Dallas is superfan [[Crazy Ray|Whistling Ray]] and a hat that sprays the unsuspecting with water; Pittsburgh is a guy in a gorilla suit who'll stove five of your ribs if you laugh at him."<ref>{{Cite news | last = Musick| first = Phil| title = Super Bowl Fans Contrast in Style| newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post Gazette]]| date = January 20, 1979 (reprinted January 6, 2010)| url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10006/1026007-66.stm}}</ref>
During the lead up to [[Super Bowl XIII]] between the Steelers and the [[Dallas Cowboys]], Phil Musick contrasted the Dallas and Pittsburgh fans by saying that "Dallas is superfan [[Crazy Ray|Whistling Ray]] and a hat that sprays the unsuspecting with water; Pittsburgh is a guy in a [[gorilla suit]] who'll stove five of your ribs if you laugh at him."<ref>{{Cite news | last = Musick| first = Phil| title = Super Bowl Fans Contrast in Style| newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]| orig-year = January 20, 1979 |type=reprint |date=January 6, 2010| url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10006/1026007-66.stm}}</ref>


[[Jack Lambert]] said of Steeler Nation during his Hall of Fame induction speech: "How lucky I was to have played for the Pittsburgh Steelers fans. A proud, hard-working people, who loves their football, and their players."<ref>http://www.profootballhof.com/multimedia/inductions/2010/7/6/jack-lamberts-enshrinement-speech/</ref>
[[Jack Lambert (American football)|Jack Lambert]] said of Steeler Nation during his Hall of Fame induction speech: "How lucky I was to have played for the Pittsburgh Steelers fans. A proud, hard-working people, who loves their football, and their players."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/multimedia/inductions/2010/7/6/jack-lamberts-enshrinement-speech/|title=Build the Bridge Launches at Hall &#124; Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|access-date=July 28, 2013|archive-date=June 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619041157/https://www.profootballhof.com/multimedia/inductions/2010/7/6/jack-lamberts-enshrinement-speech/|url-status=dead}}</ref>


===Player fan clubs===
===Player fan clubs===
In the 1970s many fans organized fan clubs for their favorite players. Some of these fan clubs included [[Franco Harris|Franco's Italian Army]],<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07280/823521-66.stm | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=In the '70s, new coach, great drafts turned Pittsburgh into City of Champions | first=Robert | last=Dvorchak | date=2007-10-07}}</ref> [[John Fuqua|Frenchy's Foreign Legion]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/11230729/2 |title=New Year's resolutions: How are they holding up? – MLB – CBSSports.com Baseball |publisher=Cbssports.com |date=June 11, 2008 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Name (required) |url=http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/charming-pittsburgh-oriented-media-7-no-game-no-problem/ |title=Charming Pittsburgh-oriented media #7: No game? No problem. « Here in the Pitts |publisher=Freetothepeople.wordpress.com |date=January 25, 2009 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> [[Roy Gerela|Gerela's Gorillas]],<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/20010824hmurals0824P1.asp | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=Students thrilled their art will hang in Heinz Field | first1=Lori | last1=Shontz | date=2001-08-01}}</ref><ref>[http://www.seattlepi.com/football/257293_steelers27.html ]{{dead link|date=October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A19360 |title=I know Myron Cope invented the Terrible Towel. But why a towel? – Question submitted by: Mary Sullivan, Point Breeze – Views – You Had to Ask – Pittsburgh City Paper |publisher=Pittsburghcitypaper.ws |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> [[Terry Bradshaw|Bradshaw's Brigade]],<ref>[http://www.steelers.com/article/40517 ]{{dead link|date=October 2011}}</ref> [[Jack Lambert (American football)|Lambert's Lunatics]],<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07298/828401-66.stm | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=Steelers name 33 players who stand above rest to its All-Time Team | first=Robert | last=Dvorchak | date=2007-10-25}}</ref><ref name="mtv.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1603958/20090130/poison.jhtml |title=Bret Michaels Gives His Super Bowl Odds – Music, Celebrity, Artist News |publisher=MTV |date=January 30, 2009 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> Dobre Shunka (Good Ham, for [[Jack Ham]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Ham__Jack.html |title=Jack Ham |publisher=Pabook.libraries.psu.edu |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> [[Rocky Bleier|Rocky and the Flying Squirrels]],<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QZ_C9sig5dQC&pg=PT76&lpg=PT76&dq=%22bradshaw%27s+brigade%22&source=bl&ots=inAVVJXq0m&sig=ke3CO-XIAM24G3ZDgUgi0s6fGYQ&hl=en&ei=iYHPSqDjCtGX8Aaap9z8Aw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CA0Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22bradshaw%27s%20brigade%22&f=false |title=Pittsburgh Steelers: The Complete ... – Lew Freedman, Dick Hoak – Google Books |publisher=Google Books |date=September 15, 2009 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> [[Donnie Shell|Shell's Bombers]], and [[Andy Russell (American football)|Russell's Raiders]]<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/features/dolphins/flashbacks/010873/ |publisher=CNN | title=The Dolphins remained unbeaten and untouched by Pittsburgh miracles, so now all that stands between them and a perfect 17 are the Redskins | accessdate=2010-05-24}}</ref> among others.
In the 1970s many fans organized fan clubs for their favorite players. Some of these fan clubs included [[Franco Harris|Franco's Italian Army]],<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07280/823521-66.stm | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=In the '70s, new coach, great drafts turned Pittsburgh into City of Champions | first=Robert | last=Dvorchak | date=2007-10-07}}</ref> [[John Fuqua|Frenchy's Foreign Legion]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/11230729/2 |title=New Year's resolutions: How are they holding up? – MLB – CBSSports.com Baseball |publisher=Cbssports.com |date=June 11, 2008 |access-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/charming-pittsburgh-oriented-media-7-no-game-no-problem/ |title=Charming Pittsburgh-oriented media #7: No game? No problem. « Here in the Pitts |publisher=Freetothepeople.wordpress.com |date=January 25, 2009 |access-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref> [[Roy Gerela|Gerela's Gorillas]],<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/20010824hmurals0824P1.asp | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=Students thrilled their art will hang in Heinz Field | first1=Lori | last1=Shontz | date=2001-08-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/football/257293_steelers27.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=October 9, 2009 |archive-date=October 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014095423/http://www.seattlepi.com/football/257293_steelers27.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A19360 |title=I know Myron Cope invented the Terrible Towel. But why a towel? – Question submitted by: Mary Sullivan, Point Breeze – Views – You Had to Ask – Pittsburgh City Paper |publisher=Pittsburghcitypaper.ws |access-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref> [[Terry Bradshaw|Bradshaw's Brigade]],<ref>[http://www.steelers.com/article/40517] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926231710/http://www.steelers.com/article/40517|date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> [[Jack Lambert (American football)|Lambert's Lunatics]],<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07298/828401-66.stm | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=Steelers name 33 players who stand above rest to its All-Time Team | first=Robert | last=Dvorchak | date=2007-10-25}}</ref><ref name="mtv.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1603958/20090130/poison.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203062823/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1603958/20090130/poison.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 3, 2009 |title=Bret Michaels Gives His Super Bowl Odds – Music, Celebrity, Artist News |publisher=MTV |date=January 30, 2009 |access-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref> Dobre Shunka (Good Ham, for [[Jack Ham]]),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Ham__Jack.html |title=Jack Ham |publisher=Pabook.libraries.psu.edu |access-date=October 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312032242/http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Ham__Jack.html |archive-date=March 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[Rocky Bleier|Rocky and the Flying Squirrels]],<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QZ_C9sig5dQC&q=%22bradshaw%27s+brigade%22&pg=PT76 |title=Pittsburgh Steelers: The Complete ... – Lew Freedman, Dick Hoak – Google Books |date=September 15, 2009 |access-date=October 18, 2011|author=Lew Freedman|author-link=Lew Freedman|author2=Dick Hoak|publisher=MBI Publishing Company |isbn=9780760336458 }}</ref> [[Donnie Shell|Shell's Bombers]], and [[Andy Russell (American football)|Russell's Raiders]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/features/dolphins/flashbacks/010873/ |publisher=CNN | title=The Dolphins remained unbeaten and untouched by Pittsburgh miracles, so now all that stands between them and a perfect 17 are the Redskins | access-date=2010-05-24}}</ref>


==Today==
==Today==
[[File:Steeler Nation Display.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A 2009 "Steelers Nation" display at [[Heinz Field]].]]
[[File:Steeler Nation Display.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A 2009 "Steelers Nation" display at [[Heinz Field]]]]


Since the 1970s, the Steelers have enjoyed a large fan base and have eclipsed the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] as the most popular sports team in Pittsburgh. While the team's success gained it a large fan base nationally, many consider the collapse of the city's steel industry to have been a cause for the strong fan base in other cities, demonstrated when teams whose home turnout would otherwise require a local [[NFL blackout|blackout]] on television end up selling out when hosting the Steelers. An instance of the team's large fan base was at [[Super Bowl XL]], where an ESPN.com columnist suggested that Steelers fans outnumbered [[Seattle Seahawks]] fans more than 25 to 1.<ref>{{cite web|author=6:30&nbsp;pm ET, February 5, 2006&nbsp; |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=260205023 |title=ESPN – Steelers get past Seahawks for fifth Super Bowl win in club history – NFL Football Recap |publisher=ESPN |date=February 5, 2006 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
Since the 1970s, the Steelers have enjoyed a large fan base and have eclipsed the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] as the most popular sports team in Pittsburgh. While the team's success gained it a large fan base nationally, many consider the collapse of the city's steel industry to have been a cause for the strong fan base in other cities, demonstrated when teams whose home turnout would otherwise require a local [[NFL blackout|blackout]] on television end up selling out when hosting the Steelers. An instance of the team's large fan base was at [[Super Bowl XL]], where an ESPN.com columnist suggested that Steelers fans outnumbered [[Seattle Seahawks]] fans more than 25–1<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=260205023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715062504/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=260205023 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |title=ESPN – Steelers get past Seahawks for fifth Super Bowl win in club history – NFL Football Recap |publisher=ESPN |date=February 5, 2006 |access-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref> though that may have to do with the geographical closeness of [[Ford Field]] to Pittsburgh.


In November 2007, a study by Turnkey Sports found that the Steelers brand was the strongest in its local market of any team in the [[NHL]], [[NBA]], [[MLB]] or [[NFL]].<ref>{{cite news |first= Shelly|last= Anderson|title= Penguins Notebook: In this case, No. 20 ranking is huge|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07311/831735-61.stm |publisher=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date= 2007-11-07|accessdate=2008-06-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= Gene|last= Collier|title= This is Hockeytown?|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08146/884709-61.stm |publisher=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date= 2008-05-25|accessdate=2008-06-07}}</ref>
In November 2007, a study by Turnkey Sports found that the Steelers brand was the strongest in its local market of any team in the [[NHL]], [[NBA]], [[MLB]] or [[NFL]].<ref>{{cite news |first= Shelly|last= Anderson|title= Penguins Notebook: In this case, No. 20 ranking is huge|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07311/831735-61.stm |publisher=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date= 2007-11-07|access-date=2008-06-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= Gene|last= Collier|title= This is Hockeytown?|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08146/884709-61.stm |publisher=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date= 2008-05-25|access-date=2008-06-07}}</ref>


Many regional communities not officially associated with the "Pittsburgh" market have overwhelming numbers of Steeler fans who regularly flood local stations in both [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]] <ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2004-11-13/sports/0411130017_1_ravens-steelers-harrisburg|accessdate=08/29/2012|newspaper=Baltimore Sun}}</ref><ref>[http://www.whptv.com/mostpopular/story/Ravens-to-air-this-Sunday-on-CBS-21/kkMyT9mXE0CIlmXw_Mwl8A.cspx]</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/chuck-finder/finder-nfl-ravens-tv-folks-get-some-steelers-fans-mad-558377/?print=1 | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=Finder: NFL, Ravens, TV folks get some Steelers fans mad - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Printer friendly}}</ref><ref>[http://blog.pennlive.com/pasports/2011/12/your_comments_pittsburgh_steel.html]</ref> and [[Erie, Pennsylvania]] with requests to show the technically "out of market" Steeler games.<ref>[http://www.erietvnews.com/story/19230447/nfl-commissioner-says-so-what-to-erie-football-fans]</ref>
Many regional communities not officially associated with the "Pittsburgh" market have overwhelming numbers of Steeler fans who regularly flood local stations in both [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2004/11/13/in-harrisburg-ravens-in-a-tv-scrimmage/|access-date=2012-08-29|title=In Harrisburg, Ravens in a TV scrimmage|newspaper=Baltimore Sun}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.whptv.com/mostpopular/story/Ravens-to-air-this-Sunday-on-CBS-21/kkMyT9mXE0CIlmXw_Mwl8A.cspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209202112/http://www.whptv.com/mostpopular/story/Ravens-to-air-this-Sunday-on-CBS-21/kkMyT9mXE0CIlmXw_Mwl8A.cspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-02-09|title=NFL rules require CBS 21 to air Ravens on Jan. 1, not Steelers' game …}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/chuck-finder/finder-nfl-ravens-tv-folks-get-some-steelers-fans-mad-558377/?print=1 | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=Finder: NFL, Ravens, TV folks get some Steelers fans mad - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Printer friendly}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.pennlive.com/pasports/2011/12/your_comments_pittsburgh_steel.html|title = Your comments: Pittsburgh Steelers' games should be top local broadcast priority, not Baltimore Ravens'|date = December 5, 2011}}</ref> and [[Erie, Pennsylvania|Erie]] with requests to show the technically "out of market" Steeler games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.erietvnews.com/story/19230447/nfl-commissioner-says-so-what-to-erie-football-fans|title = NFL Commissioner Says}}</ref>


[[Hines Ward]]'s victory on [[Dancing With The Stars]] could also be seen as a sign of the national reach of the Steeler's fan base as well.
[[Hines Ward]]'s victory on ''[[Dancing With The Stars]]'' could also be seen as a sign of the national reach of the Steelers' fan base.


In November 2007 [[NFL Films]] president and co-founder [[Steve Sabol]] speaking at the teams 75th anniversary gala at the [[David L. Lawrence Convention Center]] stated: "The Steelers don't need a mascot. Their fans are their mascot...There were Gerela's Gorillas, Franco's Italian Army, Lambert's Lunatics, people dressed up like a bumble bee. You don't need a mascot when you have fans like that. When we'd go to Pittsburgh to do the game for NFL Films we never brought enough cameras."<ref>{{cite news|last=Dvorchak|first=Robert|title=Steelers tell jokes, share tales at 75th year gala|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-tell-jokes-share-tales-at-75th-year-gala-509365/|accessdate=10/15/2012|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=11/05/2007}}</ref>
In November 2007, [[NFL Films]] president and co-founder [[Steve Sabol]] speaking at the team's 75th anniversary gala at the [[David L. Lawrence Convention Center]] stated: "The Steelers don't need a mascot. Their fans are their mascot...There were Gerela's Gorillas, Franco's Italian Army, Lambert's Lunatics, people dressed up like a bumble bee. You don't need a mascot when you have fans like that. When we'd go to Pittsburgh to do the game for NFL Films we never brought enough cameras."<ref>{{cite news|last=Dvorchak|first=Robert|title=Steelers tell jokes, share tales at 75th year gala|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-tell-jokes-share-tales-at-75th-year-gala-509365/|access-date=2012-10-15|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=November 5, 2007}}</ref>


Human resources recruiters from the [[natural gas]] industry, particularly those in the [[Marcellus Formation|Marcellus Shale]] where Pittsburgh is located, began targeting Steeler bars nationwide for possible employees.<ref name=recruiters>{{cite news| last =Spencer | first =Malia | title =How the Steelers are a Marcellus recruiting strategy | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Business Times]] | date =Jun 11, 2013 | url =http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/energy/2013/06/steelers-are-a-marcellus-recruiting.html | accessdate = June 14, 2013}}</ref>
Human resources recruiters from the [[natural gas]] industry, particularly those in the [[Marcellus Formation|Marcellus Shale]] where Pittsburgh is located, began targeting Steeler bars nationwide for possible employees.<ref name=recruiters>{{cite news| last =Spencer | first =Malia | title =How the Steelers are a Marcellus recruiting strategy | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Business Times]] | date =Jun 11, 2013 | url =http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/energy/2013/06/steelers-are-a-marcellus-recruiting.html | access-date = June 14, 2013}}</ref>


==Comparison to other NFL fan bases==
==Comparison to other NFL fan bases==
Attempts at quantifying the loyalty of Steeler Nation relative to other NFL fan bases have shown mixed results.
⚫
Attempts at quantifying the loyalty of Steeler Nation relative to other NFL fan bases have shown mixed results. A 2006 study by the [[American City Business Journals]] placed the team's fans 21st out of 32 teams in the league,<ref>{{cite news | first = G. Scott | last = Thomas | title = Full fan loyalty rankings | url = http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/pages/35.html | work=Bizjournals | date = 2006-09-04 | accessdate =2009-02-06}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> behind all three of its division rivals in the [[AFC North]]. The study found that although the team had been selling out games for years, some fans were not actually attending the games, and Pittsburgh's weekly turnout percentage for home games was 16th in the league.<ref>{{cite news | first = G. Scott | last = Thomas | title = NFL Fan Support Rankings | url = http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/slideshow/13.html?page=21 | work=Bizjournals | date = 2006-09-04 | accessdate = 2009-02-06}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> That ranking was down seven slots from the publication's survey conducted in 1997, which ranked Steelers Nation 14th out of 30 teams, partly due to fans leaving nearly 10 percent of the seats in the stadium empty.<ref>{{cite news | first = Anthony Todd | last = Carlisle | title = Steelers fans aren't all that super, according to study | work=[[Pittsburgh Business Times]] | location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | page = 5 | date = 1997-01-27}}</ref>


⚫
A 2006 study by the [[American City Business Journals]] placed the team's fans 21st out of 32 teams in the league,<ref>{{cite news |first=G. Scott |last=Thomas |title=Full fan loyalty rankings |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/pages/35.html |work=Bizjournals |date=2006-09-04 |access-date=2009-02-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229093601/http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/pages/35.html |archive-date=February 29, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> behind all three of its division rivals in the [[AFC North]]. The study found that although the team had been selling out games for years, some fans were not actually attending the games, and Pittsburgh's weekly turnout percentage for home games was 16th in the league.<ref>{{cite news|first=G. Scott |last=Thomas |title=NFL Fan Support Rankings |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/slideshow/13.html?page=21 |work=Bizjournals |date=2006-09-04 |access-date=2009-02-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919013119/http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/slideshow/13.html?page=21 |archive-date=September 19, 2009 }}</ref> That ranking was down seven slots from the publication's survey conducted in 1997, which ranked Steelers Nation 14th out of 30 teams, partly due to fans leaving nearly 10% of the seats in the stadium empty.<ref>{{cite news | first = Anthony Todd | last = Carlisle | title = Steelers fans aren't all that super, according to study | work=[[Pittsburgh Business Times]] | location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | page = 5 | date = 1997-01-27}}</ref>
⚫
Conversely, a 2008 study from [[Forbes.com]] ranked Steelers fans 8th overall, citing amongst other things a long season-ticket waiting list.<ref>{{cite news | first = Matt | last = Woolsey | title = America's Most Die-Hard Football Fans | url = http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/29/fans-football-loyal-forbeslife-cx_mw_0901sports.html | work=Forbes | date = 2008-09-01 | accessdate =2009-02-08}}</ref> A 2008 article for ESPN.com ranked Steelers fans as the best in the NFL, citing their "unbelievable" sellout streak of 299 consecutive games.<ref>{{cite news |title= ESPN ranks Steelers fans No. 1|url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_585606.html?source=rss&feed=3|publisher=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date= 2008-08-30|accessdate=2008-08-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= Matt|last= Mosley|title= NFL's best fans? We gotta hand it to Steelers (barely)|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview08/columns/story?id=3530077|publisher=ESPN |date= 2008-08-29|accessdate=2008-08-30}}</ref>


⚫
On the other hand, a 2008 study from [[Forbes.com]] ranked Steelers fans 8th overall, citing among other things a long season-ticket waiting list.<ref>{{cite news | first = Matt | last = Woolsey | title = America's Most Die-Hard Football Fans | url = https://www.forbes.com/2008/08/29/fans-football-loyal-forbeslife-cx_mw_0901sports.html | work=Forbes | date = 2008-09-01 | access-date =2009-02-08}}</ref> A 2008 article for ESPN.com ranked Steelers fans as the best in the NFL, citing their "unbelievable" sellout streak of 299 consecutive games.<ref>{{cite news|title=ESPN ranks Steelers fans No. 1|url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_585606.html?source=rss&feed=3|publisher=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date=2008-08-30|access-date=2008-08-30|archive-date=October 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008134730/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_585606.html?source=rss&feed=3|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= Matt|last= Mosley|title= NFL's best fans? We gotta hand it to Steelers (barely)|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/preview08/columns/story?id=3530077|publisher=ESPN |date= 2008-08-29|access-date=2008-08-30}}</ref>
==Criticism==

{{Criticism section|date=June 2013}}
==Response from other teams==
Anti–Steeler Nation sentiment has grown strong enough that in some cases, [[front office]]s for other teams have taken steps to keep Pittsburgh fans out of games in their cities.<ref name="tribreview060407">{{cite news | first = Joe | last = Bendel | title = Rooney: Opposing teams discriminate Steelers fans | url = http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_441131.html | work=Pittsburgh Tribune Review | location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | date = 2006-04-07}}</ref> Instead of being permitted to buy tickets to a [[Chargers]]-Steelers game in San Diego, for instance, they were required to pay for tickets to two other games, as well.<ref>{{cite news | first = Joe | last = Bendel | title = Steelers are hot ticket in town | url = http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ufANAAAAIBAJ&sjid=23ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=4285,3985394 | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | page = D3 | date = 2005-10-06 | accessdate = 2009-02-19}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> In other cases, teams refused to sell tickets to fans calling from Pittsburgh's 412 [[area code]], and they encouraged fans who were selling their own tickets to do the same.<ref name="tribreview060407" /> Steelers President [[Art Rooney II]] complained to the NFL about the situation, but his grievance was not acted upon.<ref name="tribreview060407" />
Anti–Steeler Nation sentiment has grown strong enough that in some cases, [[Front office (sports)|front office]]s for other teams have taken steps to keep Pittsburgh fans out of games in their cities.<ref name="tribreview060407">{{cite news | first = Joe | last = Bendel | title = Rooney: Opposing teams discriminate Steelers fans | url = http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_441131.html | work = Pittsburgh Tribune Review | location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | date = 2006-04-07 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061209154421/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_441131.html | archive-date = December 9, 2006 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Instead of being permitted to buy tickets to a [[Chargers]]–Steelers game in San Diego, for instance, they were required to pay for tickets to two other games, as well.<ref>{{cite news | first = Joe | last = Bendel | title = Steelers are hot ticket in town | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ufANAAAAIBAJ&pg=4285,3985394 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130125055150/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ufANAAAAIBAJ&sjid=23ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=4285,3985394 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2013-01-25 | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | page = D3 | date = 2005-10-06 | access-date = 2009-02-19}}</ref> In other cases, teams refused to sell tickets to fans calling from Pittsburgh's 412 [[area code]], and they encouraged fans who were selling their own tickets to do the same.<ref name="tribreview060407" /> Steelers President [[Art Rooney II]] complained to the NFL about the situation, but his grievance was not acted upon.<ref name="tribreview060407" />


==Famous fans==
==Famous fans==
*[[Elvis Presley]], singer, actor<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.graceland.com/blog/posts/elvis-presley-singer-actor-and-football-player | title=Elvis Presley: Singer, Actor and Football Player }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/the-story-of-elvis-his-nfl-fandom | title=The Story of Elvis & His NFL Fandom }}</ref>
[[File:Obama Steelers.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[List of Presidents of the United States|44th]] [[President of the United States]] [[Barack Obama]].]]
*[[Frank Sinatra]], singer, Brigadier General in [[Franco's Italian Army]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://old.post-gazette.com/steelers/19980521bcope3.asp|title=Cope helped draft Sinatra into 'Army'|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|language=en|access-date=2020-11-19|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125034104/http://old.post-gazette.com/Steelers/19980521bcope3.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Some notable members of Steeler Nation include:
*[[Christina Aguilera]], singer<ref>http://www.instyle.com/news/christina-aguilera-cuddle-fiance {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011182509/http://www.instyle.com/news/christina-aguilera-cuddle-fiance |date=October 11, 2017 }} publisher=InStyle date=January 4, 2016</ref>
*'''[[Kurt Angle]]''' - professional wrestler<ref>[http://kurt-angle.net/wp/2011/02/06/lets-go-steelers/]{{dead link|date=October 2011}}</ref>
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*[[Bret Michaels]], singer<ref>{{cite news | url=http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/01/11/steelers-fan-bret-michaels-ready-to-party-at-playoffs/ | publisher=Fox News | date=2011-01-11 | title=Steelers fan Bret Michaels ready to party at playoffs | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114221809/http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/01/11/steelers-fan-bret-michaels-ready-to-party-at-playoffs/ | archive-date=January 14, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>
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*[[Jim Furyk]] - professional golfer<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1104903/index.htm |publisher=CNN | title=Video | date=2007-06-25 | accessdate=2010-05-24}}</ref>
*[[John Grisham]] - author<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09030/945688-298.stm |title=Grisham's latest fiction provokes Duquesne University |publisher=Postgazette.com |date=January 30, 2009 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
*[[Garth Brooks]], singer<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wtae.com/entertainment/what-garth-brooks-loves-about-pittsburgh/31119220|title = What Garth Brooks loves about Pittsburgh|date = February 5, 2015}}</ref>
*[[Burt Reynolds]], actor<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000608/bio|title=Burt Reynolds|website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref>
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*[[Jake Gyllenhaal]] - actor<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09338/1018436-100.stm/ | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | first=Virginia | last=Linn | title=Jake Gyllenhaal gets Steelers tattoo after stay in city | date=2009-12-04}}</ref>
*[[Curt Schilling]], former [[Major League Baseball]] pitcher<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bostondirtdogs.com/Headline_Archives/2006/02/steel_curt_1.html |title=Boston Red Sox Nation: Steel Curt |publisher=Bostondirtdogs.com |date=February 3, 2006 |access-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
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*'''[[Michael Hayden (general)|Gen. Michael Hayden]]''' - former [[Director of the Central Intelligence Agency|CIA Director]] and longtime [[National Security Agency|NSA]] director.<ref>[http://kdka.com/steelers/General.Michael.Hayden.2.911566.html ]{{dead link|date=October 2011}}</ref>
*[[Hank Williams Jr.]], singer<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.steelers.com/article/99004/ |title=Official site of the Pittsburgh Steelers - Article |access-date=2009-07-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601205933/http://news.steelers.com/article/99004/ |archive-date=June 1, 2009 |df=mdy }}</ref>
*'''[[Michael Keaton]]''' - actor<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000474/bio</ref>
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*[[Jake Gyllenhaal]], actor<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09338/1018436-100.stm/ | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | first=Virginia | last=Linn | title=Jake Gyllenhaal gets Steelers tattoo after stay in city | date=2009-12-04}}</ref>
*[[Reggie Jackson]] - former [[Major League Baseball]] player<ref>{{cite web|title=Mr. October at Steelers game|url=http://blog.steelers.com/tag/reggie-jackson/|publisher=Steelers.com|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}</ref>
*[[Jimmie Johnson]] - [[NASCAR]] driver<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1101/nfl-celebrity-super-bowl-picks/content.20.html |publisher=CNN | title=Jimmie Johnson}}</ref>
*[[January Jones]], actress<ref>{{cite web|title=The Daily Show with Jon Stewart|url=http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-february-15-2011/january-jones|work=January Jones|publisher=Comedy Central|access-date=August 31, 2012}}</ref>
⚫
*[[Jim Furyk]], professional golfer<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1104903/index.htm |publisher=CNN | title=Video | date=2007-06-25 | access-date=2010-05-24}}</ref>
*[[January Jones]] - actress<ref>{{cite web|title=The Daily Show with Jon Stewart|url=http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-february-15-2011/january-jones|work=January Jones|publisher=Comedy Central|accessdate=August 31, 2012}}</ref>
*[[Jimmie Johnson]], [[NASCAR]] driver<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1101/nfl-celebrity-super-bowl-picks/content.20.html |publisher=CNN | title=Jimmie Johnson}}</ref>
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*'''[[Wiz Khalifa]]''' - rapper<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UePtoxDhJSw |title=Wiz Khalifa – Black And Yellow [Official Music Video |publisher=YouTube |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
*[[John Grisham]], author<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09030/945688-298.stm |title=Grisham's latest fiction provokes Duquesne University |publisher=Postgazette.com |date=January 30, 2009 |access-date=October 18, 2011 |archive-date=February 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202063225/http://postgazette.com/pg/09030/945688-298.stm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
⚫
*'''[[Rush Limbaugh]]''' - radio talk show host <ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/01/transcript-rush-limbaughs-address-cpac/ | work=Fox News | title=Transcript of Rush Limbaugh's Address at CPAC | date=March 1, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/fanatics-brave-cold-for-titanic-super-bowl-contest-between-steelers-and-packers/story-e6frg7mf-1226000987695 | work=The Australian | title=Fanatics brave cold for titanic Super Bowl contest between Steelers and Packers | date=February 6, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/QandA/2003/0811/ | work=CNN | title=The syndicated radio host, 52, will appear weekly on ESPN's ''Sunday NFL Countdown'' starting on Sept. 7}}</ref>
*[[Kurt Angle]], professional wrestler<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kurt-angle.net/wp/2011/02/06/lets-go-steelers/ |title=Let's Go Steelers! |access-date=April 14, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220035434/http://kurt-angle.net/wp/2011/02/06/lets-go-steelers/ |archive-date=February 20, 2011 }}</ref>
⚫
*'''[[Seth Meyers]]''' - [[Saturday Night Live]] head writer and actor<ref>A. D. (July 16, 2007), "Andy Samberg". Sports Illustrated. 107 (2):2</ref>
*[[Mac Miller]], rapper<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-07 |title=Throwback to the time Mac Miller kicked out a fan for smack talking the Steelers - Article |url=https://www.bardown.com/throwback-to-the-time-mac-miller-kicked-out-a-fan-for-smack-talking-the-steelers-1.1520760 |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=BARDOWN |language=en}}</ref>
⚫
*'''[[Bret Michaels]]''' - rock singer<ref>{{cite news| url=http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/01/11/steelers-fan-bret-michaels-ready-to-party-at-playoffs/ |publisher=Fox News | date=2011-01-11 | title=Steelers fan Bret Michaels ready to party at playoffs}}</ref>
⚫
*[[Michael Hayden (general)|Michael Hayden]], former [[Director of the Central Intelligence Agency|CIA Director]] and longtime [[National Security Agency|NSA]] director<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://kdka.com/steelers/General.Michael.Hayden.2.911566.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=March 31, 2009 |archive-date=April 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415065010/http://kdka.com/steelers/General.Michael.Hayden.2.911566.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>
*[[Barack Obama]] - 44th President of the United States<ref>{{cite news|last=Memmott|first=Mark|title=Obama goes on the record: He's backing Steelers|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/01/62114422/1#.UD1Z8zVH5JQ|publisher=USAToday|accessdate=08/28/2012|date=January 29, 2009}}</ref>
*[[Burt Reynolds]] - actor<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000608/bio</ref>
*[[Michael Keaton]], actor<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000474/bio | title=Michael Keaton| website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>
*[[Curt Schilling]] - former [[Major League Baseball]] pitcher<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bostondirtdogs.com/Headline_Archives/2006/02/steel_curt_1.html |title=Boston Red Sox Nation: Steel Curt |publisher=Bostondirtdogs.com |date=February 3, 2006 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
*[[Reggie Jackson]], former [[Major League Baseball]] player<ref>{{cite web|title=Mr. October at Steelers game|url=http://blog.steelers.com/tag/reggie-jackson/|publisher=Steelers.com|access-date=September 7, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601194317/http://blog.steelers.com/tag/reggie-jackson/|archive-date=June 1, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
⚫
*[[Rush Limbaugh]], radio talk show host<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/01/transcript-rush-limbaughs-address-cpac/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302120850/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/01/transcript-rush-limbaughs-address-cpac/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 2, 2009 | work=Fox News | title=Transcript of Rush Limbaugh's Address at CPAC | date=March 1, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/fanatics-brave-cold-for-titanic-super-bowl-contest-between-steelers-and-packers/story-e6frg7mf-1226000987695 | work=The Australian | title=Fanatics brave cold for titanic Super Bowl contest between Steelers and Packers | date=February 6, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/QandA/2003/0811/ | work=CNN | title=The syndicated radio host, 52, will appear weekly on ESPN's ''Sunday NFL Countdown'' starting on Sept. 7}}</ref>
⚫
*[[Snoop Dogg]] - rapper<ref># ESPN – Another great improviser: Snoop Dogg on Romo – NFL</ref>
*[[Joe Manganiello]], actor<ref>{{Cite web|title=Famous Steelers fans|date=February 3, 2021 |url=https://stillcurtain.com/2021/02/03/steelers-famous-fans-cheered-team/amp/3/}}</ref>
⚫
*'''[[Sharon Stone]]''' - actress<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jezebel.com/5149498/sharon-stone-when-pittsburgh-meets-paris |publisher=Jezebel |title=London, February 9. Image via Bauer-Griffin |deadurl=no |accessdate=September 2, 2012}}</ref>
*[[Kate Mara]], actress and great-granddaughter of Steelers founder [[Art Rooney]]. Also the great-granddaughter of [[New York Giants]] team founder, [[Tim Mara]].
⚫
*'''[[Thomas Joseph Tobin]]''' - Bishop of Providence<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/news/mcharlesbakst/SE_BAKST_COLUMN_17_06-17-07_3F610SH.20bdd48.html |title=Rhode Island, Providence, news, sports, entertainment, ads &#124; providencejournal.com &#124; The Providence Journal |publisher=Projo.com |date=October 14, 2011 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
*[[Rooney Mara]], actress and great-granddaughter of Steelers founder [[Art Rooney]]. Also the great-granddaughter of [[New York Giants]] team founder, [[Tim Mara]].
⚫
*[[Verne Troyer]] - actor<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dailydanny.metro.co.uk/2009/01/index.html |title=&#124; Top News, sport, football, celebrities, dating and entertainment &#124; Metro.co.uk |publisher=Dailydanny.metro.co.uk |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
⚫
*[[Seth Meyers]], ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' head writer and actor<ref>A. D. (July 16, 2007), "Andy Samberg". Sports Illustrated. 107 (2):2</ref>
*[[Hank Williams, Jr.]] - country singer<ref>http://news.steelers.com/article/99004/</ref>
⚫
*[[Sharon Stone]], actress<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jezebel.com/5149498/sharon-stone-when-pittsburgh-meets-paris |publisher=Jezebel |title=London, February 9. Image via Bauer-Griffin |date=February 9, 2009 |access-date=September 2, 2012}}</ref>

⚫
*[[Snoop Dogg]], rapper<ref>#ESPN – Another great improviser: Snoop Dogg on Romo – NFL</ref>
'''''Bold''' indicates Pittsburgh-area native or has strong Pittsburgh area ties.''
*[[Stephen A. Smith]], sports television personality<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/19350252 | title=Stephen A. Is a concerned Steelers fan - ESPN Video| date=May 10, 2017}}</ref>
{{Portal|Pittsburgh}}
⚫
*[[Thomas Joseph Tobin]], Bishop of Providence<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/news/mcharlesbakst/SE_BAKST_COLUMN_17_06-17-07_3F610SH.20bdd48.html |title=Rhode Island, Providence, news, sports, entertainment, ads &#124; providencejournal.com &#124; The Providence Journal |publisher=Projo.com |date=October 14, 2011 |access-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref>

*[[Toby Keith]], country singer<ref>https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/feb/06/country-star-toby-keith-passed-away-at-62/</ref>
⚫
==External links==
⚫
*[[Verne Troyer]], actor<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dailydanny.metro.co.uk/2009/01/index.html |title=&#124; Top News, sport, football, celebrities, dating and entertainment &#124; Metro.co.uk |publisher=Dailydanny.metro.co.uk |access-date=October 18, 2011 |archive-date=August 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814061240/http://dailydanny.metro.co.uk/2009/01/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Whats-Happening-in-Steelers-Country/f99cc927-e9cd-4b99-9082-5d540c2167c4 Franchise website for "Steelers Country"]
⚫
*[[Wiz Khalifa]], rapper<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UePtoxDhJSw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/UePtoxDhJSw |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Wiz Khalifa – Black And Yellow [Official Music Video |publisher=YouTube |access-date=October 18, 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
⚫
*[http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?id=6041096 ESPN Article]
*[[Adam Sandler]], actor<ref>syndication.bleacherreport.com
⚫
*[http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-fans-map-2013-1 Facebook survey on team fandom by county]
</ref>
⚫
*[http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7239692/nfl-displaced-steelers-fans-found-new-home-houston ESPN article on Steelers Nation out of Houston, Texas]
*[[Britt Baker]], professional wrestler
*[[Billy Gardell]], actor
*[[Jason Momoa]], actor
*[[Ming-Na Wen]], actress


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Myron Cope]]
* [[Myron Cope]]
*[[Pittsburgh Steelerettes]]
* [[Raider Nation]]
*[[Steely McBeam]]
* [[Red Sox Nation]]
* [[Cardinal Nation]]
* [[Yankees Universe]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|25em}}
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

⚫
==External links==
*[https://www.steelernation.com Official Steeler Nation webpage]
[https://www.steelernationforum.com/ Official Forum For Steeler Nation]
⚫
*[https://www.espn.com/espn/commentary/news/story?id=6041096 ESPN Article]
⚫
*[http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-fans-map-2013-1 Facebook survey on team fandom by county]
⚫
*[https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/7239692/nfl-displaced-steelers-fans-found-new-home-houston ESPN article on Steelers Nation out of Houston, Texas]


{{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Pittsburgh}}
{{Pittsburgh sports}}

[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers]]
[[Category:Sports fandom]]
[[Category:Spectators of American football]]
[[Category:Culture of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Culture of Pittsburgh]]

Latest revision as of 00:14, 7 January 2025

Steelers fans line the Boulevard of the Allies in downtown Pittsburgh for the Super Bowl XLIII victory parade in February 2009

Steeler Nation is an official name for the fan base of the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers. The term was coined by NFL Films narrator John Facenda in the team's 1978 highlights film. Steelers Country is often used for the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area where the fan base originates or for areas with a large Steelers fan base.

History

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

The Steelers have had a following in Western Pennsylvania since 1933. That year, Pennsylvania relaxed its blue laws allowing sporting events in the commonwealth on Sundays, paving the way for the Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles to begin play for the 1933 NFL season. Previously, the state had teams in Pottsville and Frankford, but both had already folded, due to both the Great Depression and their inability to play on Sunday, when most NFL games took place.

Much like the league itself in the early years, the Steelers had to compete with baseball and college football teams in the city, making the team third in the hierarchy to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pitt Panthers. Despite the team's early struggles, it had a small but loyal fan base in the city due to the popularity of American football at all levels, dating back to the 1800s, when Pittsburgh hosted the first wholly professional football game in 1895.

Rise of the Steelers

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By the 1950s, the Steelers had gained some popularity in the city and were on par with Pitt, but they were still a distant second behind the Pirates in the city.

In the early 1970s, the Steelers began to rise in popularity. In 1969, there was the hiring of head coach Chuck Noll and the drafting of future Hall of Fame defensive tackle "Mean Joe" Greene. By 1972, the Steelers were a playoff contender and began a sellout streak in Three Rivers Stadium that carried over to Heinz Field and still stands to this day. The team is second to the Washington Commanders for the longest active consecutive sellout streak in league history.[1]

The team's four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s coincided with a recession that struck the United States, and the city in particular, that would lead to the closure of several steel mills in the early 1980s. The team's success was credited with giving people in the city hope and leading to the increased fan base. Due to economic uncertainty in the area, many Steelers fans relocated to other areas but retained their identification with the Steelers as a reflection of their former hometown's steel industrial base.

During the lead up to Super Bowl XIII between the Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys, Phil Musick contrasted the Dallas and Pittsburgh fans by saying that "Dallas is superfan Whistling Ray and a hat that sprays the unsuspecting with water; Pittsburgh is a guy in a gorilla suit who'll stove five of your ribs if you laugh at him."[2]

Jack Lambert said of Steeler Nation during his Hall of Fame induction speech: "How lucky I was to have played for the Pittsburgh Steelers fans. A proud, hard-working people, who loves their football, and their players."[3]

Player fan clubs

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In the 1970s many fans organized fan clubs for their favorite players. Some of these fan clubs included Franco's Italian Army,[4] Frenchy's Foreign Legion,[5][6] Gerela's Gorillas,[7][8][9] Bradshaw's Brigade,[10] Lambert's Lunatics,[11][12] Dobre Shunka (Good Ham, for Jack Ham),[13] Rocky and the Flying Squirrels,[14] Shell's Bombers, and Russell's Raiders.[15]

Today

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A 2009 "Steelers Nation" display at Heinz Field

Since the 1970s, the Steelers have enjoyed a large fan base and have eclipsed the Pittsburgh Pirates as the most popular sports team in Pittsburgh. While the team's success gained it a large fan base nationally, many consider the collapse of the city's steel industry to have been a cause for the strong fan base in other cities, demonstrated when teams whose home turnout would otherwise require a local blackout on television end up selling out when hosting the Steelers. An instance of the team's large fan base was at Super Bowl XL, where an ESPN.com columnist suggested that Steelers fans outnumbered Seattle Seahawks fans more than 25–1[16] though that may have to do with the geographical closeness of Ford Field to Pittsburgh.

In November 2007, a study by Turnkey Sports found that the Steelers brand was the strongest in its local market of any team in the NHL, NBA, MLB or NFL.[17][18]

Many regional communities not officially associated with the "Pittsburgh" market have overwhelming numbers of Steeler fans who regularly flood local stations in both Harrisburg[19][20][21][22] and Erie with requests to show the technically "out of market" Steeler games.[23]

Hines Ward's victory on Dancing With The Stars could also be seen as a sign of the national reach of the Steelers' fan base.

In November 2007, NFL Films president and co-founder Steve Sabol speaking at the team's 75th anniversary gala at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center stated: "The Steelers don't need a mascot. Their fans are their mascot...There were Gerela's Gorillas, Franco's Italian Army, Lambert's Lunatics, people dressed up like a bumble bee. You don't need a mascot when you have fans like that. When we'd go to Pittsburgh to do the game for NFL Films we never brought enough cameras."[24]

Human resources recruiters from the natural gas industry, particularly those in the Marcellus Shale where Pittsburgh is located, began targeting Steeler bars nationwide for possible employees.[25]

Comparison to other NFL fan bases

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Attempts at quantifying the loyalty of Steeler Nation relative to other NFL fan bases have shown mixed results.

A 2006 study by the American City Business Journals placed the team's fans 21st out of 32 teams in the league,[26] behind all three of its division rivals in the AFC North. The study found that although the team had been selling out games for years, some fans were not actually attending the games, and Pittsburgh's weekly turnout percentage for home games was 16th in the league.[27] That ranking was down seven slots from the publication's survey conducted in 1997, which ranked Steelers Nation 14th out of 30 teams, partly due to fans leaving nearly 10% of the seats in the stadium empty.[28]

On the other hand, a 2008 study from Forbes.com ranked Steelers fans 8th overall, citing among other things a long season-ticket waiting list.[29] A 2008 article for ESPN.com ranked Steelers fans as the best in the NFL, citing their "unbelievable" sellout streak of 299 consecutive games.[30][31]

Response from other teams

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Anti–Steeler Nation sentiment has grown strong enough that in some cases, front offices for other teams have taken steps to keep Pittsburgh fans out of games in their cities.[32] Instead of being permitted to buy tickets to a Chargers–Steelers game in San Diego, for instance, they were required to pay for tickets to two other games, as well.[33] In other cases, teams refused to sell tickets to fans calling from Pittsburgh's 412 area code, and they encouraged fans who were selling their own tickets to do the same.[32] Steelers President Art Rooney II complained to the NFL about the situation, but his grievance was not acted upon.[32]

Famous fans

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See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "NFL's best fans? We gotta hand it to Steelers (barely) – NFL – ESPN". ESPN. August 29, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  2. ^ Musick, Phil (January 6, 2010) [January 20, 1979]. "Super Bowl Fans Contrast in Style". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (reprint).
  3. ^ "Build the Bridge Launches at Hall | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". Archived from the original on June 19, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  4. ^ Dvorchak, Robert (October 7, 2007). "In the '70s, new coach, great drafts turned Pittsburgh into City of Champions". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  5. ^ "New Year's resolutions: How are they holding up? – MLB – CBSSports.com Baseball". Cbssports.com. June 11, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  6. ^ "Charming Pittsburgh-oriented media #7: No game? No problem. « Here in the Pitts". Freetothepeople.wordpress.com. January 25, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  7. ^ Shontz, Lori (August 1, 2001). "Students thrilled their art will hang in Heinz Field". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. ^ "I know Myron Cope invented the Terrible Towel. But why a towel? – Question submitted by: Mary Sullivan, Point Breeze – Views – You Had to Ask – Pittsburgh City Paper". Pittsburghcitypaper.ws. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  10. ^ [1] Archived September 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ Dvorchak, Robert (October 25, 2007). "Steelers name 33 players who stand above rest to its All-Time Team". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  12. ^ "Bret Michaels Gives His Super Bowl Odds – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. January 30, 2009. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  13. ^ "Jack Ham". Pabook.libraries.psu.edu. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  14. ^ Lew Freedman; Dick Hoak (September 15, 2009). Pittsburgh Steelers: The Complete ... – Lew Freedman, Dick Hoak – Google Books. MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 9780760336458. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
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  25. ^ Spencer, Malia (June 11, 2013). "How the Steelers are a Marcellus recruiting strategy". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  26. ^ Thomas, G. Scott (September 4, 2006). "Full fan loyalty rankings". Bizjournals. Archived from the original on February 29, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
  27. ^ Thomas, G. Scott (September 4, 2006). "NFL Fan Support Rankings". Bizjournals. Archived from the original on September 19, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
  28. ^ Carlisle, Anthony Todd (January 27, 1997). "Steelers fans aren't all that super, according to study". Pittsburgh Business Times. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 5.
  29. ^ Woolsey, Matt (September 1, 2008). "America's Most Die-Hard Football Fans". Forbes. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
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  62. ^ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/feb/06/country-star-toby-keith-passed-away-at-62/
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  65. ^ syndication.bleacherreport.com
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