Heinz Field is taking out the trash

The aftermath of Kenny Chesneys concert in Pittsburgh, 2013

The aftermath of Kenny Chesney’s concert in Pittsburgh, 2013

Matt Whalen, Opinions Editor

It’s that time of the year again: the football season is in full swing, and the Steelers faithful are packing around the North Shore parking lots. Tailgating has been a tradition among football fans for decades now, and the Steeler faithful alway manage to do a great job of cleaning up for themselves and maintaining good “Tailgating Etiquette.” Once a year, though, one man comes into the city of Pittsburgh and the rules of tailgating are tossed right out the window. That man’s name is Kenny Chesney.

For the last few years, Kenny Chesney has played a concert in Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field; a concert that’s more famous for tailgating than the music itself. Every summer, country music fans and hardcore tailgaters from all around the tri-state area drive to Pittsburgh. They arrive in big pick up trucks filled with grills, meat, and more alcohol than a group of people would ever need to consume on a Saturday morning. Most recently, the concert became infamous for the amount of trash people left around after a busy day of destroying “tailgating etiquette.” After the last concert, parts of Pittsburgh were drowning in a sea of trash. The garbage was such a problem that people from all over the county were complaining, saying that Kenny Chesney should not be allowed back to the city. It could be because of the protests or not, but Chesney has announced he will not be returning to Pittsburgh next year, a blessing that’s not so much in disguise. For now, the parking lots of this great city belong to the Steelers fans, and you’d better believe they’re going to treat the city right and follow “tailgating etiquette.”