By @SAdyson

We had our first meeting of 2013 at Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh in Station Square with around 30 members (old and new) present to discuss the upcoming season.

A big thank you to Maria (@maria_petrillo) for taking notes during the meeting.

If you have any ideas, suggestions, or questions, please e-mail us at steelarmypgh (at) gmail (dot) com

SEASON TICKETS

• E-mail Paul Chedwick at the FO for season tickets in the supporters’ section: pchedwick@riverhounds.com
• Go to Ticketmaster if you want to buy either single game tickets or a 3-game “Hat Trick:” Ticketmaster
• Tickets are apparently selling fast to the home opener on April 13th against Harrisburg City, so if you haven’t bought tickets, do so soon.
• 66 season tickets have been sold so far in the supporters’ section.
• Buying season tickets guarantees that you will get the inaugural season scarf given out by the Hounds at the home opener. In addition, we will be distributing Steel Army scarves at the home opener, so if you ordered them, come pick them up.

PRE-GAMING

• Ideally, we will pre-game in the parking lot behind the west end of the Highmark.
• To gain exposure, several people suggested that for the home opener we pre-game at a locally-owned bar in Station Square, or possibly pre-game at another location (Market Square or Mt. Washington).
• We decided Piper’s Pub was too far away to use to pre-game (even for the home opener), and that it is too small to hold all of us.
• We would like to develop a relationship with a locally-owned business for pre-gaming at a place that would welcome the Steel Army.

MERCHANDISE

• 2 T-shirt designs will be produced and will be available for sale outside the stadium in the parking lot.
• Kutney/Steel Army scarf combos are sold out, and 75 Steel Army individual scarves are being produced and will be sold before/after games.
• Scarf design will be changed slightly from year to year, with different colors/designs on the Steel Army scarves.
• Members are more than welcome to produce their own merchandise, but refrain from using the Steel Army logo/name to ensure no profane/inappropriate messages are attached to the group.
• Someone suggested a SA beer mug that would serve to give discounts in the Highmark.
• Merchandise cannot be sold in the Highmark, and will be available before/after games in the parking lot.

AWAY TRIPS

• The following away matches are pegged for trips: Dayton, Harrisburg, and Rochester
• Instead of a charter bus, we will use carpooling to go to and from the away matches.

STEEL ARMY SPIRIT

• We will patrol swearing and other offensive behavior, especially because we have the children’s play area behind the supporters’ section.
• We will explore whether or not we will be allowed to have smoke bombs and/or flares in the Highmark.
• There is a Pittsburgh local hero called “Joe Magarac” that we may use as a supporters’ mascot for various things.
• On July 4th, we will possibly plan activities geared towards family and kids.
• Jess A. has offered to do simple face painting or balloon animals for kids.
• Chants and songs are available for download on the website, and new members are encouraged to help come up with new ones.
• We may use a Capo for chants.
• We will focus on getting more college-age kids down to the Highmark through viral advertising.
• Point Park University will be using the Highmark, so it may be fun to build a relationship with their college team.

#UNLEASH