There's a New Flavor of Football in Pittsburgh; Steelers Kick Off Heinz Field Opener This Sunday.

Sports & Business Editors

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 2001

After weeks of anticipation, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the H.J. Heinz Company kick off a new era of football this Sunday, Oct. 7, when the black and gold play their first regular season NFL game at Heinz Field. Steelers' fans are ready to relish the sweet taste of victory at Pittsburgh's newest state-of-the-art sports facility and hope the Steelers force their opponents to play "ketch-up" football all season long.

Pour It On

The longtime AFC Central Division rivals Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are set to clash in a 1 p.m. EST game that will be broadcast by CBS. Amid a sea of black-and-gold clad fans, the "Men of Steel" will be ready to put the squeeze on the Bengals' ferocious running attack. Sunday marks the first regular-season NFL game to be played at Heinz Field, the Steelers' new North Side home. Heinz Field replaces Three Rivers Stadium, which was the home of the Steelers for the past 30 years.

Extra Points

As the new home to both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Panthers, Heinz Field has introduced some new and exciting "extras," including:

-- Third Annual Heinz Hitch Steelers Tailgate Party -- On Saturday from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m., Heinz and the Steelers will team up for a tailgate party featuring
field tours, Steelers appearances, and food and beverages. For a $3 donation to
the United Way, fans have the opportunity to enjoy a tailgate lunch, as well as
access to the Coca-Cola Great Hall, the opportunity to meet Steelers for
autographs, and more. For a $5 donation to the United Way, fans can enjoy all
of the above and a Heinz Field tour. The Heinz Hitch Percheron Horses will be
on hand for the festivities from 10 a.m. to noon.

-- Commemorative Steelers Ketchup Bottle -- To celebrate Heinz Field's opening
day, Heinz has unveiled a new, limited-edition 14-ounce keepsake glass ketchup
bottle available only in the Pittsburgh area. This special edition of the
classic glass ketchup bottle is sure to be a collector's item with Steelers'
fans.

Heinz Field by the Numbers

In June, Heinz and the Steelers announced an exclusive 20-year partnership to name the new 64,450-seat home of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Panthers. Heinz is investing a total of $57 million for the naming rights. This investment gives Heinz an exclusive marketing platform to promote its name and products to millions of football fans, families and consumers in North America and around the world.

The opening of Heinz Field is part of Heinz's increased focus on sports marketing to drive brand growth. Basketball great Larry Bird is a spokesman for fast-growing Boston Market(R) Homestyle Frozen Meals, and skateboarder Tony Hawk is promoting popular Bagel Bites(R) and Hot Bites(R) frozen snacks. In July, world champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi was named spokesperson for Smart Ones(R) frozen entrees.

Construction of Heinz Field, a horseshoe-shaped stadium, began in June 1999. It features a natural-grass playing field and a south end that is open, enabling fans to enjoy a stunning view of downtown Pittsburgh and the riverfront at the source of the Ohio, the great river that connects Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. In addition to being the new home of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, Heinz Field also will host concerts and other events, including WPIAL high school football championship games. The architect of Heinz Field is HOK Sports Facilities Group, which is based in Kansas City, Mo.

ABOUT HEINZ: With sales approaching $10 billion, H.J. Heinz Company is one of the world's premier food companies. Its 50 companies operate in some 200 countries, with more than 20 power brands and more than $100 million in annual sales, including the Heinz(R) brand with nearly US$3 billion in annual sales. Among the company's famous brands are Heinz(R), StarKist(R), Ore-Ida(R), 9-Lives(R), Wattie's(R), Plasmon(R), Farley's(R), Smart Ones(R), Bagel Bites(R), John West(R), Petit Navire(R), Kibbles `n Bits(R), Pounce(R), Pup-Peroni(R), Orlando(R), ABC(R), Olivine(R), Jufran(R) and Pudliszki(R). Heinz also uses the famous brands Weight Watchers(R), Boston Market(R) and Linda McCartney(R) under license. Information on Heinz is available at http://www.heinz.com.