When Pittsburgh Steelers fans pack into their beloved stadium on the North Shore for a Sunday game, most of them are thinking about touchdowns, not title deeds.
But the question of who actually owns Acrisure Stadium — the building itself, the land it sits on, and the name above the gate — has a surprisingly layered answer involving a public authority, a legendary football family, and a Michigan-based fintech company that outbid one of America’s most iconic food brands to put its name on the building.
Here is the complete, verified ownership story of Acrisure Stadium in 2026.
What Is Acrisure Stadium?
Acrisure Stadium is an outdoor NFL stadium located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at 100 Art Rooney Avenue. It is the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League and the Pittsburgh Panthers of the NCAA.
The stadium opened on August 18, 2001, and currently seats 68,400 fans for NFL games — with concert capacity exceeding 73,000. The all-time attendance record was set by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on June 17, 2023, when 73,117 fans packed the venue.
The stadium was built using 12,000 tons of structural steel — a deliberate tribute to Pittsburgh’s identity as the Steel City — and its signature open south end frames a stunning view of downtown Pittsburgh and the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers.
Who Physically Owns Acrisure Stadium?
Here is the most important distinction that most people miss: the name on the stadium and the ownership of the stadium are two completely separate things.
The physical building of Acrisure Stadium is legally owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County — a public government authority. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh operate the venue as its tenants. The stadium was built using $281 million in publicly approved funds — which is exactly why its legal ownership rests with a public authority rather than the team itself.
In simple terms: the Steelers play there and run it, but the government authority holds the deed to the building. This is a common arrangement in professional sports — teams occupy and operate publicly funded stadiums without technically owning the real estate.
Who Owns the Naming Rights — Acrisure?
The name “Acrisure Stadium” belongs to Acrisure, LLC — a Michigan-based financial technology and insurance company — through a 15-year naming rights deal announced on July 12, 2022. The deal reportedly pays approximately $10 million per year, making it one of the most valuable stadium naming rights partnerships in NFL history.
Acrisure is a fintech company that operates as a top-10 global insurance broker, providing AI-driven solutions across insurance, real estate services, cyber services, and asset management. The company grew from just $38 million in revenue to over $3.8 billion in approximately eight years — one of the most dramatic growth stories in American financial services. Greg Williams, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Acrisure, is a lifelong Steelers fan, which made the partnership personally meaningful beyond just the business value.
Naming rights are not ownership — Acrisure does not own the stadium. It simply pays for the right to have its name on the building for 15 years through 2037.
Who Owned the Naming Rights Before Acrisure?
Before Acrisure, the stadium was called Heinz Field — a name that was as synonymous with Pittsburgh as ketchup itself.
H.J. Heinz Company signed a 20-year naming rights deal in 2001 for $57 million, making the stadium one of the most locally iconic branded sports venues in the country. The famous oversized Heinz ketchup bottles on top of the scoreboard became a beloved part of the fan experience — tipping dramatically after every Steelers touchdown. ESPN named them one of the top ten touchdown celebrations in the NFL in 2007.
When the 20-year deal expired in 2022, Kraft Heinz — the merged food giant — attempted to renew the partnership but could not match what Acrisure was willing to pay. Kraft Heinz released a candid statement admitting they had worked diligently for months but the Steelers had “found a new partner willing to pay significantly more than we could justify.”
The iconic ketchup bottles came down. Acrisure Stadium went up. Some fans still call it Heinz Field out of habit — and probably always will.
Who Owns the Pittsburgh Steelers — The Team That Runs the Stadium?
While Acrisure owns the name and the public authority owns the building, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the real operational heart of Acrisure Stadium — and they have been owned by the same family for the entire history of the franchise.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are owned by the Rooney family — one of the most respected ownership families in all of American professional sports. Art Rooney Sr. founded the Steelers on July 8, 1933, for a reported $2,500 franchise fee.
The team has remained in Rooney family hands ever since — making it one of the longest-running examples of single-family ownership in NFL history. Art Rooney II currently serves as President of the Pittsburgh Steelers and represented the family in the Acrisure naming rights deal.
The Steelers are a six-time Super Bowl champion franchise — the most successful team in Super Bowl history — and their sellout streak at Acrisure Stadium dates back to 1972, one of the longest consecutive sellout runs in all of professional sports.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Party | Role | Ownership / Rights | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County | Legal Property Owner | Owns the physical stadium and land | Public government authority; stadium built with $281M in public funds |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (Rooney Family) | Operator & Primary Tenant | Operate and manage the stadium | Founded 1933; Art Rooney II serves as current President |
| University of Pittsburgh Panthers | Secondary Tenant | Share use of the stadium | Pitt football has used the stadium since 2001 |
| Acrisure, LLC | Naming Rights Holder | 15-year naming rights deal (2022–2037) | Pays ~$10M per year; Michigan-based fintech and insurance firm |
| Greg Williams | Acrisure CEO & Co-Founder | Controls Acrisure LLC | Lifelong Steelers fan; company grew from $38M to $3.8B in 8 years |
| Kraft Heinz Company | Former Naming Rights Holder | Exited July 2022 | Held naming rights 2001–2022 as “Heinz Field” for $57M over 20 years |
| Thomas Tull | Steelers Minority Owner & Acrisure Connection | Minority Steelers owner since 2009 | Chairs Acrisure Technology Group; connects both organizations |
The History of the Stadium: From Three Rivers to Acrisure
Acrisure Stadium did not appear out of nowhere — it replaced one of the most legendary venues in NFL history.
The Steelers’ previous home was Three Rivers Stadium, an iconic circular multi-purpose venue that served both the Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1970 to 2000. By the late 1990s, both teams needed dedicated, modern facilities. In 1997, public financing was approved for two new venues — one for the Steelers and one for the Pirates (who got PNC Park, consistently rated one of baseball’s most beautiful ballparks).
Ground was broken on June 18, 1999. The stadium rose on a North Shore site right next to the freshly imploded Three Rivers Stadium. Construction took almost exactly two years — and on August 18, 2001, the new stadium opened its gates for the first time. The Steelers played their first regular-season game there on October 7, 2001, hosting the Cincinnati Bengals. The venue was named Heinz Field from day one — a partnership that lasted 21 years before Acrisure took over in 2022.
Since opening, the stadium has hosted the 2011 NHL Winter Classic, the 2017 NHL Stadium Series, multiple Taylor Swift concerts, and has been the site of three AFC Championship games and home to a franchise that has won two Super Bowls since moving in.
Acrisure Stadium in 2026: What’s New
In 2026, Acrisure Stadium is entering its 26th year of hosting Pittsburgh Steelers football — and the team is beginning the season under a brand-new head coach. The 2026 season marks the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first year under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, with General Manager Omar Khan and Art Rooney II continuing as the leadership team above him.
The stadium’s playing surface was updated in 2026 to Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass, replacing the Kentucky Bluegrass that had been the surface since 2009. The Steelers are set to play a historic international game — Week 7 on Sunday, October 25 — at Stade de France in Paris, marking one of the most significant international expansions in franchise history.
The 2026 NFL Draft was also held in Pittsburgh, generating record attendance and what the Steelers described as “unprecedented global exposure” for the city and region — a major win for Art Rooney II’s leadership and the Pittsburgh community broadly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Acrisure Stadium in 2026?
The physical building is legally owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County — a public government authority that funded its $281 million construction.
Q2. Does Acrisure own the stadium?
No. Acrisure only holds the naming rights through a 15-year deal — it does not own the physical building or the land it sits on.
Q3. Who owns the naming rights to Acrisure Stadium?
Acrisure, LLC — a Michigan-based fintech and insurance company — holds a 15-year naming rights deal announced on July 12, 2022, reportedly worth ~$10 million per year.
Q4. What was Acrisure Stadium called before?
The stadium was called Heinz Field from 2001 to 2022, after H.J. Heinz Company paid $57 million for a 20-year naming rights deal that expired in 2022.
Q5. Who owns the Pittsburgh Steelers?
The Pittsburgh Steelers are owned by the Rooney family, who have held the franchise since Art Rooney Sr. founded the team on July 8, 1933. Art Rooney II currently serves as President.
Q6. When did Acrisure Stadium open?
The stadium opened on August 18, 2001, with the Steelers’ first regular-season game played there on October 7, 2001 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Q7. What is the capacity of Acrisure Stadium?
Acrisure Stadium seats 68,400 for NFL games. Concert capacity can exceed 73,000 — the all-time record was 73,117 set by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on June 17, 2023.
Q8. How long does Acrisure’s naming rights deal last?
Acrisure’s naming rights deal runs for 15 years from 2022, meaning the stadium will carry the Acrisure name through at least 2037.
Acrisure Stadium is owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County — a public government body — and operated by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh as co-tenants. The naming rights are held by Acrisure, LLC, a Michigan-based fintech and insurance company, through a 15-year deal worth approximately $10 million per year running through 2037.
The Pittsburgh Steelers themselves are owned entirely by the Rooney family, who have held the franchise since Art Rooney Sr. paid $2,500 for it in 1933.
Naming rights and physical ownership are completely different things — and at Acrisure Stadium, three different entities hold three different types of ownership simultaneously. The public authority holds the deed. Acrisure holds the name. And the Rooney family holds the spirit of everything that happens inside.