University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Acrisure Stadium Turns Up the Volume: Pitt Football Unveils New In-Venue Game-Day Enhancements
8/25/2026 10:00:00 AM | Football
Game day inside Acrisure Stadium is about to hit a new gear. Pitt Athletics is rolling out a wave of new in-venue enhancements this season, from a dedicated pregame hype window to a reimagined team entrance to fireworks lighting up the sky, all designed to make every Panther home game feel bigger than the last.
Kickoff is no longer just the start. It is the payoff of an atmosphere that starts building the moment fans walk through the gates.
'Pitt Is It' Takeover Sets the Tone
New this season, every Pitt football home game will feature the "Pitt Is It" Takeover, a dedicated stretch of pregame energy built to make one thing unmistakable: this is Pitt's house.
Beginning about 45 minutes before kickoff, the Takeover fills Acrisure Stadium with a 25-minute run of music, video and momentum. The soundtrack is built to fire up the Panthers during their final on-field preparations, while the videoboards and ribbon boards light up with the program's biggest moments and the university's proudest achievements.
The result is a stadium-wide crescendo, tying Pitt's past to its present and giving fans a fully immersive, unmistakably Panther atmosphere before the teams even take the field.
A Bigger, Bolder Team Entrance
About 20 minutes before kickoff, the Panthers head to the locker room and the energy inside Acrisure Stadium shifts into its final buildup, setting the stage for a new and improved team entrance.
Fans will first see Pitt's traditional pregame video charting the program's storied history, before a new intro sequence takes over. Longtime fans will notice something familiar. Something is coming back, and you'll want to be there on Sept. 5 to experience it live.
Then AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" takes over Acrisure Stadium as the Panthers charge through an expanded tunnel, backed by new cryogenic elements that supersize the moment visually. Enhanced pyrotechnics will launch from the east and west rooftops as the team storms the field, turning the runout into one of the loudest, most electric moments of the entire game day.
Fireworks and Smoke Light Up Every Home Game
The pyrotechnics do not stop at kickoff. New this season, every Pitt football home game will feature enhanced pyrotechnic elements built for the moment and the matchup.
Day games will fill the sky above Acrisure Stadium with colored smoke launched from the east and west rooftops in Pitt's signature royal and gold. Night games will bring traditional fireworks off both rooftops, adding a dramatic new visual layer to the Panther experience.
Smoke and fireworks will launch during or immediately after high-leverage moments throughout the game, turning big plays into even bigger moments for fans and student-athletes alike.
Night games will take it a step further with dedicated in-game fireworks shows, an expanded pyrotechnic experience beyond the effects tied to game action. Additional details on Pitt's night-game experience will be announced in the coming weeks, with more enhancements on the way to make evenings at Acrisure Stadium unforgettable.
The Home-Field Advantage Just Got Louder
The "Pitt Is It" Takeover, the reimagined team entrance and the expanded pyrotechnics are all part of a broader effort by Pitt Athletics to elevate the atmosphere at Acrisure Stadium and build a home-field environment that fans and student-athletes will feel from the moment the gates open.
Season tickets, mini-plans and single-game tickets for the 2026 Pitt football season are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting PittsburghPanthers.com.
