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Jun 21, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; General view as the Texas Rangers bat against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pirates Fans Demand Sale of Team

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 7:00 AM ET

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled in their first series back from the All-Star break at home, and the fans have let them and the front office hear it.

The Pirates played in front of a sellout crowd of 38,041 at PNC Park, hosting the Chicago White Sox with a fanbase eager for quality baseball

It marks their largest crowd of the season and third sellout, joining April 19 vs. the Cleveland Guardians, with 37,713 fans wanting the Paul Skenes bobblehead, and the home opener vs. the New York Yankees on April 4, with 36,893 fans in attendance.

This game also had a bobblehead giveaway, commemorating the life of local rapper Mac Miller, with fans waiting hours in advance for one of the 20,000 handed out.

Pirates fans had a great start to the game, with a 3-0 lead and a no-hitter through three innings, but poor pitching, particularly from the bullpen, led to a 10-4 defeat, which led to an even more frustrated fanbase.

The home crowd engaged in, "Sell the team," chants throughout the game, more so following the blown lead, as they turned their ire towards Pirates owner Bob Nutting. The chants rang throughout the upper concourse, before going around PNC Park.

Annnnd the “sell the team” chants have returned pic.twitter.com/aG6KqU4NaJ
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) July 20, 2025

Pirates fans have done "Sell the team" chants throughout the season, especially when the team is losing and playing poorly.

A group of Pirates fans also hired a plane with a banner reading, "YOU SUCK AT THIS BOB. SELL THE @#$% TEAM, which they flew at the series opener on July 18 and this game as well.

This group of Pirates fans also hired a pilot to fly a plane with a sign reading, "Sell the Team Bob" and also put in the website, ourteamnothis.com, the name of their fan group around PNC Park before the Pirates home opener.

The Pirates have had just four seasons above .500 since 1992, with 20 straight losing seasons from 1993-2012, a record for the four North American professional sports leagues.

They've also only made the postseason three times, 2013-15, but made it to the NLDS once, losing twice in the Wild Card Game in 2014 and 2015.

Bob Nutting has owned the Pirates since 2007 and the franchise holds a 1,322-1,587 win-loss record (.455) in his 19th season.

The Pirates had a projected Opening Day payroll of $89,975,500, per Cot's Contracts, which was $20 million lower than their next National League Central opponent in the Milwaukee Brewers at $109,141,136.

It was also the fourth lowest in baseball, with only the Miami Marlins at $68.9 million, Chicago White Sox at $74 million, the Athletics at $78.2 million and the Tampa Bay Rays at $82.9 million ranking lower than the Pirates.

The Pirates are currently 39-60 overall, have lost 10 of their past 11 games, are 20.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs in first place of the National League Central Division, 14.5 games out of an NL Wild Card spot and have the third worst record in baseball.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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