Pirates Fans Fly Plane Protesting Bob Nutting

A 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. around PNC Park before the Pirates home opener against the New York Yankees on April 4.

Eric Bowser of DK Pittsburgh Sports reported that this is the same group of fans that flew the plane at the home opener and that they plan to do it again the following game, depending on the weather.

The plane cost a reported $4,000, according to Dejan Kovacevic of DK Pittsburgh Sports for the group of fans, as they hired a private plane operator to do this around Downtown and on the North Shore.

The "Our Team, Not His" fan group has held protests, demanding Pirates owner Bob Nutting sell the team.

They held a protest Downtown that went to PNC Park back in October, had one at PiratesFest at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in January and also one on Federal Street before the home opener.

Fans of the group accosted Nutting on the left field rotunda, as he walked up during the home opener as well. The fans on the rotunda wore "Sell The Team" shirts, which they have distributed out at numerous occasions.

The "Our Team, Not His"  group has demands that Nutting sell the team, as they're tired of the constant losing and want "winning baseball to return to Pittsburgh."

The group also has a billboard campaign and put up four billboards around Pittsburgh last fall, reading "Abandon Ship, Bob! Sell The Team!"

"We're a group of frustrated, passionate Pittsburgh Pirates fans tired of the endless losing baseball in our great city," their introduction reads. "Rather than sit idly and complain, we decided to do something to create discomfort within the organization and call attention to the blatant dereliction of duty in hopes to affect change."

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.

Fans have protested Nutting throughout the season, with "Sell The Team", chants a constant occurence during games at PNC Park, especially when the Pirates are losing.

The Pirates are currently 39-59 overall, have lost nine of their past 10 games, are19.5 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 fourth worst record in baseball.