The other half of “Heinz Red Zone” has moved across the river.
A new home has been found for the second 33-foot Heinz ketchup bottle that for two decades “poured” into the scoreboard when the Pittsburgh Steelers reached the opponent’s 20 yard-line during home games.
One was hung outside of what is now called Acrisure Stadium last spring. The other bottle will be installed at the Heinz History Center in the Strip District on Dec. 21, according to a news release from Kraft Heinz.
The bottle is going up on the corner of its building near 12th and Smallman streets, and fans on that day will be able to view the installation from a distance. Beginning Dec. 22, fans of the Steelers, ketchup or other things closely identified with Pittsburgh are encouraged to pose for photos in front of the large bottle once it is displayed.
The bottles came down in 2022 when the Steelers and Heinz ended their naming-rights agreement for the North Shore stadium the team has played at since it opened in 2001. Heinz still sponsors the “red zone” via an animated graphic on the scoreboard when the Steelers drive into scoring territory, and the company also purchased naming rights to the entrance gate on the northwest corner of what is now called Acrisure Stadium. One of the giant ketchup bottles greets fans as they enter there.
Kraft Heinz also bought naming rights for the Aliquippa High School football stadium, now dubbed Heinz Field.
The Heinz company was born in Pittsburgh in 1869 and held its headquarters in the city throughout its tenure until a merger with Kraft Foods in 2015. The combined company considers itself having co-headquarters in Chicago and Pittsburgh.
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Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris by email at cadamski@triblive.com or via Twitter .