Pirates Trying To Ignore Fans' Walkout Planned For Saturday

Pirates Trying To Downplay Fan Protest At PNC Park

The Pirates are “doing their best to downplay the fan walkout scheduled for after the third inning of the team's game Saturday night” against the Nationals at PNC Park, according to Bob Smizik of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE.  The team has asked the FSN Pittsburgh announcing crew “not to discuss the walkout,” and it has “removed all comments about the walkout” from the pirates.com message board.  Organizers of the protest have “asked fans to leave their seats after the third inning and stand in the concourse -- without purchasing concessions -- or leave the stadium.”  The walkout will occur when FSN Pittsburgh is on a commercial break, and the net “does not plan to show the protest as part of its game coverage.”  Also, there is “no compelling reason for MASN, also on commercial break, to show it to a Washington audience that would have little interest.”  FSN Pittsburgh Exec Producer Shawn McClintock said the net will report on the protest on "Pittsburgh Sports Tonight" after the game (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/28).