Heading to a Pittsburgh Pirates day game in Pittsburgh, PA? Here's where the shade falls at PNC Park, plus a free interactive map that ray-traces the sun for your exact game date and time.
Pick your game date & first pitch — watch the shade move row by row.
Home plate at PNC Park faces roughly ESE. As the afternoon sun swings toward the west, it loads the third-base side, while the first-base side and the seats behind home plate slide into shade first.
At a midday first pitch the sun is high, so shade comes mainly from deck overhangs; as the game goes on the first-base side fills with shade. Best bets:
| Seats | Why they're shaded |
|---|---|
| Upper-level back rows, first-base side | Deck overhang shades them even early |
| Club / mid-level back rows, first-base side | Overhang + orientation; cool most of the game |
| Lower bowl, first-base side (back of section) | Gains shade as the sun moves west |
| Behind home plate, back rows | Shaded relatively early as the sun passes overhead |
Outfield bleachers/pavilions are usually uncovered — full sun all day. The third-base side lower bowl bakes through the afternoon, and front rows everywhere stay exposed until late.
For afternoon starts, target first-base side covered levels. For evening starts the sun sets low and the lower bowl shades quickly; the last seats in sun are the upper deck on the third-base side. The interactive tool models any start time.
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Shade predictions come from a 3D ray-traced model of the seating bowl combined with the exact solar position for your date/time. Use it to pick a side, level, and row range, then confirm the precise seat on a ticket map. Independent tool; not affiliated with MLB or the Pirates.