Pittsburgh Steelers Neon Signs

What blog would this be without a post about Pittsburgh Steelers neon bar signs? I grew up just outside of Pittsburgh so I know firsthand how loyal fanatical Pittsburgh fans are about the Steelers. It's a love-hate relationship at times but under the surface it's all love. I'm not going to cover the history of the Steelers themselves as it would take too long and I'm not qualified. But if you're a bar owner in Western Pennsylvania and you don't have Steelers gear, you're likely missing out on a loyal black and gold customer base. Btw, where do you think I got the idea for the black and gold blog colors?

I'm going to cover some Steelers neon sign designs but first a brief history on the Steeler logo. The 3 diamond design originated from the American Iron and Steel Institute, which looks similar even today. U.S. Steel used the logo as a marketing campaign push for steel itself. Radio, newspaper, and tv ads used the Steelmark logo on all kinds of products. The logos meanings changed but the colors came to represent orange for ore, yellow for coal, and blue for scrap iron (all materials used to make steel). AISI agreed to change the Steelmark from "Steel" to "Steelers". Their helmets were originally yellow and the emblem was only placed on the right side of the helmet, the only team to do so. The 1962 team became the winningest team in their history so to add a special flare they changed their helmets to black. The logo has never been changed and the Steelers remain the only team in the NFL to have their logo on only one side of their helmet.

One of the more popular Steelers neon bar signs is that of the official logo with yellow, red (orange but it looks red to me), and blue diamonds attached at the tips with the word "Steelers" in white neon protruding left from the tips. A white neon circle surrounds the logo. This sign measures 22" x 22" and includes a mounting kit with 3 hanging options, standing, ceiling, or wall hanging. The particular model I'm looking at uses a 110v plug and a 10 ft. extension cord. Probably one of the simplest designs. One of the less expensive signs is the 9"x 8"x 4" Steelers helmet neon. This shows the right side of the helmet (facing towards the right) with the white Steelers logo on black. The neon portion of the size is two tubes, one triphosphor white, one clear brite yellow, that form the outline of the helmet. Face mask included in the design. This is a wall display but can also be standing.

The next is a clear acrylic plastic Steelers sign that measures 12' x 9' w/ 2 pin plugs for 110-220v. This to me doesn't even look like a neon sign. These are the cheaper rectangle signs you'll see but there is a hanging chain and while I don't see any neon tubing, there is a neon lighting effect (it probably saves you electricity). This is one color, either a blue or red lighting effect. When it's turned off, it really just looks like etched glass with a florescent light above it. This particular design is exactly the same as the first I've described, but without the multicolored diamonds. But of this particular kind of sign, there are many different designs I'm seeing online, most cheaply priced at under $100 (note: likely not the true neon sign you're used to seeing in sports' bars). The other designs in this class are a Steelers football helmet with the Steelers emblem, the one in front of me happens to be yellow, though I suspect whoever this supplier happens to be offers all of these in different colors. You know what, check that, the bulbs are probably multicolored...duh (slaps forehead). Then there's exactly the same sign, same measurements, of the helmet w/ emblem but with the word "Steelers" underneath and to the right. I'm thinking these signs are mostly for people looking for something to hang in their den, sports room, office, or bedroom. I'm sure they could still be hung in a bar or pub, they just look a little cheaper than true neon signs to me.

The next one I like is this 11" x 8" black plaque with the three colored diamonds and in white lettering "Pittsburgh Steelers". I like this because it would otherwise be a great metal sign, but it also happens to have an orange neon border. The neon wraps around the lettering and the diamonds, so it's different and it's sharp looking. Again, this hangs on the wall and is 110v-240v compatible. Next is a 11" x 10" 100-240v neon with an old school black and gold design on a shield-shape sign. The top half of the shield is black lettered "Steelers" on gold, bottom half is white background colored Steelers logo on black. This is all surrounded with a bright yellow glowing neon tube also in the shape of the shield. This hangs on a metal chain like the rest, I like the design and colors of this one.

All right, this post is getting long, so I'll finish with some of my favorites. Some of my favorite sports neons are actually the company branded/organization ones such as Budweiser/NFL, Bud Lite/Steelers, Budweiser/Steelers, Miller Lite Browns (just kidding), but you get the point. I just think it's really smart advertising on both their parts and I just think they compliment each other. I'm looking at a pricier Miller Lite Go Steelers sign. It's larger than the others I've listed, 24" x 33" 110 volt U.L. listed transformer. This one says it's professionally made with a very quiet transformer and convenient on/off pull string. This sign is sectioned off into 3 parts. Top left in red, white, blue and yellow is the "Miller Lite" lettering. Directly underneath is "Go Steelers" in appropriate gold/yellow neon. To the right, and smaller than the Miller section is the colored Steelers logo surrounded in circular yellow tubing. The next is a 2 section Bud Lite Steelers neon sign. The top half is the Steelers yellow, red, and blue diamonds with white "Steelers" lettering, circled in white neon. Bottom section in white neon reads "Bud Lite" with red neoned oval border. Around the red is another 2 part white neoned oval. Very cool, another 110 volt, with transformer, measures 24" x 24". I'll finish this off with two very similar but different Budweiser Steelers designs. One is a 13" x 9" 110v-240v with Steeler logo on white with a red/orange neon. Beneath in beautiful cursive writing "Budweiser" in orange/red brightness. The next is similar but it measures 19" x 15", 120 v and the Steelers logo is much larger than the cursive budweiser print and white neon instead of the red/orange. All right I've written way too much again, I gotta take off and go pick up my buddy.