As the Pittsburgh Pirates prepare for the beginning of the 21st season at PNC Park, the team announced several enhancements to the digital experience for fans, as well as upgrades being made to the digital connectivity throughout at the ballpark.

To streamline the fan experience and remove as many touch points as possible, PNC Park will shift to exclusively utilizing digital tickets, beginning with the Pirates 2021 Home Opener on April 8 at 1:35 p.m.

For easy and contactless entry into the ballpark, all fans are asked to have their tickets ready on their mobile device in the MLB Ballpark app at the gate. Complete information, including instructions on downloading the MLB Ballpark app, is available at Pirates.com/ballparkapp. Tickets can also be purchased through the app, allowing for the ultimate convenience as well as the ability to skip the lines at the PNC Park Box Office.

All tickets purchased up to this point are now live in the Ballpark app and fans are encouraged to add their mobile tickets to their Apple or Google Wallet for ease of entry to the Ballpark.

By downloading the MLB Ballpark app ahead of time, fans are able to take advantage of forwarding tickets to friends and family, use interactive concourse maps, directories and more.

Once inside PNC Park, fans will notice faster uploads and download speeds as the Pirates have installed Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network and are in the process of upgrading the ballpark’s Wi-Fi system to a Wi-Fi 6 venue. These upgrades will allow for an enhanced digital experience while staying connected around the ballpark and make it easier to follow a second screen experience when in the facility.

The upgrade to the network is also important for future in-park innovations such as streamline the point of sale purchasing as the ballpark makes the transition this season to offering a completely cashless experience.

In a continued effort to limit touchpoints and to maintain a safe environment, cash will no longer be accepted by ballpark vendors or in the Pirates Clubhouse Stores. Only credit and debit cards as well as Apple/Google Pay will be accepted throughout.

To assist those who may rely on cash transactions, the Pirates have installed reverse ATMs to convert cash to a pre-paid Visa card. This service is free of charge to fans and the cards can be used throughout the ballpark and anywhere Visa cards are accepted outside of the facility. Fans may add any amount up to $500 on the cards at the two reverse ATMs found in sections 119 and 319.