The Pittsburgh Pirates—the pride of the Steel City — appear to be caught in a perfect storm. Beyond the standard peaks and valleys of a long season, a series of troubling off-field events has unsettled the franchise. These aren’t just isolated mishaps; they paint a picture of an organization dealing with its public image. Former MLB executive David Samson didn’t mince words, describing the situation as a “NIGHTMARE on and off the field.”

The most recent incidents, which happened around Sunday, May 5th, 2025, involved a PNC Park game day worker beating up a fan. A video showed the employee repeatedly punching the fan as well as using a belt on him. The Pirates suspended the employee, calling his actions “entirely unacceptable.”

This brawl was the explosive fifth act that David Samson, ex-Marlins president, described on his Nothing Personal podcast as potentially the “worst stretch of PR in the history of teams.” Referring to the fight, Samson stated, “And yesterday Five. Yesterday, there was a fight between a game day employee and a fan. An actual fight caught on video.”

Samson didn’t stop there, outlining a season already packed with “statement after statement after statement. Mess after mess after mess.” He recounted the timeline: “Do you remember it started with the Pirates? There was an article on the front page of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. We covered it, saying the Pirates and the owner are a cheap owner, all of this ticket revenue and gate revenue, and he’s not using it on payroll. Front page top of the fold in Pittsburgh O for 1.”

That March 16th article detailed how, between 2022-2024, the Pirates’ $215.6 million ticket and concession revenue virtually mirrored their $214 million player payroll, fueling the “cheap owner” storyline directed towards Bob Nutting.

The PR disaster ballooned further into April. As Samson remembered, “Two, the Roberto Clemente ad on the outfield wall. Remember, they removed it, and they put up an advertisement. Then they put it back because the Clemente family was despondent.” The Pirates had swapped out their most revered icon with a Surfside alcoholic beverage ad, sparking fury from fans and Roberto Clemente Jr. himself, before an apology and restoration.

Then came what Samson dubbed “Three, the brick program.” He noted, “All of this is this season, and it’s only May 7th, they took out the bricks that had people’s names on it…and they found the bricks in a pile like 20 miles away getting thrown out.” These fan-purchased “Bucco Bricks,” symbols of loyalty, were discovered discarded at a recycling plant, forcing another Pirates apology and a promise for a new display.

Earlier, before the employee fight, another grave incident shook PNC Park. Samson stated, “Four, A guy fell out of the stands.” On April 30th, 20-year-old fan Kavan Markwood tragically fell 21 feet from the Clemente Wall, suffering critical injuries including a broken neck. While the fall was deemed accidental, and railing heights met code, it added a somber note of fan safety concern to the Pirates’ already overflowing cup of woes.

Glimmers of hope amidst the Pirates’ struggles

On the field, the Pirates have struggled to find their footing in the 2025 season. Their records as of the first week of May were a pathetic 12-23. This placed them firmly in last place in the National League Central division. They found themselves a significant 9.0 games behind the division leader. Their challenging performance on the diamond only amplifies the negativity surrounding the off-field issues.

Among a sea of negativity, there are some beacons of hope with the Pirates’ roster. The highly praised rookie pitcher Paul Skenes showed early promise, consistently pitching at least five innings in his first eight starts of 2025. Left-handed pitching prospect Hunter Barco also earned a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis in early May after a dominant 25.2 scoreless innings with an impressive 34:7 strikeout-to-walk ratio at Double-A Altoona.

Beyond individual player performances, the Pirates organization has maintained community engagement efforts. Their schedule included initiatives like Education Days, in partnership with the Carnegie Science Center, aimed at enriching student experiences. They also hosted a Mental Health Action Night featuring Pirates Charities and mental health awareness programs. While these community-focused events are positive, their impact risks being overshadowed by the larger cloud of negative publicity.