PITTSBURGH - The Steelers misled season-ticket holders about the location of seats in Heinz Field, an attorney for four Pittsburgh fans said in arguments before the state Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Two justices were already familiar with some aspects of the case. Chief Justice Ralph Cappy and the court's newest judge, Max Baer, are season-ticket holders. The justices made sure there were no objections before hearing arguments.

Attorney William Helzlsouer told the justices that the team duped fans with a "bait and switch" before the opening of Heinz Field. Fans were misled by an October 1998 sales brochure given to people who were asked to make a down payment on seats before the stadium was built, he said.

In 1999, the team required additional payments and made ticket buyers sign a contract - but by then the team had expanded the higher-priced sections to include seats originally depicted as being in cheaper sections in the brochure, he said.

Ronald Yocca of McKeesport, based on the brochure he was mailed, said he believed his seats would at worst be somewhere between the 20-yard lines when he made a down payment. He ended up on the 18-yard line.

The other plaintiffs expected to be no farther back than the 12th row of the upper deck, but ended up in the 16th row.

An attorney for the Steelers said the brochure never indicated the number of seats or rows in the stadium and that season-ticket holders were told only that exact seat locations would be revealed before the first season at Heinz Field.

"We're talking about a matter of yards and inches," said Michael Manzo. "This is not a case where someone expected to be on the 20-yard line and ended up in the end zone."

The suit was dismissed by a lower court in December 2002, but that decision was reversed eight months later by a three-judge panel of the Commonwealth Court. The Steelers appealed to the Supreme Court.