Football fans board Butler Transit Authority bus headed to NFL draft
JACKSON TWP — A sea of football jerseys flooded the Route 528 Park and Ride on Thursday morning, April 23, as fans boarded Butler Transit Authority buses to the NFL draft.
The transit authority announced in early April that it would transport fans to the draft in Pittsburgh by offering a $10 fare for a round trip to and from the city.
Fans of many teams — from the Kansas City Chiefs to the New Orleans Saints — showed up to utilize the buses. They were ready to go support their team.
“Public transportation might be the best option, to be honest.” Taylor Bishkney, a Butler resident and Steelers fan said, “Avoid the traffic and an Uber fee. It’s way cheaper.”
Fans often referred to traffic and price as a motivation to take the bus rather than drive to the city.
“It’s super outrageous down there, and you don’t have to deal with the traffic.” Broncos fan Jared Shaffer, of Jackson Township, said.
The buses had multiple stops for fans to choose from depending on their desired destination. Stanwix Street at Penn Avenue Place was the popular choice among the commuters, but other options included Ross Street at PRTX Station, William Penn Place PRTX Station and Logan Street at Centre Avenue, which also served as the rendezvous point for fans to catch the bus back to Jackson Township.
The mass amounts of fans from across the state made it an ideal week for other groups to put on fun events in the city.
While the draft is the main event this week, other draft-themed events are also taking place and attracting residents to the downtown area. Shaffer said before the draft, his group planned to join in on the “Terrible Tailgate” being put on by Steeler Nation.
The tailgate will even be welcoming some of the star players who will be giving out autographed jerseys to raffle winners, drawing in more fans hoping to catch a glimpse, or autograph, of Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer.
Chiefs fan and Butler County resident Oswald McCleery said he planned to visit Point State Park early before migrating to Acrisure Stadium to spectate and support the Chiefs in their early picks.
“For me, this is like the dream of a lifetime. This has always been on my bucket list.” McCleery said about the opportunity.
