The Pittsburgh Pirates and PNC Bank announced the recipients of the 2025 Going to Bat for Small Business Program, presented by PNC. The program, returning for the sixth consecutive year, shines a spotlight on one local business each month of the season. Each of the six highlighted businesses were chosen for their dedication to making a positive impact on the greater Pittsburgh community.
The Pirates and PNC Bank will award each of the winners with a marketing package valued up to $100,000 and an additional $5,000 grant. As part of the package, the Pirates will leverage their unique public platform to help these businesses boost brand awareness. This will include in-broadcast drop-ins by Pirates broadcasters, 30-second television and radio commercials produced by the Pirates, social media promotion with logo inclusion on graphics, in-park digital signage, a premium suite night and more.
¡°Born out of our desire to help small businesses survive the pandemic, this program continues to assist local businesses and the people who count on them,¡± said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting. ¡°Thanks to our strong partnership with PNC, we are proud to support these local small businesses. They are the backbone of our local neighborhoods. Their success is a critical part of Pittsburgh¡¯s success.¡±
The program, which began in 2020 as a way to assist local businesses who were struggling from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a unique opportunity for our neighborhood businesses to increase their exposure and receive the big-league marketing treatment. Over the first five years of the program, the Pirates and PNC have directed more than three million dollars in marketing assets to area small businesses.
¡±Hearing from the dozens of local entrepreneurs who have benefitted from this program is nothing short of inspiring,¡± said Lou Cestello, regional president of PNC in Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pa. ¡°Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, and PNC is proud to team up with the Pirates for our sixth season helping move these organizations¡ªand the Pittsburgh community¡ªforward.¡±
The 2025 program winners were selected by a special committee, which includes past winners, local area chamber of commerce personnel, media members and community organizations. The recipients are:
? Casey Droege Cultural Productions: A community-focused arts programming offering commercial art consulting services.
? Lincoln Avenue Brewery: A brewery that aims to bring people together over great food, craft beer, and shared experiences.
? Aunt Cheryl¡¯s Baking & Catering: A local caf¨¦ serving delicious food and baked goods, located in Braddock, Pa.
? West Hills Gazette: An online news outlet serving the western suburbs of Pittsburgh.
? Community Equip'd: A unique consulting group that focuses on nonprofit organizational development, fundraising and marketing.
? Atlas Dreams Languages: An organization that provides interpretation and document translation services and specializes in providing language solutions tailored to communities in need.
Earlier this year, small businesses located in Allegheny County and the immediate surrounding counties were invited to apply for consideration and from those applications the six recipients were chosen. For more information on the program, including how to nominate your business and how fans can get involved, please visit pirates.com/smallbusiness.