Pirates finally draw fans to PNC Park for Mac Miller night, still manage to screw it up

Chicago White Sox v Pittsburgh Pirates
Chicago White Sox v Pittsburgh Pirates | Justin Berl/GettyImages

The Pittsburgh Pirates' Mac Miller bobblehead night drew the largest home crowd of the season, as more than 38,000 fans flocked to PNC Park on Saturday to grab a memento honoring the late rapper and his hometown team. However, nearly half of them left the stadium disappointed and empty-handed.

The special edition bobblehead was promised to the first 20,000 fans to pass through the PNC Park gates for Saturday's game against the Chicago White Sox, which featured a celebration of Miller's life and legacy as part of the Pirates' annual "Yinzerpalooza" weekend celebrating Pittsburgh culture with themed giveaways and events.

The bobblehead, designed in collaboration with Miller’s family, plays one of his most iconic songs, "Knock, Knock," with the press of a button.

Miller's mother, brother and longtime friend and former manager were all on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch as part of the celebration.

Pirates finally draw fans to PNC Park for Mac Miller night, still manage to screw it up

Some fans began lining up as early as 8 a.m., more than 10 hours before the 6:40 p.m. first pitch, to ensure that they were among the first 20,000 through the gates to receive their one-of-a-kind collectible. Videos circulated on social media showing the line extending halfway across the Roberto Clemente Bridge and looping into downtown Pittsburgh.

Per a report from WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, poor planning and distribution led to some fans grabbing multiple bobbleheads at once and attempting to resell them both inside and outside the stadium. Some upset fans were even fighting over bobbleheads, which are now selling online for as much as $2,000.

Additional activations celebrating Miller's life and legacy during Saturday's game included a special chalk art exhibition, a fan message wall and a special edition t-shirt available only at the Pirates Clubhouse Store. A portion of proceeds from the t-shirts sold will benefit The Mac Miller Fund, which "supports programming, resources, and opportunities to youth from underserved communities, helping them recognize their full potential through exploration in the arts and community building."

The t-shirts quickly sold out on Saturday, with some hitting the online resale market for hundreds of dollars. The Pirates confirmed that they have ordered more shirts and will begin selling them in the clubhouse store on July 25. Fans who attended the game but were cheated out of their bobbleheads, however, appear to be out of luck.

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