Opus to Publish Largest Ever Book on the Pittsburgh Steelers
LONDON and PITTSBURGH, 4th July 2017 – Opus today announced the planned publication and pre order release of The Official ‘Pittsburgh Steelers Opus’, which will celebrate the history and incredible success of one of the National Football League’s most iconic and prestigious franchises, The Pittsburgh Steelers, detailing its unique story and growth into one of the most recognizable and respected sports teams that in the world today.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Opus with full official cooperation is also a creative and project collaboration with Steelers ownership group member and lifelong fan Thomas Tull. Thomas’ knowledge and insight of the franchise has been invaluable and it has been his passion, drive and indeed love of everything connected with the Steelers and the Rooney Family that has helped create a body of work befitting of the Steelers history and special legacy.
The Steelers Opus will chronicle the evolution of The Pittsburgh Steelers from its formative years under its founder Art Rooney Sr as a team that galvanized a city, and follow its journey through the iconic decade of the 1970’s depicted by the Steel Curtain team and the Steelers first of six Super Bowl victories and continue the story to the present day. It will present an in-depth and comprehensive journey through the archives that will unearth hidden and forgotten treasures and stories to illuminate and excite the emotions of Steelers fans around the world.
Breathtaking game action photography, many images spanning one metre wide and several two metre wide gatefolds will drive the narrative through the 800-plus giant pages in the Opus, which will be complemented by exclusively written essays and interviews with many of the icons players and coaches, past and present, that have helped make the Pittsburgh Steelers the unique football franchise that it is today. Contributions from the likes of Hall of Famer’s Lynn Swann, Jerome Bettis, Franco Harris, Joe Greene, John Stallworth, Hines Ward, Jack Ham, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Blount to name just a few, from coaches Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin, and current Steelers greats such as Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and many many more all who infuse and share anecdotes and stories about their personal memories and contributions to the Pittsburgh Steelers legacy. The Steelers Opus is designed to educate, inspire and share the glory with fans young and old on a scale previously unseen and become the ultimate collectors piece to treasure for future generations.
Opus also has the honour to team up on this special project with world renowned and acclaimed, multi disciplined photographer and film director Alba Tull, who’s eye for special moments and such emotive photography is captured and showcased throughout in principle photography, including an unprecedented perspective on a Steelers ‘Game Day’ and a special portrait gallery created by Alba during exclusive access to the Steelers training camp at St Vincent College.
The Limited Marquee Opus ‘Icons’ Edition itself will run to 800 sensational pages, each measuring 20 inches x 20 inches (45cm x 45cm) weighing in excess of 32 Kg (70lb). The Opus will be leather hand bound, signed by Steelers Hall of Fame greats and icons, individually numbered and include special features and experiences. The ‘Icons’ Edition will also include a giant ‘Megatron’ fold out page measuring over 20 feet setting a new World Record as the longest page ever published. It will be presented in a beautiful, hand-made clamshell case specially designed for the Steelers Opus.
A second format of the Opus, The ‘Steelers Nation’ Edition, measuring 15 inches x 15 inches (38cm x 38cm) will tell the same story as its larger companion but at a price point to appeal to a wider fan base and with edited content. Still weighing in at approximately 15kg, this Midi Edition is created to satisfy the demands of a much wider fan base at a more affordable price point, whilst retaining the large format luxurious content elements throughout.
Additional information
Opus Media Group is the world’s leading publisher of collectible large-format limited editions, produced in partnership with iconic personalities, brands and organizations including Major League Baseball, Michael Jackson, Manchester United FC, Formula 1, The Vatican, Ferrari.
Karl Fowler, Opus CEO, said, “The Pittsburgh Steelers story is one that Opus is not only immensely proud but very honoured to have the opportunity to tell. It is an exciting project that has been a long time in the making, and could only have been made possible though the personal involvement, guidance, vision, deep passion and collaboration of Steelers owner Thomas Tull. As a founding member of the National Football League spearheaded by the initial creation of Art Rooney Sr and then continued and expanded by the universally respected Dan Rooney, to President Art Rooney II’s vision and leadership, a family that has lead the team to six Super Bowl victories with a style and integrity so unique in world sport. To be able to tell this story in such large format, showing unseen photographs and treasures of insight into how this was achieved will hopefully make the Steelers Opus rather special. We are truly excited about this opportunity and looking forward to releasing a body of work that we hope will do justice to everything that The Pittsburgh Steelers and its ‘Steelers Nation’ everywhere hold dear.”
Ryan Huzjak, Vice President of Sales and Marketing “We are very excited with the opportunity to showcase the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers in a unique way that has never been done in the past. The Opus book promises to give Steelers Nation an exclusive look at photos, memorabilia and untold stories about the Rooney Family and the success that the organization has achieved since 1933. We are thrilled to work with Opus on this project and look forward to its release soon.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers Opus can be pre-ordered at www.steelers.com/fan-zone/steelers-opus
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