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Penn State Creates Savvy Marketing Campaign for Beaver Stadium Hockey Game

Penn State hockey is wearing football-inspired jerseys, while coach Matt Campbell will drop the puck for Saturday's outdoor game.
Mark Wogenrich|
A general view of Beaver Stadium after Matt Campbell is announced as the Penn State Nittany Lions new head football coach during a press conference.
A general view of Beaver Stadium after Matt Campbell is announced as the Penn State Nittany Lions new head football coach during a press conference. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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Rocco Becht, Penn State football's new quarterback, made his social media debut in a video about hockey. Becht arrived at his locker in the football building to find a hockey jersey, helmet and pair of ice skates. "Coach Campbell didn't mention skates," he says.

It's a smart 30-second piece of content that promotes not only Penn State's inaugural pair of hockey games at Beaver Stadium but also the new football program Matt Campbell is building. It also represents a slick method of introducing Penn State's new football team to the fan base.

Penn State this weekend will host the first two outdoor hockey games in Beaver Stadium history, bringing the eyes of college hockey to State College. On Friday, the fourth-ranked Penn State women's team takes on Robert Morris in the inaugural Beaver Stadium game.

Then on Saturday, the fifth-ranked Penn State men's hockey team will meet No. 2 Michigan State in the second game of their series doubleheader in State College (Game 1 is Friday night at Pegula Ice Arena). Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky said the program anticipates 65,000 fans to attend the outdoor game, which the athletic department has said will be an "historic moment" for the university.

From a hockey perspective, the Michigan State is important for the Nittany Lions, who bring a seven-game win streak to the weekend. They also seek a measure of revenge after getting swept by the Spartans in East Lansing in November.

But Penn State hockey also is using the weekend as a savvy crossover marketing plan with the football team. Campbell will participate in the ceremonial puck drop for Saturday's game at Beaver Stadium, and Becht's video marked the quarterback's first appearance in Penn State video content.

Meanwhile, the Penn State hockey team will wear uniforms featuring multiple nods to the football team's home kits. The Penn State hockey jerseys, which the team will wear only on Saturday, feature text that matches the font of Beaver Stadium's end-zone design.

Penn State usually wears white jerseys for home games, but the players will wear Navy sweaters Saturday, which the athletic department called "another stick tap to the Penn State football team." The jerseys also won't include names on the backs.

"The Nittany Lions will forego their usual name bars on the back of the sweater, opting instead to honor their on-campus hosts and lean into the football mantra: 'No Names, All Game,'" Penn State said in a news release. After the game, Penn State will auction the uniforms to benefit State College Coyotes Sled Hockey.

The hockey team even will arrive at Beaver Stadium the same way as the football team. The team's blue bus is scheduled to arrive at Beaver Stadium at 11 a.m. (two hours before the game, just like football) at the same intersection as the football team. Players will walk into the stadium via the same fan-lined scene.

"I couldn't think of a better way for the team to embrace football and the Penn State culture than playing at Beaver Stadium," Nittany Lions forward Dane Dowiak told reporters in State College this week.

For Penn State, the Beaver Stadium series initially was an opportunity to market not only its successful hockey programs but also the $700 million stadium renovation that is in Year 2. But with Campbell turning over nearly the entire football roster, Penn State has an opportunity to build some marketing momentum with its football program.

Campbell, who initially was scheduled to appear on ESPN's Pinstripe Bowl broadcast, instead should get some air time on Big Ten Network's telecast Saturday from Beaver Stadium. And Penn State is capitalizing on the moment to generate attention for both programs.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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