Penn State Football Stadium Renovations to Help with NIL, Recruiting
Announcement of $700 million Beaver Stadium remodel makes waves across college football
The Penn State Board of Trustees made a big decision on Tuesday, voting 26-2 to approve the remaining $630 million in funding needed for renovations at Beaver Stadium, according to Ben Jones of StateCollege.com.
The project will be paid for by the athletic programs and no tuition funding will be used, according to Jones.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am delighted to share there is overwhelming support for the University’s recommendation to renovate Beaver Stadium,” said Board of Trustees Chair Matt Schuyler.
Already one of the top college football programs of all time, this should only help the Nittany Lions. With these types of renovations, not only does it appeal to future recruits, but it could lead to alumni donating NIL money.
Competing in arguably the best conference in college football, which got better when the Big Ten added Washington, UCLA, USC, and Oregon, NIL funds are a necessity for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions.
The project includes a new 21,000-square-foot welcome center for events. Beaver Stadium has hosted other events other than football games in the past, but it's best known for holding the prestigious White Out game.
Penn State has typically been a top-10 team in the country throughout the past few seasons under Franklin. However, they've yet to get to the College Football Playoffs, which is what many of their massive fanbase views as the mark for success.
With the new College Football Playoff model, the expectation is for Penn State to be there every year. It won't be any easier, as they'll take on USC, UCLA, and Washington next season, but they also won't play Michigan.
This is a step in the right direction for the program, a much-needed upgrade. Now, they'll have to hope that it entices alumni and recruits as they look to continue bringing in top-ranked recruiting classes.
JON CONAHAN
Jon Conahan has been covering all major sports since 2019. He is a 2022 graduate of the Bellisario School of Journalism at Penn State University and previously played D1 baseball.