A new, improved, fan-friendly Beaver Stadium is coming, thanks to a $700 million renovation of the home of Penn State football now underway.
It won’t be done until 2027, but the Nittany Lions will play football there this year and next. The fan experience in those seasons won’t be like the finished product, or like the old, creaky Beav.
It will still be one of the biggest stadiums in the world by seating capacity, Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said Monday.
"We should be at full capacity," Kraft said during a press conference. "With the (temporary seating) we should be really, really close."
The stadium’s official seating capacity is 106,572, making it the second-largest (after Michigan Stadium) in America and the fourth-largest on Earth.
Penn State played a football game at Beaver Stadium Dec. 21, beating SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff. The press-box structure on the stadium’s west side was dropped by demolition Jan. 4, and work had continued steadily, and despite the worst of winter weather, since.
"We're trying to make it so it's as loud as humanly possible, and continue to keep this as the greatest home-field advantage in all of sports,’’ Kraft said.
Some of the work has already been done - new escalators, video and ribbon boards, for example. But the finished product is a long way off. To span the gap, temporary seating will be constructed on the stadium’s west side, provided by the same company that constructs the temporary and raucous “golf stadium,’’ for the PGA Tour’s West Management Phoenix Open.
"It will look very temporary," Kraft admitted. “Honestly, I think the temp seats may have a better seat than (season-ticket holders) have right now, in the old west side.
"You'll see a little bit of a construction footprint by (Gates) B and C, but should be able to get in still. Parking won't have any issues. But they're going to keep working throughout the year. So it's going to be an active site."
Kraft suggested that even the look and experience fans will get in the fall won’t be possible for the annual Blue-White intrasquad game in April.
“The spring game’s gonna be interesting,’’ Kraft said. “And by interesting, I really don't know what it's gonna look like.”
The stadium renovation is part of a conspicuous effort to go “all-in,’’ in college football’s arms race over facilities, coaching salaries and player compensation. The magic word is one of Franklin’s favorites, “alignment,’’ meaning everyone in the Penn State administration, athletic department and football building see the project the same way.
It is by no means the only part that’s been in the news lately.
Head coach James Franklin responded to the departure of defensive coordinator Tom Allen to Clemson by hiring Jim Knowles, considered perhaps the best in the sport, away from Ohio State and paying him $3.1 million per year for three years, believed to be the highest salary ever for an assistant college football coach.
Kraft called it a no-brainer.
“We can afford it, we can go and do what we're gonna do,’’ he said. “Why would I shortchange it when you got a chance to go get the best coordinator?”
Months ago, Franklin expressed a desire to hire a general manager, not unlike those of pro-sports teams, to manage the financial and roster-management issues created by the coming NCAA revenue sharing.
“I agree with James about that, if we found the right person that could fit,’’ Kraft said.
“But, a lot of general managers you’re seeing now have full roster discretion, … meaning, they’re choosing the players much like the pros. I don’t agree with that.
“There’s different ways to look at general manager - handling the cap, handling scholarships. We have not hired one. We continue to talk to a lot of people.’’
Kraft even said he’s in alignment with fans on working the transfer portal to beef up one position-group.
“We all know we need wide receiver help, so we gotta go find one,’’ he said. “I think we have some really good ones in the building, but everyone knows.”
