Penn State Sports Magazine
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1 0 M A R C H 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M T hroughout his tenure as head coach at Penn State, James Franklin has hailed the capacity of Beaver Sta- dium as a major selling point for the program. The Nittany Lions' longtime home is the fourth-largest stadium in the world. Or rather, it was the fourth-largest in the world. Penn State's massive overhaul began in earnest in early January with the demolition of the press box, and in the weeks since, workers have been disman- tling the grandstand. Now, the stadium's capacity — for the next two years and beyond — is a matter of some conjecture. Penn State didn't provide a specific number on Feb. 13 when it unveiled a batch of renderings of the project, which will modernize and expand the stadium's west side. However, in an FAQ accom- panying the renders, the university said, "We are very proud of Beaver Stadium being one of the largest stadiums in the country, and we are committed to main- taining that!!!" The stadium's projected capacity has been one of the most frequently dis- cussed aspects of the $700 million revi- talization project. Fans have followed the breadcrumbs wherever they've appeared, scrutinizing friend-of-a-friend message board posts and other vague clues. Following a recent campus visit, four- star defensive end Jake Kreul of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., captured the attention of many Penn State fans when he posted a video on Instagram of the various athletic and academic fa- cilities he'd toured. In the voiceover, he said, "After their renovations, their stadium will be the largest in the world." For the record, India's Narendra Modi Stadium is currently the world's larg- est stadium. Built for cricket matches, it seats 114,600 and can accommodate as many as 132,000 spectators with standing-room capacity factored in. Michigan Stadium is the largest athletic venue in the United States with a capac- ity of 107,601. Beaver Stadium's capacity has been listed at 106,572 in recent years, but the Nittany Lions have exceeded that figure on many occasions. Their top 15 best- attended games are all above 110,000, including last year's clash with Ohio State, which drew a stadium-record 111,030 fans. In addition to the overall capacity, Penn State fans have been speculating about how the changes will affect a game-day atmosphere that has long been cited as one of the best in college sports. A fre- quently cited concern is that the "all for one" identity of Beaver Stadium will be lost with the addition of more premium seating. However, the numbers that Penn State has revealed suggest that won't be the case. When the project is complete in 2027, 75 percent of the new seating will be non- premium. While there will be 15 execu- tive suites, eight founder's suites, and 30 loge boxes, the west side of the stadium is set to include 7,000 lower sideline chair-back seats in addition to the 2,000 Schuyler-level seats that will span the 30- yard lines. There will be 2,500 seats in the Marzano Club level. And, up top, another 11,000 upper sideline bench seats are set for inclusion. Penn State Offers Glimpse At Revamped Beaver Stadium NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M NEWS & NOTES Set to be entirely rebuilt, the west side of Beaver Stadium is the focus of Penn State's $700 million renovation project. RENDERING COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETICS