Penn State Sports Magazine
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A P R I L 2 0 2 5 11 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Penn State take another large step toward its goal of raising $134 million in private funding for the $700 million project. However, the size of the gift was not enough to dissuade a faction of the board from seeking a different outcome. That faction has sought more recognition for Paterno, whose 409 wins over 46 seasons are the most in FBS history. Two former Penn State football players who are now on the board — Brandon Short and Matt McGloin — were among the eight trustees who voted against the agreement. "I'm a proud product of the Grand Ex- periment, and I love Joe Paterno," Short said. "No matter where you stand on this issue, you can't deny that there are a large number of alumni who believe that Joe was mistreated, and naming the field [for Paterno] was a way to make things right." Added McGloin, "You're trying to erase 46 years as a head coach, and what's hap- pening now may look like a successful move, but I don't believe it's a very honor- able one." Appearing on the "Ross Tucker Foot- ball Podcast," Werzyn acknowledged Pa- terno's enormous contributions to Penn State but said the ultimate goal is to posi- tion the program for success in the years ahead. "We're just looking forward to helping the university achieve academic, athletic and philanthropic excellence," Werzyn said. "Coach Paterno was the coach when I went to school here. Nothing that we're doing here is trying to tarnish his legacy, erase his legacy. Anybody that grew up a Penn State fan has nothing but respect for Coach Paterno's legacy. But this is more about West Shore Home building their own legacy and how we can build a legacy of service to the Penn State community. "I hope most people do understand that getting Paterno's name on the field prob- ably wasn't going to happen or be a reality. So, this is the absolute best thing for the football team, for the athletic department and the university." More than a dozen years have passed since Paterno's exit, and the Penn State community is still grappling with his legacy. Even some of the board members who voted to approve the deal said it's important to continue having those con- versations publicly. At other points in the meeting, num- bers were floated as to what a fundraising campaign on Paterno's behalf could yield. "Hundreds of millions," one board member speculated. Numbers like that are inevitably go- ing to sound enticing given the heavy lift that Penn State has undertaken by self-funding a massive construction project. But they are hypothetical. With construction already underway, Penn State has immediate needs. Werzyn has stepped up to help meet those needs. The same cannot be said of any other option. What's more, there's been debate over how best to salute Paterno. In the wake of the naming-rights deal, Michael Mauti, the former PSU linebacker who is now an associate director of development with the Nittany Lion Club, contended that the most fitting tribute would be to add another national championship trophy to the two that Paterno won. "I played for Joe Paterno," Mauti wrote on X (Twitter). "My dad played for Joe. My brother played for Joe. I'm certain his legacy isn't about a name on a field — it's about what we do on it and the impact we make outside the lines. [In my opinion] the best way to honor him is to go win a national title. Let's get aligned around that." ■ According to the Sports Business Journal, the most lucrative naming-rights deal in college athletics, at least when calculated on an annual basis, is Wash- ington's 10-year, $41 million pact with Alaska Airlines. That's not even close to the top deal in North American sports. Crypto.com is set to pay $35 million annually through 2041 for the rights to the Los Angeles Lakers' home court, which used to be known as Staples Center and is also home to the NHL's Kings and WNBA's Sparks. Colleges lag well behind the pros when it comes to naming-rights revenue. In SBJ's rankings, there are 53 major-league facilities ahead of Washington's foot - ball stadium. That could be changing, though. With schools having to find new ways of funding their teams in an era of increasing professionalization, there will be more incentive than ever to find high-rolling corporate partners. Below are the 10 most lucrative multiyear naming-rights deals at the college level. Penn State and Ohio State did not appear on SBJ's list but have been added in the wake of PSU's $50 million agreement with West Shore Home. — Matt Herb TOP 10 MULTIYEAR NAMING RIGHTS DEALS Rk. Stadium Sponsor School Annual Total Yrs. 1. Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium Alaska Airlines Washington $4.1M $41M 10 (2025) 2. West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium West Shore Home Penn State $3.3M $50M 15 (2039) 3. Mountain America Stadium Mountain America Credit Union Arizona State $3.13M $50M 16 (2039) 4. Snapdragon Stadium Qualcomm San Diego State $3M $45M 15 (2037) 5. Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field Hyundai Georgia Tech $2.75M $55M 20 (2043) 6. Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium Canvas Credit Union Colorado State $2.51M $37.65M 15 (2033) 7. Safelite Field at Ohio Stadium Safelite AutoGlass Ohio State $2.5M — — 8. MVP Arena MVP Health Services Siena $2.12M $10.6M 5 (2026) 9. L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium L&N Federal Credit Union Louisville $2.07M $39.24M 19 (2042) 10. State Farm Center State Farm Illinois $2M $60M 30 (2043) Sources: Sports Business Journal, Penn State Athletics, Ohio State Athletics Penn State's Stadium Pact Among Nation's Most Lucrative