Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1533674
1 0 A P R I L 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 P enn State athletics director Pat- rick Kraft listened patiently to an extended list of hypotheticals on March 10 while meeting with the univer- sity's board of trustees to pitch a secured naming rights deal for Beaver Stadium. Following Kraft's presentation, the floor was opened to the trustees for questions and comments, of which there were many. Was Penn State leaving money on the table by accepting an offer from West Shore Home? Should the wishes of fans, whose at- tendance produces about $100 million in revenue, be taken into account? Should Penn State do something to ac- knowledge the significant contributions of Joe and Sue Paterno? Should the whole discussion be tabled until the board's next meeting in May so that other options could be explored in more detail? With so many what-ifs to consider, board chair David Kleppinger intervened, asking Kraft to respond to the litany of options. Thirty-seven minutes into the meeting, during which he had responded extensively to prior questions, Kraft of- fered his most succinct reply of the ses- sion. "This is the option we have in front of us," he said. "There are a bunch of things you can do. This is what we have in front of us." The dynamics of the meeting, dur- ing which the naming-rights deal was approved by a vote of 22-8, were not a surprise. Kraft and his team came to the board with a secured agreement for $50 million to name the field at Beaver Sta- dium for the next 15 years. Beginning with the 2025 season, some variation of "West Shore Home" or "West Shore Home Field" and its branding will appear on the field at Beaver Stadium and will remain there through 2039. The deal was the last step in a three- year process during which Penn State's athletics department developed a strong relationship with B.J. Werzyn, founder and CEO of West Shore Home and a 1999 PSU graduate. His donation is the second largest in the department's history, sur- passed only by the $102 million that Terry and Kim Pegula gave to Penn State to launch the men's and women's ice hockey programs and build Pegula Ice Arena. In a prepared statement announcing the deal, Kraft called it a "game-chang- ing" gift, noting that it "will have a lasting impact on our student-athletes, fans and community." "As an alumnus of our great University and a business owner in Central Pennsyl- vania, B.J. understands the critical role that Beaver Stadium plays in our com- munity, as well as the importance of pre- serving the great traditions of Penn State while helping us build a strong future," Kraft noted. "We are thankful for the Werzyn family and West Shore Home for their generosity and dedication to Penn State." Founded in 2006 and based in Mechan- icsburg, Werzyn's company has helped NEWS & NOTES PSU INKS NAMING-RIGHTS DEAL FOR BEAVER STADIUM NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M The board of trustees approved a $50 million naming-rights pact with West Shore Home in March. The agreement will pay PSU $3.3 million annually though 2039. PHOTO BY STEVEN WALTER/PENN STATE ATHLETICS