Beaver Stadium

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Beaver Stadium

Former names	Beaver Field
Location	University Dr. & Park Ave, University Park, PA 16802
Coordinates	40°48′44″N 77°51′22″W / 40.81222°N 77.85611°W / 40.81222; -77.85611Coordinates: 40°48′44″N 77°51′22″W / 40.81222°N 77.85611°W / 40.81222; -77.85611
Opened	September 17, 1960Capacity 46,284
Renovated	2001 1985 Walkways and Ramps Added 1984 Lights Added
Expanded	2001 1991 Capacity 93,967 1980 Capacity 83,770 1978 Capacity 76,639 1976 Capacity 60,203 1972 Capacity 57,538 1969
Owner	Pennsylvania State University
Operator	Pennsylvania State University
Surface	Grass
Capacity	107,282 110,753 (Highest Attendance in Stadium History - September 14, 2002)
Tenants
Penn State Nittany Lions football (NCAA) (1960-present)

Beaver Stadium is an outdoor football stadium located on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. It is home to the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference. The stadium is named for James A. Beaver, a former governor of Pennsylvania (1887–91) and president of the university's board of trustees.^[1]

Beaver Stadium has a capacity of 107,282, making it the largest stadium in the United States (Michigan Stadium will once again be larger upon completion of renovations in 2010), the largest stadium in North America, and the third largest stadium in the world.

Beaver Stadium is widely known as one of the toughest venues for opposing teams in collegiate athletics. Kirk Herbstreit of ESPN says that Penn State has the best student section in the nation and Gameday at PSU is "The Greatest Show in College Sports". In 2008, Beaver Stadium was recognized as having the best student section in the country for the second consecutive year.^[2]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Predecessors 1.2 Expansions 2 Records 2.1 Attendance records 3 Traditions 3.1 Tailgating 3.2 Student Section "S-Zone" 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Predecessors

Until 1893, Penn State teams participated in sporting events on Old Main lawn, a large grassy area in front of the primary classroom building of the time. Beaver Field, a 500-seat structure located behind the current site of the Osmond Building, was the first permanent home for Penn State's football team, and the first game played there was a Penn State victory over Western University of Pennsylvania (now the University of Pittsburgh) on November 6, 1893. In 1909, New Beaver Field opened just northeast of Rec Hall, roughly in the current location of the Nittany Parking deck. It served as Penn State's stadium until 1960, when the entire 30,000 seat stadium was dismantled and moved to the east end of campus, reassembled and expanded to 46,284 seats, and dubbed Beaver Stadium.

[edit] Expansions

Expansions in 1969, 1974 and 1976 increased capacity to 60,203. In 1978, 16,000 seats were added when the stadium was cut into sections and raised on hydraulic lifts, allowing the insertion of seating along the inner ring of the stadium where the track had previously been located. In 1980, maximum capacity increased to 83,770. An expansion was completed for the 1991 football season, placing an upper deck addition over the north end zone and raising capacity to over 90,000.

A major and somewhat controversial construction project took place in 2001, raising the stadium's total capacity to 107,282. An upper deck was added to the south end of the stadium, blocking the view of neighboring Mount Nittany (which had sentimental value for some fans), but making Beaver Stadium the 2nd largest stadium in the United States, only behind Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, MI.

The stadium is home to what many consider to be the best student section in the country. In 2007, over 22,000 student tickets sold out in 59 minutes. In 2008, when tickets were sold by grade, tickets allotted for junior students sold out in 90 seconds, and those for sophomores and freshmen sold out in under three minutes each.

In 2006, the stadium underwent major structural and aesthetic upgrades. Old steel beams supporting the upper seats in the east, north and west were replaced and strengthened, and new railing was installed, stronger than the old railing which collapsed following the 2005 Ohio State game.

The appearance of the stadium has been enhanced with the addition of large blue letters spelling out "The Pennsylvania State University" on the west-facing suites, and a list of Penn State's undefeated, national championship, and Big Ten championship years underneath. On the opposite side of the stadium, letters spelling, "Penn State Nittany Lions" have been added to the press box, with "Beaver Stadium" running below. Nine markers depicting the various traditions of Beaver Stadium, including the Blue Band, the student section, and the blue buses which bring the team to the stadium, have been placed around the stadium as well. In late October, the walls surrounding the field were refaced with Pennsylvania limestone. An iron gate has replaced the old chain-link face at the players' entrance into the stadium. On the new gate the words "PENN STATE" appear in blue.

[edit] Records

Beaver Stadium's record crowd of 110,753 witnessed Penn State's 40–7 victory over Nebraska on September 14, 2002.^[4]

In 2002, Penn State also set an NCAA record for largest season attendance, with 1,257,707 watching Penn State games over the course of the season.^[5]

It is boasted by the Penn State community that during home games at State College the stadium is the 3rd largest city by "population" in the state. It follows Philadelphia (1,517,550) and Pittsburgh (334,563) and precedes Allentown (106,632).

[edit] Attendance records

Rank	Attendance	Date	Game result
1	110,753	Sept. 14, 2002	Penn State 40, Nebraska 7
2	110,134	Oct. 27, 2007	Ohio State 37, Penn State 17
3	110,078	Sept. 8, 2007	Penn State 31, Notre Dame 10
4	110,017	Oct. 18, 2008	Penn State 46, Michigan 17
5	110,007	Oct. 14, 2006	Michigan 17, Penn State 10
6	109,865	Nov. 5, 2005	Penn State 35, Wisconsin 14
7	109,845	Nov. 22, 2008	Penn State 49, Michigan State 18
8	109,839	Oct. 8, 2005	Penn State 17, Ohio State 10
9	109,754	Oct. 13, 2007	Penn State 38, Wisconsin 7
10	109,626	Sept. 27, 2008	Penn State 38, Illinois 24

[edit] Traditions

[edit] Tailgating

Tailgating is very popular outside Beaver Stadium. Alcohol is permitted in all areas around Beaver Stadium on home football games, except inside Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center (Alcohol is permitted inside Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, but only alcohol purchased inside the ballpark). Both the Bryce Jordan Center and Medlar Field at Lubrano Park are open for special events before kickoff during home football games.

[edit] Student Section "S-Zone"

The student section "s-zone" is another tradition at Beaver Stadium. A small section on the 20-yard line are all given white and blue shirts by the Pennsylvania State University Lion Ambassadors to create an "S" in the senior student section. For the most recent home-coming game, the "s-zone was black and pink", in honor of the original Penn State colors.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Stadium Information Summary
• Stadium History and Records
• Top 10 Scariest Places to Play

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v • d • e Football stadiums of the Big Ten Conference Beaver Stadium (Penn State) • Camp Randall Stadium (Wisconsin) • Kinnick Stadium (Iowa) • Memorial Stadium (Illinois) • Memorial Stadium (Indiana)  • Michigan Stadium (Michigan) • Ohio Stadium (Ohio State) • Ross-Ade Stadium (Purdue) • Ryan Field (Northwestern) • Spartan Stadium (Michigan State)  • TCF Bank Stadium (Minnesota)

v • d • e College football venues in Pennsylvania Division I FBS Big East Heinz Field (Pittsburgh) Big Ten Beaver Stadium (Penn State) MAC Lincoln Financial Field (Temple) Division I FCS CAA Villanova Stadium (Villanova) Ivy League Franklin Field (Pennsylvania) Northeast Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field (Duquesne) • DeGol Field (Saint Francis) • Joe Walton Stadium (Robert Morris) Patriot League Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium (Bucknell) • Fisher Field (Lafayette) • Goodman Stadium (Lehigh) Division II PSAC Hepner-Bailey Field at Adamson Stadium (California) • Biemesderfer Stadium (Millersville) • Eiler-Martin Stadium (East Stroudsburg) • Farrell Stadium (West Chester) • Gannon University Field (Gannon) • George P. Miller Stadium (IUP) • Hubert Jack Stadium (Lock Haven) • Louis J. Tullio Field (Mercyhurst) • Memorial Field (Clarion) • N. Kerr Thompson Stadium (Slippery Rock) • O’Shields-Stevenson Stadium (Cheyney) • Robert B. Redman Stadium (Bloomsburg) • Seth Grove Stadium (Shippensburg) • Sox-Harrison Stadium (Edinboro) • University Field (Kutztown) WVIAC Offutt Field (Seton Hill) Division III Centennial Biddle Field (Dickinson) • Knox Stadium (Juniata) • Musselman Stadium (Gettyburg) • Patterson Field (Ursinus) • Scotty Wood Stadium (Muhlenberg) • Sponaugle-Williamson Field (Franklin & Marshall) • Steel Field (Moravian) Liberty Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium (Susquehanna) Middle Atlantic Arnold Field (Lebanon Valley) • David Person Field (Lycoming) • James Work Memorial Stadium (Delaware Valley) • King's Football Stadium at Robert L. Betzler Fields (King's) • Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium (Widener) • Ralston Field (Wilkes) • Shirk Stadium (Albright) North Coast Frank B. Fuhrer Field (Allegheny) Presidents' Reeves Field (Geneva) • Robert E. Thorn Field (Grove City) • Chuck Noll Field (St. Vincent) • Alumni Stadium (Thiel) • Cameron Stadium (Washington & Jefferson) • John F. Wiley Stadium (Waynesburg College) • Harold Burry Stadium (Westminster) UAA Gesling Stadium (Carnegie Mellon)