May 27, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; May 27, 2014 - Another portion of the Beaver Stadium videoboard project was completed today, as a second 35' by 25' back lit Nittany Lion logo was secured on the south side of Beaver Stadium.
The 6,500-pound logo is on the back of the new stadium videoboard overlooking Happy Valley and contains 1,400 LED lights. The white portion of the logo will illuminate; giving the illusion that the Nittany Lion is floating.
An exact replica logo was lifted and affixed to the new Beaver Stadium north videoboard on May 15.
Bunting Graphics constructed the two Nittany Lion logos in Pittsburgh, arriving in University Park in four pieces. Both logos were assembled on site prior to being raised into position. The Barton Malow Company and Alexander Construction constructed the logos in a joint venture. Penn State's Marv Bevan is the Project Manager.
The interior portion of the videoboard construction is continuing. The south and north side videoboards are completely assembled and going through technical check-ups.
The new videoboards measure at 53 and 43 yards, respectively. They are the second and third of the latest generation to be produced, according to the project's General Superintendent, Forrest Brewer of Barton Malow. The first of the latest generation of videoboards was installed at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.
Prior to this year's project, the original videoboards had been installed in Beaver Stadium prior to the 2000 (north) and 2001 (south) seasons, respectively. Construction on the videoboards is scheduled to be complete prior to the Nittany Lions' home opener, Sept. 6 vs. Akron.
James Franklin was named Penn State's 16th head football coach on January 11. A product of Langhorne, Pa., Franklin led Vanderbilt University to unprecedented success the past three years as head coach, including consecutive nine-win seasons and bowl victories the past two years, as well as back-to-back Top 25 finishes, all for the first time in Vanderbilt history. In his 20th year of coaching, Franklin was a two-time All-PSAC quarterback at East Stroudsburg University and set or tied 23 school records.
Nearly 4,000 new Penn State football season tickets have been sold for the 2014 campaign. There again was no increase in season tickets prices for Penn State football for the upcoming season.
Fans are now able to purchase Penn State football season tickets and make their Nittany Lion Club donation online at GoPSUsports.com/seasontickets, while choosing their own seats by utilizing Virtual Venue. New season tickets also are available by calling 1-800-NITTANY, weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Recent Graduate ticket program was implemented in January and gives Penn State graduates who earned an undergraduate degree from 2010-14 at any campus the opportunity to purchase up to two season tickets for $300 per ticket for the seven-game home schedule this fall. The cost includes a $50 donation to the Nittany Lion Club and is a savings of 35 percent from the regular $460 season ticket price ($360 + $100 NLC donation).
Close to 600 Recent Graduate program season tickets have been sold, with approximately 1,900 seats remaining available. The seats are located in the North Upper Deck, in Sections NAU-NLU. Interested recent graduates can call 1-800-NITTANY, weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Penn State returns 41 letterwinners and 15 starters (7 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist) for the upcoming season and will play a trio of 2013 Top 10 teams this fall. The Nittany Lions will host Rose Bowl Champion Michigan State (Nov. 29), Ohio State (Oct. 25, 8 p.m.), Northwestern (Sept. 27-Homecoming, 12 p.m.) and Maryland (Nov. 1) during its 2014 Big Ten home schedule. Penn State will host Akron (Sept. 6), UMass (Sept. 20) and Temple (Nov. 15) during its non-conference slate.
The Nittany Lions open the season Aug. 30 vs. UCF in the Croke Park Classic in Dublin, Ireland.
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