UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.– The No. 10/9 Penn State football team opens its 132nd campaign on Saturday, Sept. 1, hosting Appalachian State at 3:30 p.m. in Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions own a 108-21-2 record all-time in season openers.
The Appalachian State game is Youth Sports and Spirit Day and pre-game youth clinics will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. for football (Holuba Hall), basketball (Bryce Jordan Center Basketball practice facility) and cheer and dance (Multi-Sport). Pre-registered participants can check in starting at 10 a.m. at all three venues. Fans can call 1-800-NITTANY (weekdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) for registration information. The cheer and dance clinic participants will have an opportunity to perform on the field at halftime, weather permitting.
Penn State Athletics is reminding patrons that Beaver Stadium gates will open two hours before kickoff for all games and strongly encourages fans to arrive early to Beaver Stadium. Early arriving fans will have an opportunity to receive up to a 20 percent discount at the concession stands (see below).
Band to Play Before Most Games; Wrestlers and NCAA Championship Trophy Available
The Beaver Stadium parking lots will open this Saturday at 8 a.m. The Penn State All-Sports Museum is open from 9 a.m.-Noon, Fan Fest on Curtin Road begins at 11 a.m. and the Beaver Stadium ticket office, near Gate E, opens at 11:30 a.m. Team arrival presented by Lion Country Lodging is scheduled for approximately 1 p.m. and the stadium gates will open at 1:30 p.m., including the students' Gate A.
During the team arrival, the Nittany Lions' team captains will hand out footballs signed by the captains and head coach James Franklin to fans lined up on Curtin Road.
A new fun event for fans this year is the live entertainment on a stage just south of the stadium on Curtin Road prior to and after the team arrival. Bands are scheduled to play at five home games. This Saturday, Velveeta will play from 11:30 a.m. until the gates open at 1:30 p.m.
Also, on Saturday, members of the Penn State wrestling team will be available to visit with fans, accompanied by the 2018 NCAA Championship trophy, from 12-1 p.m. near the Beaver Stadium south tunnel on Curtin Road. The 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championship trophy also will be available for fan photos starting at 1:30 p.m. on the Pepsi Deck, above Gate A.
Nearly 100 New TVs inside Beaver Stadium; New banners outside stadium
The most significant fan experience enhancement are the 95 new flat panel TVs that are being added to existing and new locations throughout the stadium. The TVs are larger (65-86") than the previous units and are HD quality and also feature an L bar graphic that will provide in-game statistics and other information.
Also, light pole banners have been added around the perimeter of Beaver Stadium to welcome and inform fans and add to the game day atmosphere.
Fans Encouraged to Participate in Game Day Recycling; Bottles and Cans in Blue Bags
Fans are encouraged to be environmentally responsible and participate in Penn State's recycling and sustainability efforts by separating recyclable items before, during and after the game. Blue recycling bags and clear trash bags are located throughout the Beaver Stadium parking lots, including the entrance to most lots.
New for this season, bottles and cans only should be placed in the blue recycling bags. All other items should be placed in the clear trash bags. Bags should be securely closed and left where fans parked and they will be picked up after the lots close.
Concessions Discounts for Early Arriving Fans; Beaver Stadium Gates Open at 1:30 p.m.
Early arriving fans every Saturday will have an opportunity to receive discounts at the concession stands and watch other college football games on the stadium videoboards. Beaver Stadium gates open this Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Some of the incentives Penn State Athletics implemented in 2016 to encourage fans to enter the stadium early will return this season:
- Fans will receive up to a 20 percent concessions discount ($1 off a $5 purchase, $2 off a $10 purchase etc.) during the first 45 minutes after the gates are open. Creamery ice cream will be available at stadium concessions locations. Cash, credit card and LionCash purchases are accepted at the concourse concession stands.
- Other college football games will be shown on the stadium videoboards starting two hours before kickoff until approximately 70 minutes before the game. For noon games, highlights of previous Penn State games will be shown on the videoboards.
- The 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championship trophy also will be available for fan photos starting at 1:30 p.m. on the Pepsi Deck, above Gate A.
Highway Projects Could Impact Football Traffic
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is alerting drivers that they could encounter delays as they travel to Beaver Stadium this fall, with restrictions and changes coming from the Harrisburg area via U.S. 322, Altoona, Williamsport, and via I-80 in western Pennsylvania and at the Bellefonte/State College interchange with Route 26/I-99 (Exit 161).
For information about the construction and travel restrictions, visit www.penndot.gov. Motorists can stay up-to-date on the latest travel conditions by visiting www.511PA.com.
Fans reminded of Security Screening and Penn State Athletics Bag Policy
Penn State will provide security screening for all guests at the entry gates using metal detection wands. With this security measure in place, all public gates, including the ADA and student gates, will open two hours prior to kickoff to provide ample time for all fans to pass through security. Fans will be asked to remove items from their pockets upon entering the stadium. Umbrellas are not permitted in Beaver Stadium.
Backpacks, bags, and purses are not permitted in Beaver Stadium. Personal items can be placed in a clear bag that is no larger than 11" x 11" x 0" (one gallon) and wristlets (no larger than 4" x 6" x 1"). Patrons can expedite the entry process by not bringing a bag into Beaver Stadium. For fans with medical or childcare needs, please place those items in an 11" x 11" x 0" clear bag or a one-gallon clear bag prior to arriving at the stadium gates. All items are subject to inspection. Any items left unattended at the gates will be discarded and unrecoverable.
For parking maps, the bag policy and a complete list of items prohibited from entry into Beaver Stadium, fans should go to Penn State Football Game Day Central: GoPSUsports.com/gameday.
Fans are reminded that they may enter Beaver Stadium at any of Gates B, C, D, E and F and use the ground level concourse to get to their seating section. During games last season, fans who entered at Gates D, F and C (in order) saw reduced wait times during the two hours the gates were open before kickoff, while fans who entered at Gates B and E experienced heavier volume and longer waits. ADA patrons should enter the facility at the ADA Gate near Gate B on the west side of the stadium.
New Additional Security Measures in and Around Beaver Stadium
Changes for this season were outlined in the 2018 Penn State Football season ticket book. Some of the changes include:
-Fans will see an increase in police visibility on game day. Fans can expect to see police officers outfitted in tactical gear at each Beaver Stadium entry gate. Additionally, members of the Centre County Tactical Response Team, uniformed in full protective gear, will conduct patrols in and around the stadium throughout game days.
-A 300-foot security buffer zone has been established around Beaver Stadium. Vehicles, other than a car, parking within 300 feet of the stadium are subject to search by University Police once the vehicle is parked.
-Knives and razor blades of any size, including folding blades or Swiss army knives, are not permitted inside Beaver Stadium.
Advance Car Parking Available Until 6 p.m. Friday at Jordan Center Ticket Office; Game day parking $60
General car parking in the Beaver Stadium lots purchased in advance is $22.25 per car (includes service fee), while paying to park on game day when arriving at the general lots will cost $60 (cash only). Fans are encouraged to purchase parking passes in advance to not only realize the savings, but to assist in smoother traffic and parking operations by displaying the pass as they approach roads to stadium parking. Fans can purchase up to three advance single game parking passes per account, per game.
Car parking for all home games can be purchased in advance at the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office (weekdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.).
Fans are asked to please display their parking permit from their rear view mirror as they enter the traffic pattern. Cars are sorted in traffic by Stadium Traffic Control to lanes leading to appropriate lots. Patrons should approach their parking lot as directed on the back of their parking permit.
For more information on tickets, parking or other questions, fans should call 1-800-NITTANY, which also will be open this Saturday at 8 a.m. until one hour after the game ends. Fans can also send an email to Golions@psu.edu.
Beaver Stadium Ticket Office Opens Saturday at 11:30 a.m.; 1-800-NITTANY Opens at 8 a.m.
On Saturday, fans looking to purchase tickets or who have a ticket issue, should go the Beaver Stadium ticket office, near Gate E, which opens at 11:30 a.m.
The Penn State Customer Relations Service Center (1-800-NITTANY) also is open on game day at 7 a.m. for noon kicks, and at 8 a.m. for other kick times, until one hour after the game.
Fans Can Ride Uber to and From Beaver Stadium
Earlier this year, Penn State Athletics and Uber announced a rideshare partnership. Penn State and Uber have established pick up and drop off zones with custom signage outside Beaver Stadium. The Uber zones have been integrated into the Uber app, so that riders and drivers will have precise directions on where to meet.
RV Parking Sold Out; RV Spaces and Weekend Shuttle Available at Grange Park
All game day, season RV and Overnight RV is sold out for the 2018 season. Fans who do not have a RV parking permit will need to make other arrangements and Penn State Athletics has identified Grange Park as an economical alternative with hook-ups and shuttle service to campus on Friday and Saturday of home football weekends. Fans interested in parking their RV at Grange Park can reserve a spot by calling 814-364-9212.
Fans who have not already purchased an RV parking permit should not attempt to park in the official lots near Beaver Stadium. Those fans will be asked to turn around by police and traffic personnel, which will disrupt the flow of traffic heading to Beaver Stadium.
Penn State Athletics is working with Grange Park, site of the Grange Fair, to provide an economical alternative with 1,500 RV spaces, hook-ups and shuttle service to campus on Friday and Saturday of home football weekends.
For the Appalachian State game, the Friday shuttle will depart Grange Park for downtown State College at 5 and 6 p.m. The return shuttle Friday from downtown to Grange Park will depart at 7, 7;30, 10 and 10:30 p.m.
Guest Services Booths Inside and Outside Beaver Stadium
Penn State has two guest services booths outside the stadium, in addition to locations inside the facility, to assist fans prior to and following the game. The first booth is located at the intersection of Park Avenue and University Drive, near the intramural fields, and the second booth is at the intersections of Park Avenue and Fox Hollow Road near the Ag Arena and the RV lot. The two booths outside the stadium will open three hours before kickoff.
Inside Beaver Stadium, guest services booths are located at Gates B, C, E and F on the field level. There also is a guest services booth on the North concourse, two on the South concourse and one in the North upper deck.
Fan assistance also is provided by the customer relations staff, by texting the word "Nittany"
your issue and location to the phone number 69050, or by calling 1-800-NITTANY.
The Penn State-Appalachian State game will air on BTN, the Penn State Sports Network (2 p.m. airtime) and GoPSUsports.com. The 2018 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.
Fans can engage with Penn State Athletics via the Nittany Lions' social media accounts at: gopsusports.com/socialaccounts.aspx.