Beaver Stadium: A Legacy of Pride and Tradition at Penn State

Beaver Stadium, located in University Park, Pennsylvania, stands as one of the most iconic and largest college football stadiums in the United States. Home to the Penn State Nittany Lions, this stadium has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1960, growing from a modest venue to a colossal structure known for its passionate fan base and unforgettable game-day atmosphere.

The Origins of Beaver Stadium

The story of Beaver Stadium begins long before its current location. Football at Penn State started in 1887, with the first home game believed to have been played on the lawn in front of Old Main. However, the faculty had designated a space to the northeast of Old Main as a playing field as early as 1875.

From Old Main Lawn to Beaver Field

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. Penn State's first permanent home for football was Beaver Field, which stood between the present-day Osmond and Frear laboratories in center campus. The first game at 500-seat Beaver Field was played on Nov. 6, 1893 against Western University of Pittsburgh (later to become the University of Pittsburgh). By 1909 Penn State had outgrown "Old" Beaver Field, it's original 500-seat football arena, built in 1893 behind Osmond Laboratory.

New Beaver Field

In 1909, New Beaver Field opened just northeast of Rec Hall, roughly in the current location of the Nittany Parking deck. The dedication game was marked by a 31-0 win over Grove City. Originally constructed of wood, the stadium was converted to steel in 1936. The area also contained facilities for baseball, lacrosse, soccer and track. New Beaver Field served as Penn State's stadium until 1959. New Beaver Field near the Recreation Building seated about 39,000 spectators.

Honoring James A. Beaver

Through all three iterations, the facility honored James A. Beaver, a key figure in the University's history. The stadium is named in honor of James A. Beaver, a lawyer in nearby Bellefonte at the outbreak of the Civil War who enlisted in the Union Army and rose to the rank of brigadier general. Beaver, who died in 1914, served as a superior court judge, governor of Pennsylvania and president of the University's Board of Trustees. A Bellefonte attorney, Beaver led the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Civil War, rising to the rank of brigadier general. He was president of Penn State's Board of Trustees for 24 years and was a popular figure with students. He also served as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1887 to 1891; and became a justice of the State Superior Court.

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The Move and Expansion of Beaver Stadium

Between the 1959 and 1960 seasons, the existing New Beaver Field grandstands were taken apart, trucked to the new location, reassembled, and added to 16,269 new seats already built on the site. After the 1959 season, New Beaver Field was dismantled and in 700 pieces was moved a mile and a half to east campus, there reassembled beneath a new superstructure and christened Beaver Stadium. This unusual construction method enabled Penn State to economically increase seating capacity for football games as demand required, as it had since the wooden grandstand days. The stadium has undergone numerous expansions since opening at its current location, more than doubling its size since moving from its former site northeast of Rec Hall on the west side of campus to the east end of the campus in 1960.

Early Years and Initial Expansion

Penn State football began the fall 1960 season in its current location, with a capacity of 43,989 seats. Penn State dedicated Beaver Stadium with a 20-0 win over Boston University on Sept. 17, 1960. Commencement ceremonies were held at New Beaver Field for many years after it opened in 1960. Additions of over 2,000 seats in 1969 and more than 9,000 in 1972 increased the capacity to 57,538.

The 1978 Expansion

A uniquely engineered expansion during the winter, spring and summer of 1978 added more than 16,000 seats, bringing the capacity to 76,639 at the time. The stadium was cut into sections, raised eight feet by hydraulic jacks and precast concrete seating forms inserted within the inner circle of the stadium, where a running track previously had been located. This expansion is particularly noticeable, as there's a distinct color change when crossing from the original, New Beaver Field steel grandstands onto the newer, stone and concrete additions.

Further Growth in the 1980s and 1990s

In 1980, expansion raised the capacity to 83,770. In 1985, walkways were added around the tops of the end zones and entry ramps at the stadium's corners resulted in lowering the capacity to 83,370. Then, in 1990-91, a steel and concrete deck containing 10,597 new seats was added above the north endzone.

The 2001 Expansion

A major and somewhat controversial construction project took place in 2001, raising the stadium's total capacity to 107,282. Finally, two decks of concrete stands, with an enclosed club level, were added above the south endzone, and three rows of luxury boxes added above the stands on the east side in 1999-2001.

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Key Features and Traditions of Beaver Stadium

Beaver Stadium is not just a large venue; it is a place steeped in tradition and known for its unique atmosphere.

Game Day Experience

An acquaintance at my job gave me his season tickets and parking for this game as I could not pass up the opportunity to visit the largest stadium in the country despite the inferior opponent. Making the three-hour drive west was beautiful on this cool autumn day as the Pennsylvania colors were changing on all of the trees. My brother made the drive south from Rochester to meet me in the middle and continue on for the game. State College, appropriately named, is in the center of Pennsylvania and home to 38,000 people. The town and area is wholly focused on the Pennsylvania State University, which has more students than State College’s population and whose campus is nearly half the size of the town. This huge state university is also generally one of the higher ranked schools in academics. Most folks use I-80 to US-220 and then it’s pretty straightforward after getting off at Exit 74 for the parking areas and stadium. From the south, it’s less straight-forward as the mountainous terrain means that a more roundabout way (I-99 or US-322) is needed. In the area, everything is very well organized as people direct you to appropriate lots around the grounds based on the color of your parking pass (if you don’t have one, there are directions to general lots too). We lucked out with parking as we were in a grass lot which had assigned spaces and had an easy in/out, but most parking seemed easy. The majority of the lots are grassy as the paved ones are for premium donors and ticket holders. Walking up to the stadium is a small brick wall with “The Pennsylvania State University” written on it. The exterior of Beaver Stadium isn’t great as it is mainly just the back of the inside features. There are a lot of beams, winding stairwells and windows for club seating or football offices. Upon entering the stadium, fans first go into a rather dark and dreary lower concourse. This is filled with beams and featured some old style bathrooms. Luckily, this is just a secondary concourse, as the main concourse is up another several levels (which is an energy-sapping climb). This is much nicer, as it is open with surrounding outside views of beautiful Central PA scenery and the interior walls feature pictures of former players. The corners open up more to the elements and have field views and standing room only areas as well. Food was average and mostly boring, as can be expected at many football stadiums. At least they had all the mainstays like Burgers, Chicken Tenders, Pizza, etc. Inside, it is noticeable how Beaver Stadium has grown in pieces, especially the end zone seating which features decks added on through the years. The set-up is intimate though as most of the seating is rather close to the field and it does not ‘feel’ like it holds over 100k. Surrounding the stadium is a lower bowl and on the sidelines, seats continue on upward, interrupted only briefly by a narrow walkway two-thirds of the way up. At the top of one section is a press box and the other side has three levels of suites. A steep second deck is located above the north end zone, while on the south side, there are two additional levels of seating (the middle one is for the Mount Nittany Club). Seats throughout the stadium are all bleachers set in concrete, with the exception of a few blue seats near the 50 and the upper north end zone seats, which were also normal blue chairbacks. On the sidelines, expect to be crunched in with your neighbor with both leg and arm room at a premium. My knees were sore after the game because of being locked in the same position for so long (big play standing up stopped after it became a blowout). There were two small-ish scoreboards on top of each end and they were exactly the same. Each one featured “Penn State” written out, along with the logo across the top. Digital score and game information was on the right, with a videoboard on the left. That screen certainly could have been bigger. Attached to the stadium is the All-Sports Museum, a space dedicated to exhibiting and informing visitors about everything that is Penn State athletics. I didn’t get to visit as the museum is closed on gamedays starting before 3:30 PM, which is infuriating as that is when most people will only have a chance to see it. Outside of that, open hours are accommodating. Near the entrance on the East side of the stadium is a life-sized statue of Joe Paterno. On the upper concourse walls, are framed pictures of past players, specifically All-Americans. Inside, “The Pennsylvania State University” is spelled out in blue on the top wall of the sideline suites. Also displayed, were years marking Undefeated Seasons, National Championships and Big Ten Championships. The drawback here is you don’t know what the years denote as there is no way distinguish between them for the various accomplishments. The suites on the other side featured the school name and “Beaver Stadium” written out. Ticket prices ($60-$70) were high, but on par with other big schools in the conference. The other charges remaining reasonable help to mitigate overall cost a bit. Pre-paid parking is the way to go as it was only $10, but prices jumped to $40 if you go to the general lots without a pass. Programs were $5 and the food was nicely priced ($4 for a burger, $2 for water). As expected, Penn State rolled. The Lions seemed to gain at least 10-15 yards on every play and an overmatched Eastern Illinois team struggled on offense. Penn State jumped out to a 10-0 lead and then scored 28 in the second quarter to lead 38-0 at the half. The Nittany Lions had a blocked punt; a 51 yard TD pass amidst pass interference and then a 91 yard fumble return by linebacker by Navarro Bowman. They went on to win 52-3.

The "White Out"

After failed experiments with "Code Blue" during the down year of 2004, a localized version of the "Winnipeg White Out" made national headlines during the 2005 game versus Ohio State. In this game, despite 40 °F (4 °C) temperatures and a misty rain, nearly every student, along with many other fans, wore a white shirt to the game, creating a sea of white. This was deemed a success, as the student section was declared "The best in the country." by ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, and the Nittany Lions won the game in an intense defensive battle, 17-10. The student section was widely credited with aiding the defense, which kept the Buckeyes' future Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Troy Smith, in check by intercepting a pass and recovering a decisive fumble in the final minutes. In 2007, for the Notre Dame game, a full-stadium "White House" was declared. While it is widely believed that this change was a result of the National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes notifying the university that the phrase "White Out" was trademarked by the franchise during their time as the Winnipeg Jets, the "White House" moniker was invented to remind the crowd that everyone, and not just the student section, was to wear white. The newly christened "White House" was also deemed a success, as nearly every Penn State fan in attendance wore white, and the Lions won, 31-10. In 2008, the "White House" was met with similar success, a 38-24 win over Illinois. From 2012 to 2019, the full-stadium "White Out" games have been against either Ohio State or Michigan. A recent new tradition is the “White-Out” night game, where nearly every fan wears white. This has been done in many stadiums before, but it is more impressive at PSU.

The Student Section

It seemed like about half the cars I saw on the trip going west on I-80 had PSU decals on their car. When I got to the stadium, nearly every person was sporting some sort of Nittany Lion apparel. Students and alumni are very dedicated to the school and athletics in general, with football reaching a fever pitch. They have state-wide appeal and just about every game is filled to capacity. Even when they play a team they should beat by 50, the stadium is still jam packed as they only holes are where the students don’t completely fill it in. The atmosphere in Happy Valley is awesome. This is a LOUD stadium and even though I didn’t hear it anywhere near full throat during our game, it was still noisy. The best cheer is the “We are….Penn State”, which is also the loudest one. The alma mater cheer is good as well, along with a person hitting a cowbell and the fans going “P….S….U…..Let’s go PSU”. Nothing beats the Zombie Nation chant they do. The main group that orchestrates this is the Student Section, which is massive and generally all decked out in white. They had a wave going, which they stopped and made it go super fast and then brought it back down to slow motion…easily one of the neatest waves I’ve ever seen. Many claim them to be the best in the country and there’s no argument here. Home to what is considered by many outside observers to be the best student section in the nation, Beaver Stadium's surrounding grounds have hosted since 2005 "Paternoville," an organized student encampment that lasts for days before home football games. Though students in the past occasionally camped out to get prime seats for a Saturday game, the formal organization of the tent town can be traced to the days leading up to the October 2005 Penn State-Ohio State game.

The "S-Zone" within the student section is another tradition at Beaver Stadium. A small section behind the end zone are all given white and blue shirts supplied by the Pennsylvania State University Lion Ambassadors to create an "S" in the student section. The "S-Zone" was moved from the 20 yard line to its current location at the beginning of the 2011 football season, as the student section was shifted over to between the 10 yard lines. For the 2008, 2011, 2013, 2018, and 2023 Homecoming Games, the "S-Zone" was black and pink, in honor of the original Penn State colors.

Tailgating

Tailgating is very popular outside Beaver Stadium. Alcohol is permitted in all areas around Beaver Stadium and is sold inside the stadium on home football games, as of 2022. In August 2019, Penn State was ranked #15 by tailgater magazine for the "tailgate culture" that surrounds Beaver Stadium on gameday. The tailgating scene at Penn State is excellent as almost every car partakes. There were some impressive ones as well, including buses decked out in Blue and White with a lot of food. The great thing was they weren’t obnoxious either, just people relaxing and having a good time (not sure if this was due to the opponent or the 12:00 start, but it was nice). That continued into the stadium as everyone was nice to be around…

The Penn State Blue Band

The Penn State Blue Band is amazing as I enjoyed listening to their fight song and other songs they played. The halftime show with various movie themes was great. After each first down, a lion roar is played over the speakers. The Penn State Blue Band is an integral part of the Beaver Stadium experience. After the Penn State Blue Band has entered the field and played the first eight bars of "The Nittany Lion", the Blue Bands Drum Major does a high-stepping, stiff-legged sprint in between rows of band members from the goal line to the 50 yard line, where they do a front flip. Legend states that if the drum major lands the flip, the team will win that afternoon. They then perform another flip while running towards the end zone. After they stand back up, they and the Nittany Lion, who is holding the baton, take five high-steps toward each other, meeting 5 yards deep in the end zone. The Lion and Drum Major both place both hands on the baton in alternating order (in the same manner children choosing teams with a baseball bat would) and then throw the baton onto the ground. The Blue Band performs "The Nittany Lion" and makes its way from its "PSU" formation to roll into spelling "LIONS" as it marches across the field. Once reaching the other side, the band reverses the "LIONS" to be readable to the east side of the stadium, while playing "Fight On, State".

Other Traditions

"WE ARE!"…"PENN STATE!": "WE ARE!"…"PENN STATE!" is perhaps the most well-known chant across campus; "We Are Penn State" conveys the university's sense of unity and school pride. At Beaver Stadium, the chant is often relayed across the stadium in a "WE ARE!"…"PENN STATE!". Penn State call and response, with each side of the grandstand chanting one half of the motto. This is typically followed by a similar "THANK YOU!"…"YOU'RE WELCOME!" chant.
The Tunnel Entrance: The tunnel entrance is a Nittany Lions tradition in which the head coach leads the team from the locker room under the South side of the stadium to the tunnel to a closed metal gate reading "PENN STATE" in bold Arial font. When the team arrives at the gate, the Nittany Lion opens the gate and motions for the team to walk through it, as if welcoming the team to the field.
The Wave: The Penn State Student Section initiates a wave during sporting events. After the wave passes around the stadium twice, the student section slows down the wave to about a fourth the speed of the normal wave. After the slow wave passes, the wave speeds up to over twice the speed of the normal wave.

Recent Developments

In 2006, the stadium underwent major structural and aesthetic upgrades. In 2007, over 22,000 student tickets sold out in 59 minutes. 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. 2012 is the exception, which was added to this list during the November 24, 2012 game against Wisconsin to honor the team that played after sanctions were passed down during the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Nine markers depicting the various traditions of Beaver Stadium, including the Penn State 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. The Penn State Office of Physical Plant and Athletic Department expanded the north and south video boards to HD video boards and because parts were no longer available for the old boards. The area of the new video screens dedicated to game replays and game-related video is much larger than the screens they replaced. The two video boards together are some of the largest in college football. The renovation expanded the size of the video boards by eliminating the current game clock and lamp matrix display. The boards are only the second of their kind made and are 4K UHD. The project was completed prior to the first home game of the 2014 season. The boards cost approx. $10 million. Also on the back of both boards is a LED Nittany Lion logo that lights at night and was added to promote the "Penn State brand". On September 8, 2021, Penn State dedicated a Chair of Honor for all prisoners of war/missing in action (POW/MIA) service members in the "SLU" section of the stadium, above the student section, where it will remain empty in perpetuity.

Future Renovations

In the fall semester of 2015, university officials stated that they are seeking options to renovate or replace Beaver Stadium in the next 10 years. Officials state that there is a recognized need in an upgrade in the facilities. The stadium remains antiquated, despite multiple expansions and the additions of luxury boxes and HD scoreboards. Outdated plumbing requires complete winterization each November. Elevators are small and sluggish while concourses are narrow. The stadium lacks concession options and still uses bleachers. The limitations prevent wider use of the venue; the university would like to expand the number of events held at Beaver Stadium, such as major concerts and a long-discussed potential hosting of the NHL Winter Classic.

On May 21, 2024, the Penn State Board of Trustees approved a renovation of Beaver Stadium, which will grow revenue-generating opportunities, transform the fan and community experience, and fuel the future funding for all 31 athletics programs at Penn State. The vote was 26-2, with three abstaining. The approved renovations will enable year-round use of Beaver Stadium, further driving economic growth and development in the surrounding region. Including the first stage of the Beaver Stadium renovation, which was approved in May 2023, the total project will cost no more than $700 million and will be completed before the 2027 college football season. On the morning of January 4, 2025, the west end press box was demolished with controlled explosives. It was originally built at New Beaver Field and was moved to the current Beaver Stadium in 1959. On March 10, 2025, the Penn State Board of Trustees announced the sale of the stadium's naming rights to West Shore Home, a Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania-based home remodeling company owned by Penn State alumni.

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