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Would you be ok with selling corporate naming rights for Beaver Stadium?

Note that the buttons are no longer free from the bank this season--that's not the Alumni Center's fault. You have to make a non-perishable food donation at the bank to get one. There was something in the September T&G about it. My guess is this tradition will end shortly when the bank ends up with buckets of leftovers.

Remembering back to my student days, I have to LOL at expecting food donations.

We felt like we struggled just to feed ourselves.
 
All this talk about renovate vs rebuild the Beav and I saw a Penn State source in the articles say they need 'creative financing'. IIRC this firm is looking into improvement and funding for not only the Beav but all 18 or so athletic venues on campus.

So would PSU fans be ok with removing the name Beaver Stadium and letting the university sell naming rights to a company like Rutgers 'High Point Solutions Stadium'? Would you be ok with 'Bank New York- Mellon Stadium', 'US Steel Stadium', or 'Merk Stadium', (knowing the name of the stadium may change repeatedly over the years as new companies take over the naming rights)?
That sound you hear is Joe spinning in his grave.
 
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Why do people keep acting like financial models keep changing dramatically? They don't and haven't. Pull out a budget from 20 years ago and you'll see 99% of the same line items. Costs may go up, so have revenues. Even with Sandy's spending sprees there is no reason the department shouldn't be operating in the black. The only reason its not is malfeasance.

Costs of operating an Athletic Department the size of Penn State's...is enormous. Coaching salaries , travel , facility upgrades etc. There are several reasons why right now AD not running in the black...Sandy has been here a year...whether you like her or not...not sure you can blame everything on her...
 
How about "Altria Group, Inc." stadium. (Philip Morris) "Your health is our concern", which translate into: "Smoke em if you've got em" !!!
 
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I see what they did. Very similar to an endowed position scholarship. We do those too, in fact I think the scholly for the quarterback is named for Kerry Collins, who put up the dough.

I think there is a big difference there - the people in Michigan obviously are quite wealthy, but the title of their endowment doesn't seem to give them any awareness/brand recognition value. It's a lot more like the Lasch Building or the Clements Family Football Facility than it is the Surmadome.
 
That sound you hear is Joe spinning in his grave.


I agree. I'm not promoting the idea at all- just saw someone mention it with regard to "creative financing".

The other thing to remember is this evaluation by the outside group is to look at ALL 18 PSU sports venues to recommend changes and financing. It's not just the Beav. Could you see Rec Hall now called 'Pennsylvania Lottery Hall', the BJC now called 'the Merk Center', the baseball field now 'US Steel Stadium' and the Beav 'Bank New York- Mellon Stadium'? Ugggggh. :(.

Then you realize the names will likely change every few years as new companies take the naming rights. Think of the stadium in Miami. It went from Joe Robbie stadium to Pro Player Stadium to Dolphins Stadium to Land Shark Stadium and now to Sun Life stadium. I'd hate to see that in college football much less at PSU.

I hate the idea but I could see the BoT and Sandy do this in a NY minute all under the guise of saving the fans from higher ticket prices or 'saving athletic programs at PSU'. :(
 
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"Don't like it however if we are to keep up with maintaining an athletic department that operates in the Black... This among other options is a must !"

Uh.....no. Unless you're the Dallas Cowboys, even the NFL "naming rights" deals are for (relative) peanuts.....and PSU ain't getting one of those anyway.

"Heinz Field" deal is $2.9 Mill /yr through 2021.
"PNC Park" is $1.5 Mill/yr through 2020

Now, annual rates may have gone up since those deals were signed......but those are Pro stadiums that have MEGA national exposure.
Those revenue streams are roughly equivalent to raising the ticket prices (or the "handling fees" LOL) by about $2-3 a pop.....OR...increasing attendance (PAID attendance...you know people who actually want the tickets and show up to the game....by about 1,200 per game. I think we all know a couple of ways the geniuses in the PSU ICA could accomplish that feat TOMORROW!)

The LARGEST annual naming rights fee I see in college football is the deal that Minnesota signed with TCF ($1.4 Mill/yr) [http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...ege-football-stadiums-company-names-sponsors]


"Again... Don't like it but it has to happen for us to maintain operating in the Black."

Uh.....no. Hate to tell you this....but that chicken flew the coop a while back, and it ain't gonna' be coming back as long as the Tsunami is around.

Now, trimming out half of the clod-headed dopes (who's responsibilities appear to be limited to sending out PRAVDA tweets) taking up root in ICA would save more than the revenue brought in from some half-assed "naming rights". Hell, now that Tsunami has hired someone to be responsible for each and every aspect of running an Athletic Department, she could certainly be axed without losing anything - and that's $1 Million per year right off the top.

This ICA department isn't in the red because it doesn't have a "naming rights" deal......and it ain't gonna' get out of the red by signing one.

There is no ONE answer...stadium naming rights add additional revenue to an AD department. Period. Also...holding additional events in a stadium that seats 100k+ and is only used 8 times a year ( counting BW game which I believe is free admission?). Selling beer at stadium...additional $$. Controlling expenses...yes...another way to balance a better budget. Increasing ticket prices? Only if you produce a better product on the field which is what they are "trying" to do.

College Sports is a money business. We only have a handful of sports ( Football , Basketball and Ice Hockey) that I believe drive any real $$$...and frankly our Bball program has made a small contribution I would guess.

If PS is to fund all of the other sports they have...not cut them like many other schools do...and right now only rely on a football program which currently has to support almost all Athletics...then something is eventually have to give especially as costs keep rising.

My .02...others may disagree.


"It's all about the money..."

Time for Tsunami Sandy to set up another bake sale?

th
 
Costs of operating an Athletic Department the size of Penn State's...is enormous. Coaching salaries , travel , facility upgrades etc. There are several reasons why right now AD not running in the black...Sandy has been here a year...whether you like her or not...not sure you can blame everything on her...

Yep. Gonna' take some time to get the job done right!
th
 
No. But it won't surprise me when it happens by one of the old guard BOT members who will be "saving" us from the problem they created. (i.e. BNY Mellon Field at Beaver Stadium).



I agree the BoT/ athletic department would likely be in favor of it- and try to pass it off as saving the fans money or saving athletic programs. I'm just surprised there are some fans/ alumni here who are ok with it.
 
All this talk about renovate vs rebuild the Beav and I saw a Penn State source in the articles say they need 'creative financing'. IIRC this firm is looking into improvement and funding for not only the Beav but all 18 or so athletic venues on campus.

So would PSU fans be ok with removing the name Beaver Stadium and letting the university sell naming rights to a company like Rutgers 'High Point Solutions Stadium'? Would you be ok with 'Bank New York- Mellon Stadium', 'US Steel Stadium', or 'Merk Stadium', (knowing the name of the stadium may change repeatedly over the years as new companies take over the naming rights)?

No.
 
I see what they did. Very similar to an endowed position scholarship. We do those too, in fact I think the scholly for the quarterback is named for Kerry Collins, who put up the dough.

I think there is a big difference there - the people in Michigan obviously are quite wealthy, but the title of their endowment doesn't seem to give them any awareness/brand recognition value. It's a lot more like the Lasch Building or the Clements Family Football Facility than it is the Surmadome.

Precisely. Stanford does the same thing and a lot of their coaching positions are endowed, some of them fully.
 
All this talk about renovate vs rebuild the Beav and I saw a Penn State source in the articles say they need 'creative financing'. IIRC this firm is looking into improvement and funding for not only the Beav but all 18 or so athletic venues on campus.

So would PSU fans be ok with removing the name Beaver Stadium and letting the university sell naming rights to a company like Rutgers 'High Point Solutions Stadium'? Would you be ok with 'Bank New York- Mellon Stadium', 'US Steel Stadium', or 'Merk Stadium', (knowing the name of the stadium may change repeatedly over the years as new companies take over the naming rights)?

No, nine, nyet, no.
 
This is not true. The food bank donation is optional. I was making a deposit the other day and people were coming in and taking the entire bag (I think 12 are in each bag) and not making donations. The tellers didn't care.

I am only noting how it was reported in Town and Gown, by the local head of the bank. I did not see very many of the buttons at all around town for the SDSU game, which was different from previous years. And the usual non-bank sites like The Tavern and the Clothesline had none.
 
I agree. I'm not promoting the idea at all- just saw someone mention it with regard to "creative financing".

The other thing to remember is this evaluation by the outside group is to look at ALL 18 PSU sports venues to recommend changes and financing. It's not just the Beav. Could you see Rec Hall now called 'Pennsylvania Lottery Hall', the BJC now called 'the Merk Center', the baseball field now 'US Steel Stadium' and the Beav 'Bank New York- Mellon Stadium'? Ugggggh. :(.

Then you realize the names will likely change every few years as new companies take the naming rights. Think of the stadium in Miami. It went from Joe Robbie stadium to Pro Player Stadium to Dolphins Stadium to Land Shark Stadium and now to Sun Life stadium. I'd hate to see that in college football much less at PSU.

I hate the idea but I could see the BoT and Sandy do this in a NY minute all under the guise of saving the fans from higher ticket prices or 'saving athletic programs at PSU'. :(

Unfortunately, this is the way things are headed. tOSU has "Value City Arena" after all--which raised a lot of eyebrows around Columbus. But people got used to it.
 
I don't care to be honest - Beaver Stadium is a horrible name IMO. If a sponsorship would make for a better stadium/game day atmosphere, then I would absolutely be for it. Also, please let it be Sheetz Stadium! The puns will write themselves....
 
I agree the BoT/ athletic department would likely be in favor of it- and try to pass it off as saving the fans money or saving athletic programs. I'm just surprised there are some fans/ alumni here who are ok with it.

How about "Paterno Legacy Beer Stadium"?
 
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Unfortunately, this is the way things are headed. tOSU has "Value City Arena" after all--which raised a lot of eyebrows around Columbus. But people got used to it.


Actually, there are a few dozen.
 
Suppose you decided to sell the rights. You sure as hell do not do it when your team is headed for a down year. You do it right after you won the B 10 championship and made the payoffs
 
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All of the blockbuster naming rights deals are for pro sports franchise venues. To the best of my knowledge, there is no college deal worth in excess of $2mm p.a.

The Ravens and M & T extended their deal a year ago and it now extends through 2027 ($60mm for ten years).

Allow me to correct myself. About a month ago, UDub signed an agreement with Alaska Air for $4mm p.a. on the football stadium. Previous high deal was for $2mm p.a. between Illinois and State Farm for UI's basketball arena.
 
If this must be done in order to stay competitive in big time athletics, then so be it. It's up to the university to decide, not the alums or message board. Wouldn't bother me either way. Not a big deal.
 
Suppose you decided to sell the rights. You sure as hell do not do it when your team is headed for a down year. You do it right after you won the B 10 championship and made the payoffs
But foregoing a few years of income anticipating a higher level of performance may not work out math wise. You never know what the future holds. Plus I think these deals are more long term focused anyway, based upon the overall visibility of the program and the stadium.
 
I don't care to be honest - Beaver Stadium is a horrible name IMO. If a sponsorship would make for a better stadium/game day atmosphere, then I would absolutely be for it. Also, please let it be Sheetz Stadium! The puns will write themselves....

Uh... someone take his fan card! Beaver stadium is one of the coolest damn names for a stadium in the country, if not THE coolest.
 
If this must be done in order to stay competitive in big time athletics, then so be it. It's up to the university to decide, not the alums or message board. Wouldn't bother me either way. Not a big deal.


But is it really needed? Other than Rutgers and Minnesota- it's not needed anywhere else. Alabama, Florida, ND, USC etc all seem to do ok without it. It's really a matter of when is it 'too much' with the athletic departments/ universities anymore.
 
Unfortunately, this is the way things are headed. tOSU has "Value City Arena" after all--which raised a lot of eyebrows around Columbus. But people got used to it.


Yeah but isn't Value City arena shared with the NHL's Columbus Bluejackets? The NHL side may be more responsible for (or need) the naming rights deal. They haven't renamed Ohio Stadium (or Michigan Stadium).
 
Sell out stadium name, no way. Should always be Beaver Stadium. But I could see them selling naming rights to gates/entrances. Instead of Gate A, it would be the Pepsi Gate or the Buick Gate. Places are going that route if they have a stadium name they do not want to sell.
 
All this talk about renovate vs rebuild the Beav and I saw a Penn State source in the articles say they need 'creative financing'. IIRC this firm is looking into improvement and funding for not only the Beav but all 18 or so athletic venues on campus.

So would PSU fans be ok with removing the name Beaver Stadium and letting the university sell naming rights to a company like Rutgers 'High Point Solutions Stadium'? Would you be ok with 'Bank New York- Mellon Stadium', 'US Steel Stadium', or 'Merk Stadium', (knowing the name of the stadium may change repeatedly over the years as new companies take over the naming rights)?


Sell it to the highest bidder. At that point the Joebots will have something new to complain about.
 
Sell it to the highest bidder. At that point the Joebots will have something new to complain about.
Don't think for a minute that your BS will be allowed to pass anymore than it does now, no matter whether they sell it or not.
 
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Yeah but isn't Value City arena shared with the NHL's Columbus Bluejackets? The NHL side may be more responsible for (or need) the naming rights deal. They haven't renamed Ohio Stadium (or Michigan Stadium).

Blue Jackets play in Nationwide Arena.
 
Yeah but isn't Value City arena shared with the NHL's Columbus Bluejackets? The NHL side may be more responsible for (or need) the naming rights deal. They haven't renamed Ohio Stadium (or Michigan Stadium).

No. Different locations. Jackets play at Nationwide Arena downtown (which is a really good arena, BTW). They do share marketing and event staffs. There was a lot of press at the time about if Columbus could support two arenas and the jury is still out on that. But both the Jackets and tOSU basketball wanted to be the primary tenant, and that was a mutually exclusive deal (plus tOSU uses the VCA/Shott for tOSU ice hockey and women's bb).

I'm not at all fond of the VCA--though I work right across the street from it and it is convenient. The upper deck is receded from the lower deck and you are quite far from the action there. I used to go to basketball at St John Arena (wasn't a bad seat) all the time--but only rarely to the VCA.
 
No. Different locations. Jackets play at Nationwide Arena downtown (which is a really good arena, BTW). They do share marketing and event staffs. There was a lot of press at the time about if Columbus could support two arenas and the jury is still out on that. But both the Jackets and tOSU basketball wanted to be the primary tenant, and that was a mutually exclusive deal (plus tOSU uses the VCA/Shott for tOSU ice hockey and women's bb).

I'm not at all fond of the VCA--though I work right across the street from it and it is convenient. The upper deck is receded from the lower deck and you are quite far from the action there. I used to go to basketball at St John Arena (wasn't a bad seat) all the time--but only rarely to the VCA.



Thanks kgilbert and Art. As you can tell I don't follow the Columbus teams at all. ;). I was in St John arena once and loved it. That's a basketball/ college arena IMO (even though it doesn't have all the fancy boxes and Jerry world type stuff).

I think when colleges move away from traditional arenas and go the NBA style arena route they really lose the atmosphere and lose something special that the older arenas had. (I fear this will happen if they replace the Beav too). Just my opinion but I've seen it happen a lot- all in the name of 'progress' and keeping up with the Jones'. The problem with that attitude is that it's really not progress, in 2-3 years you're behind the Jones' again and meanwhile you giave up a lot of what makes college sports special.
 
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...if changing the name produces a higher level of play I'm all for it...

...something like Braveheart Stadium...
 
I would be sickened and ashamed to see PSU sell the naming rights. Of course, if (my usual) 1/3 were donated to the Demlion Fund (Slogan: "Money. For Demlion.") I believe I could be persuaded to change my view.
As much as I have loved the Lions for 52 years, this move would cause me to abandon them until a moral adult runs the University. The thought is sickening and I did not read the original post.
 
I agree. I'm not promoting the idea at all- just saw someone mention it with regard to "creative financing".

The other thing to remember is this evaluation by the outside group is to look at ALL 18 PSU sports venues to recommend changes and financing. It's not just the Beav. Could you see Rec Hall now called 'Pennsylvania Lottery Hall', the BJC now called 'the Merk Center', the baseball field now 'US Steel Stadium' and the Beav 'Bank New York- Mellon Stadium'? Ugggggh. :(.

Then you realize the names will likely change every few years as new companies take the naming rights. Think of the stadium in Miami. It went from Joe Robbie stadium to Pro Player Stadium to Dolphins Stadium to Land Shark Stadium and now to Sun Life stadium. I'd hate to see that in college football much less at PSU.

I hate the idea but I could see the BoT and Sandy do this in a NY minute all under the guise of saving the fans from higher ticket prices or 'saving athletic programs at PSU'. :(
Finances? Cut some of the deadwood administrators. Reduce staff by 50% and it would still be bloated.
 
Just had a really great idea though, assuming they don't get kicked out of the B10... Penn State should buy the naming rights to Rutgers Stadium. Penn State Stadium, home of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. It would be more fun to do to Pitt, but they don't have a stadium.
 
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Thanks kgilbert and Art. As you can tell I don't follow the Columbus teams at all. ;). I was in St John arena once and loved it. That's a basketball/ college arena IMO (even though it doesn't have all the fancy boxes and Jerry world type stuff).

I think when colleges move away from traditional arenas and go the NBA style arena route they really lose the atmosphere and lose something special that the older arenas had. (I fear this will happen if they replace the Beav too). Just my opinion but I've seen it happen a lot- all in the name of 'progress' and keeping up with the Jones'. The problem with that attitude is that it's really not progress, in 2-3 years you're behind the Jones' again and meanwhile you giave up a lot of what makes college sports special.

Part of the trouble is that the maintenance is really high on some of these older properties. I love St. John Arena (still in heavy use for volleyball and gymnastics), but the construction they used is reaching it's sell-by date. There are problems with the roof for one (it was a funky metal construction and held up well for a while, but not so much now). It probably will be torn down at some point and replaces with an arena for the minor sports--and/or a hockey rink more like our Pegula. This was supposed to happen by 2014..... Guess ours is not the only athletic department with challenges.
 
Note that the buttons are no longer free from the bank this season--that's not the Alumni Center's fault. You have to make a non-perishable food donation at the bank to get one. There was something in the September T&G about it. My guess is this tradition will end shortly when the bank ends up with buckets of leftovers.
Isn't there a requirement you also have to be a 70 year old women to get and wear one or under 10 years old? Do we seriously have grown men complaining about buttons? What next complaining about lack of paw print face painting?
 
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