Beaver Stadium






 Since 1960, Beaver Stadium has been the home of the Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions. Until that year, the football team played at the previous Beaver Stadium which held 30,000 spectators. The game’s rising ticket demand entices the university to move to its current location which originally held just over 46,000 seats. In the 1970s the seating capacity was expanded to 57,000. Towards the end of the 1970s, the south-end bleachers were expanded bringing the capacity up to 76,000. In 1980, the stadium added even more seating, expanding to almost 84,000 capacity. In 1991, the stadium added a second level bringing the seats to 94,000. Just ten years later, the stadium added suites, luxury seats, and more bleachers which brought its capacity to where it sits now at 107,282. The last upgrade for the stadium was completed in 2014 when the school installed two large video boards. It is the second largest football stadium in America, only sitting 1,000 seats behind Michigan Stadium which is 108,000. 



Located in the wonderful Happy Valley, the stadium ironically becomes a very hostile environment on game days. The team walks out to the field to the intimidating song “Kernkraft 400” by Zombie Nation. To the tune, the stadium chants “We Are Penn State” and creates a deafening atmosphere that consistently makes Beaver Stadium a difficult place to play. Also, once a year, the stadium hosts its famous White Out game. In 2004, the Penn State student section wore white colors to surround the letter “S”  made from the colors of the students' clothing. By 2007, the entire stadium followed suit and wore all white for one game a year.

Happy Valley will remain one of the best stadiums in college football but its intimidating environment is why it will be remembered for years to come. 


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