Beaver Stadium getting bigger?

The tailgaters drink cold beers on the mud-filled Intramural Fields, the line from the University Creamery extends out to Shortlidge Road, crowds of people stroll along College Avenue clad in blue and white -- all indicators that it is a fall Saturday afternoon and the Penn State football team is playing at home.

But not everyone who wants to participate in the onslaught of Penn State pride is able to do so.

However, the University has recognized this problem and is currently examining ways to increase seating capacity at Beaver Stadium along with improving various facilities such as restrooms, concession stands and the media and locker rooms, said Tim Curley, director of athletics.

"We are trying to find out what is in the best interest of the fans," Curley said.

Because of the popularity of the program, he said, the University is unable to meet the number of tickets that are demanded for the football games.

"There's a need that has been identified based upon the number of applications that we are unable to fulfill," he said.

If additional seats were added, said Associate Athletic Director and Facilities Coordinator Herb Schmidt, most likely the seats would be added with the creation of a south end zone upper deck or the addition of seats along the sidelines.

In 1991, the upper deck of the north end zone was created to raise the current capacity, which is the third largest on a university campus.

Beaver Stadium falls short to Michigan's Michigan Stadium, which has a capacity crowd of 102,501 and Tennessee's Neyland Stadium, which has a capacity crowd of 102,485, according to the Penn State Sports Information World Wide Web site.

In addition to the lack of general public ticket demand being met, Curley said the University is unable to meet the growing demand by members of the Nittany Lion Club, who pay money into the scholarship fund with the hopes of receiving football tickets.

"We have several hundred members who can't get tickets because of the demand. There are a lot of members that want to get to the stadium," said Executive Director of the Nittany Lion Club Kay Kustanbauter. "If there are more people chomping at the bit, then that would be nice."

Manager of Athletic Tickets Bud Meredith said if more seats would be added, the Nittany Lion Club would be the first priority for the allocation of the new seats because the members are paying money to the general scholarship fund in addition to the costs of the tickets.

"What happens is that when you donate to the Nittany Lion Club there is a point structure of who gets seats and who does not get seats based on the availability," Schmidt said. "Typically, people who have very low point totals do not even apply for seating because they realize that they have little chance to get tickets."

"Each year Penn State is graduating another 11,000 alumni, many of whom are interested in purchasing game tickets," he said.

He added that Beaver Stadium already has a higher percentage of student seating than any other football stadium in the Big Ten.

"We sellout every year for students and yet when it comes game time we don't have a full house," Schmidt said. "On any particular Saturday, all you need to do is look at large blocks of empty student seating and you question why they are empty."

However, Black said if more seats were added, the University might experience some financial losses for tickets that don't sell for less competitive, non-conference games.

"There is more demand for seats than is available for the major games. The request that we hear about are the tickets for the Michigan, Ohio State and other Big Ten games," he said. "It's a very difficult situation -- trying to match up the supply with the demand because the demand changes with each game. It's not a perfect system, but I have not yet heard of a better system."

Black said he feels the expansion of the stadium would benefit alumni.

"If there were seats, then obviously there is an opportunity to deal with folks who don't get tickets," he said. "We certainly support the idea of the expansion of the stadium. It would appear as if there is sufficient demand."

"We have not gone that far yet to determine what ticket prices might be," he said. "But we have to be able to pay for it so that will be a part of our overall view."

A bond issue may be considered, Curley said. By selling bonds to the public, the University can raise the money necessary for the project until the revenue created from the additional seating can pay for the project.

Because of the detail that needs to be considered when examining the stadium, it is uncertain when the construction will begin. But Schmidt said the improvements may take place sometime after the 1998 football season.

Despite the construction, all football games will continue to be played at Beaver Stadium.

"Anything we do, we will work around the existing schedule and play all of the games here," Curley said.

Some construction around the stadium will start this summer, said Paul Ruskin, spokesperson for the Office of Physical Plant.

To accommodate the amount of parking that is demanded, Ruskin said, a new parking lot is being paved adjacent to The Bryce Jordan Center.

The new lot is a response to the amount of damage that occurs in the grassy areas around the stadium with the number of cars and people that damage the grass.

Schmidt said tailgating is an integral portion of the football atmosphere, therefore there is little consideration about the possibility of adding a parking garage.

"We park about 25,000 cars and we use every available space around the stadium," Schmidt said. "Tailgaters, social activity around vehicles, that's a tradition that we would like to continue to have because it makes a pleasurable day's experience."