For the student who didn't get season football tickets, again; the student who doesn't have the Big Ten Network; and the student who misses the feeling of leaving a tailgate and walking through the stadium gates: UPUA might have a solution.
These students can go to the Bryce Jordan Center to watch the game, instead.
The university's student-elected government, the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), is in the process of exploring the option of opening up the BJC as an alternative for ticketless, frustrated students looking to cheer on and watch their team in a stadium-like atmosphere.
Though UPUA originally had suggested the idea of using Medlar Field, the organization determined the BJC would be a better fit, because of regulations placed on the baseball park.
"Medlar Field is a no-go because it's not owned by Penn State," said UPUA co-chief of staff Sean Flynn. "So the Bryce Jordan Center seemed to be very feasible. But the thing is, if students want this, we have to gain support for it."
Flynn said UPUA is considering opening up the BJC for the Purdue game, which would be the earliest game option. The game against the Purdue Boilermakers is the last home game of the 2007 football season.
"I know I've heard a lot of positive things, but we really need to get a lot of student feedback," Flynn said. "That's pretty much the gist of it now, I guess."
UPUA will begin the process by posing a question on its Web site, www.clubs.psu.edu/up/upua, that will gauge student interest in the idea.
Meloy called the Internet campaign the "initial test to see if there is a true interest in the student body."
"We actually need some numbers to back it up," he said. "If we're only gonna have like 12 kids come, then we're not going to do it."
Flynn said the Internet campaign could occur at some point this week.
"It seems to be feasible, but we need student support for it," he said yesterday. "I know they said through our discussions [on Tuesday] we need a high volume of people interested."
Though its members are stressing that the campaign is in its "preliminary stages," as UPUA media director Sean Meloy said, BJC director of public relations Bernie Punt said he has heard positive things about the possibility.
"We were just told, 'hey, there's talk that this might happen,' and we have a tailgate that's open three hours before [home games], so our doors are open anyway," Punt said. "So if we could do anything that would make life easier for students, we're all for it."
He added there might be complications that arise with monetary issues regarding the cost of maintenance. He cited restroom and utility issues as things that could cost UPUA money.
Still, Punt remained optimistic.
"If that's the only detail, then I'm sure it will be worked out easily," he said. "Our attitude is that we will do anything that will fulfill the needs of the students."
Punt said if UPUA's campaign is successful, students would be able to view the game from the BJC's large four-screened scoreboard that hangs in the center of the facility.
"We have four sides for our main scoreboard and we can feed the signal directly to the four sides. You could sit down, relax; if its raining, remain dry," Punt said. "The resolution on that is excellent; it's very bright."
