Penn State AD Pat Kraft shares excitement for upcoming Beaver Stadium additions and plans
Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft has been at the helm for a little more than a year, but he’s got plenty going on, including rebuilding and improving the iconic Beaver Stadium.
Kraft, hired in April 2022, spoke about all that is in motion at the Big Ten media days on Tuesday.
His vision includes rebuilding the west side of the iconic football venue as well as building new facilities. The moves are expected to generate more revenue and improve the programs' quality.
But what has really been most remarkable so far is the grand plan for a $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium. An additional $90 million is being invested in other athletic projects.
It's only the beginning of a new era of possibilities for Penn State athletics, according to Kraft.
“We are really powerful," he said. "And we are just getting started. When we really get rolling, the Penn State community, the brand and the power of it, there is no ceiling here.”
Pat Kraft speaks on the Penn State football season
There are also plans in motion to put some enhancements in place at Beaver Stadium ahead of the new college football season. Improved WiFi, for instance, is part of the plans. Another part includes the improvement of in-stadium traffic flow during games when fans are trying to get beer.
Pat Kraft noted that the school has sold close to 94,000 season tickets for the 2023 college football season. Only about 7,000 single-game seats remain available for the entire season. Furthermore, the Beaver Stadium is set to feature a new premium space, the Tunnel Club, which Kraft said has reached its limit of 30 members.
He recounted how the idea for the space came about:
“We don't have very much premium in the building, so we're trying to find unique ways to create revenue, right? And I think it was like 100 and 150 emails in an hour saying they wanted in. We were like, what?”
Pat Kraft seemed impressed by the Penn State football season, which he referred to as “behemoth.” He was positive that the season opener against West Virginia on Sept. 2 will be “electric.”