Despite Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s amendment to existing indoor and outdoor gathering guidelines, Penn State will still not welcome fans to Beaver Stadium this fall. The athletic department is allowing fans to be a part of game day in another capacity, though.
Penn State announced Tuesday that fans can purchase personal cutouts to display themselves in Beaver Stadium for the Nittany Lions’ four home games. Standard cutouts cost $85 for the first and $75 for each additional cutout (up to three max). Active Penn State students can buy cutouts for $65. Fans are encouraged to wear white in their submitted photos.
Proceeds from the cutouts will be donated to Thon and two Penn State equity and inclusion programs: the Bunton-Waller scholarship program and the Multicultural Faculty Development Scholarship Funds.
The cutouts are a part of Penn State’s Virtual Valley Experience — a series of virtual initiatives for Nittany Lions fans to be a part of football game days. Examples include fan photos on the stadium video board, a virtual Tailgate of the Game contest and halftime trivia.
The unveiling of these initiatives comes on the same day Wolf announced amended COVID-19 guidelines for gatherings for outdoor and indoor events. Starting Friday, venue occupancy limits will play a role in determining the number of attendees permitted. But because of the Big Ten’s conference-wide decision last month to not allow fans to attend football games — with the potential exception of players’ families — there will still be no public sale of tickets for Penn State games in 2020, the university confirmed.
“We are pleased to be able to accommodate those closest to our football program and enable them to cheer on their family members,” a Penn State spokesperson said in an emailed statement Tuesday. “The Big Ten’s guidelines of families only will not permit us to welcome additional fans to Beaver Stadium in 2020.”
Below are the new guidelines:
Maximum Occupancy Calculator for indoor events:
Maximum OccupancyAllowable Indoor Rate
0-2,000 people20% of Maximum Occupancy
2,001-10,000 people 15% of Maximum Occupancy
Over 10,000 people10% of Maximum Occupancy up to 3,750 people
Maximum Occupancy Calculator for outdoor events:
Maximum OccupancyAllowable Outdoor Rate
0-2000 people
25% of Maximum Occupancy
2,001-10,000 people
20% of Maximum Occupancy
Over 10,000 people
15% of Maximum Occupancy up to 7,500 people
Penn State opens its season Oct. 24 at Indiana. The Nittany Lions play their first home game on Oct. 31 against Ohio State.
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