The NFL is making moves toward expanding its regular season to 17 games, and the possibility of additional neutral site games is likely to be a product of the schedule expansion. So the obvious question to ask in the Keystone State is could we see a future NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles… at Penn State?
the scenario would seem to make a whole lot of sense, and there is no question a neutral field matchup between the state’s two NFL franchises could have the potential to create quite the atmosphere inside the 110,000-seat Beaver Stadium.
But maybe don’t count those chickens before they hatch.
The idea of using Beaver Stadium in Penn State’s offseason is not a new topic of conversation, and it is one Penn State officials are not shy about having. But Penn State is in the process of ensuring multiple facility upgrades are implemented, including at Beaver Stadium. Such upgrades would be necessary for a non-Penn State football event like the NHL’s Winter Classic, which is why the talk about a future outdoor NHL game in State College remains on the radar, but just barely at the moment.
Of course, Beaver Stadium is already setup for football!
Let’s put to the side the current state of affairs in Pennsylvania and the country with respect to the pandemic. Obviously, the pandemic has forced the conversations about events and attendance to be scaled differently than under normal circumstances. But, for the sake of conversation, let’s stick to the normal circumstances. Could we see the Steelers and Eagles kickoff against one another on Beaver Stadium’s field some Sunday?
There is no question it would be a profitable event for Penn State, who would stand to rake in some revenue through ticket sales (after the NFL’s hefty share) and concessions, not to mention parking.
There are some other hurdles that would have to be assessed as well. Most notably, the sale of alcoholic beverages. Penn State has not yet allowed for the sale of beer to the general public inside Beaver Stadium, but that is a trend that could become a reality at Penn State soon enough. If Penn State is going to host an NFL game, it would probably want to seriously consider putting alcoholic sales on the fast track.
The schedule is also a significant determining factor. Any NFL game would have to be scheduled around Penn State’s schedule. Playing an NFL game on a Penn State bye week or while Penn State is on the road makes sense, although Penn State would probably prefer to keep the NFL cleats off its playing surface until after Penn State’s home schedule is wrapped up. Fortunately, the NFL schedule continues its regular season well after the conclusion of the college football season.
Do you want to see the Steelers and Eagles play a game in Beaver Stadium?
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