One of the biggest storylines for Penn State football going into 2025 wasn’t happening on the field, but rather in the stands of Beaver Stadium.

This past offseason, Penn State Athletics ordered the construction of over 9,000 temporary seats to the stadium as a way to maintain capacity during its $700 million renovation project.

Being the first major renovation to Beaver Stadium in over two decades, the construction made many students and alumni skeptical as people questioned whether Beaver Stadium would look, feel, and sound the same.

This past weekend, the Nittany Lions hosted the Nevada Wolf Pack for their first game in the semi-reimagined Beaver Stadium. I wanted to share my thoughts on the viewing experience to give those who are worried a little reassurance.

I have attended a game in Beaver Stadium every year since my infancy. The Erector Set-looking structure has become a cornerstone of my life, and any modifications to it would be an alteration to my childhood. Needless to say, I don’t always take change lightly.

When I walked into the game on Saturday, I was eager to see how the temporary bleachers would affect the feel of the gameday experience. I am pleased to admit that Penn State might have gotten this one right.

My initial impression of the renovations came when I arrived on the upper concourse. Normally, when I make my way off the escalator or staircase, I am greeted by a near-panoramic view of the second largest stadium in the country. Instead, I found myself staring at a big piece of navy material, which acted as the backside of a bleacher structure.

While most fans were aware about the three sets of stands being installed on the stadium’s west side, I have found it to be less common knowledge that makeshift sections were installed on the southeast and northeast corners. 

However, I happened to like this addition. From the inside, it makes the stadium feel more closed in, and in turn, louder and more imposing. In fact, that’s how I felt about the bleachers on the west side as well.

Looking at the west side of the stadium was very strange at first, but to be honest, the renovation made the stadium look massive. While I was originally worried that the White Out would be less of a spectacle, I now get the chills picturing an additional seating deck of white shirts towering over the Oregon offense. 

The gap in between the “permanent” and temporary bleachers did not appear too significant, and there’s no doubt that the seating stretches taller than it did before. And the echo of the Nittany Lion faithful was not diminished in the slightest.

Not to mention, the announced attendance of the game was 106,915. The attendance for last season’s opener? 103,861. The number for the Nevada game was over capacity, which is a promising sign that Penn Staters can over-pack Beaver Stadium as they normally do for crucial games.

So I say to all those upset about the changes, don’t be. While we may have to forgo a few pyrotechnics, Beaver Stadium will be as loud, as intimidating, and as uniquely perfect as it has ever has been.