Stadium shakeup in store
Penn State announces new football ticket, seating procedures for 2011 season

Want six chairback seats between the 40-yard lines for the Penn State-Alabama game on Sept. 10, 2011?

2011 BEAVER STADIUM SEATING CHART

Penn State 2011 Season ticket seating chart

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They’re yours — if you donate at least $12,000 to the Nittany Lion Club for the privilege, under new seating guidelines outlined in a mailing to season ticket holders this week.

Need tickets for Penn State Football go to Tixx.com

Under the new guidelines, season ticket donation levels will now be determined by a number of factors: how many tickets are sought, where the seats are in the stadium and what kind of parking the ticket holders require.

For example: A family of four is looking for season tickets between the 35-yard lines. In order to determine their minimum donation level, the fans must compare three factors.

First is their Nittany Lion Club giving level. Four season tickets are a minimum donation of $400.

Second, they must determine if they want any parking benefits. One car with a preferred parking space? A minimum donation of $1,000.

And third, they must determine how much their seat costs would be for the area in which they wish to sit. The stadium will be divided into four zones. The minimum donations required to purchase tickets in each zone ranges from $100 per seat in the Blue Zone to $2,000 per seat in the Green Zone.

If our theoretical family wants tickets between the 35-yard lines, it would be in the Black Zone, requiring a minimum donation of $600 per seat, for a family total of $2,400. That $2,400 figure would be the minimum donation; tickets will be purchased separately.

The actual $55 price of a ticket will not change. The new program, known as the Seat Transfer and Equity Plan, will take effect with the 2011 season.

The shakeup will also bring changes in student and opponent seating, both of which are outlined in a new stadium seating chart included in the mailed materials.

Effective for the 2011 season, Penn State students’ seats will encompass the entire lower level of the south end zone, plus the entire EA and WA sections, plus small upper portions of EB and WB Officials have said in the past that the change may result in the creation of 800 additional student seats.

Seats for fans of the opposition — which are allotted to visiting teams for sale — have been moved almost entirely to the upper reaches of upper deck above the north end zone. A small portion will be located in a prime location within section EG.

Athletic director Tim Curley has estimated that more than half of the school’s roughly 75,000 season ticket holders likely won’t be affected by the new pricing plan, which Penn State athletics said is similar to programs at other universities.

Officials have also said it will bring fairness to the allocation system.

In a message to season ticket holders, Curley said the program will “allow us to carry on the great traditions associated with Penn State athletics, while also positioning the athletic department to better serve you and meet the many challenges that come with competing today at the highest level of college sports.”

Calls to Penn State late Tuesday afternoon were directed to associate athletic director Greg Myford, who could not immediately be reached for comment.

The most recent filing with the federal Department of Education shows Penn State athletics had nearly $96 million in revenues, and roughly $77 million in expenses last year. The expense figure does not include $11.3 million of debt service.

PROGRAM TIMELINE

Monday First day to accept 2011 seat transfer applications and payments

Feb. 1 Deadline for Nittany Lion Club membership and point totals for 2010 football ticket and parking privileges

Feb. 15 2010 football season ticket renewals begin

March 1 2010 football season ticket applications available for new Nittany Lion Club members

May 1 2010 football season ticket application and payment deadline

June 30 2011 seat transfer application deadline; deadline to accumulate Nittany Lion Club points for STEP priority in 2011

July 1 2011 Nittany Lion Club membership year begins; donation levels to reflect seat equity plan

July 1-Sept. 1 Details of 2011 seat selection made available; 2010 season ticket holders required to submit seating intentions for 2011 season

Aug. 1 2011 seat transfer status confirmed

Nov. 1-Jan. 30, 2011 2010 season ticket holders participate in 2011 seat selection; Nittany Lion Club invoicing to reflect STEP donations for 2011 football ticket and parking selections

Feb. 1, 2011 2011 Nittany Lion Club membership deadline; donation levels to reflect seat equity plan

May 1, 2011 2011 football season ticket payment deadline

July 1, 2011 2012 Nittany Lion Club membership year begins

September 2011 Nittany Lion Club STEP fully implemented

Source: Penn State

SEAT TRANSFERS

The new guidelines also allow 2010 Nittany Lion Club members to, for the first time, transfer their season tickets to family and/or friends. Members can transfer between two and six tickets and one reserved parking pass to another account.

Transfers also require a donation, and in some cases, a minimum of Nittany Lion Club points. Those monetary amounts are detailed on the pdf seating chart.

Nick Malawskey can be reached at 235-3928. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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