💬 Penn State: If you can't afford parking passes in the season, we don't want you at the spring game?

[TerryP]

There's the opinion David Jones who covers the football program at PSU for PennLive.com.

So, there it is. If you're not of the income to afford passes to the real season – and that's all of the real season – we don't really want you, even at the spring scrimmage​

His editorial was based on a promotional email sent our by the Athletic Department at PSU.

"Fans arriving on game day for the 2017 Blue-White game who did not have a 2016 season car or RV parking permit will be charged $20 (cash only) for car parking in the Blue-White gameday car lots or $20 (cash only) for RV parking in the overnight RV lot. All RVs will park in the overnight RV lot for the spring game."

​

Penn State athletics simply can't get by on $36M profit?

 

[OldPlayer]

Unlike Alabama, PSU has very large parking lots and parking fields (university property) around their stadium. While some people won't mind taking a hike to the stadium, if you want to park close you'll have to pay. It's not like they have a capacity crowd for their Spring game, so it becomes a convenience charge.

 

[Max]

It's not like they have a capacity crowd for their Spring game, so it becomes a convenience charge.

I don't get your point. They had 65K at their spring game. What are we looking at here? 1.3mm for parking?

I have to side with the author here. It looks like a greedy money grab to me.

 

[TUSKtimes]

CATAbus - $1.75 round trip. At $40 bucks gameday parking, they are definitely making some lasting memories.

 

[Bamabww]

At $40 bucks gameday parking,

Exactly and you don't have a choice if you come in on the Interstate from the south. The exit we took to PSU funneled us right into a field maybe ¼ mile from the stadium. No if ands or buts, if you were in that exit lane you were going to pay $40 to park.

 

[OldPlayer]

I don't get your point. They had 65K at their spring game. What are we looking at here? 1.3mm for parking?

I have to side with the author here. It looks like a greedy money grab to me.

By all views they are making money. Remember that over the last few years they lost a lot of money following the Sandusky scandal and the NCAA hammer. I'm pointing out that the school has a ton of parking that is close to their stadium that hasn't been used to make money in the Spring. If you're running any type of business you look for easy ways to make money.

65K in a stadium that seats 105K+. Your math assumes every attendee drove individually and needs to park. Cut that number to about 20-30%. I'm not in favor of what they did, but I understand why.

 

[TerryP]

Remember that over the last few years they lost a lot of money following the Sandusky scandal and the NCAA hammer.

I'm not in favor of what they did, but I understand why.

If the school is doing this due to the monies they paid out because of Sandusky that's just f'd up.

I wonder if the revenue goes to the Athletic Department or the school. I'd think any money paid out on those settlements didn't come from the Athletic Department's coffers.

 

[OldPlayer]

If the school is doing this due to the monies they paid out because of Sandusky that's just f'd up.

I wonder if the revenue goes to the Athletic Department or the school. I'd think any money paid out on those settlements didn't come from the Athletic Department's coffers.

It's not the settlement monies. The athletic department lost money due to the bowl ban and not participating in the conference payout. The parking fees are a deck chair off the Titanic, but it's additional revenue.

 

[TerryP]

The athletic department lost money due to the bowl ban and not participating in the conference payout

I can't speak for the B1G, but in the same situation in the SEC those monies would have gone into an escrow account and then paid to the school after they came out of probation. That's what happened with UA the last time.