Penn State Football: Franklin May Draw Close To His 107K This Weekend

Probably one of the most amazing things about Penn State football while under a bowl ban is the fact that so many people still came to the games.

Sure you love Penn State. There is just an unbelievable surplus of blue and white blood running through you. It doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks, you’re here for your school.

And that’s all fine and dandy, but everybody knows it costs hundreds of dollars to visit State College for a day or a weekend. Considering that Penn State wasn’t playing for anything other than pride — which is admirable in and of itself — you still might be excused for making an investment in a new TV rather than a new RV.

Certainly the attendance decline — that still found Penn State ranked in the Top 5 nationally — had a lot to do with the scandal and the fact that people were angry and the fact the super popular STEP ticketing program existed. But it’s hard to imagine only 95,769 coming to a Homecoming game in 2012 if there was a bowl at the end of the tunnel even with a 3-2 record. In fact 2012 is the only Homecoming game since Beaver Stadium expanded that has had less than 100K in attendance. 

Last week, Penn State’s Board of Trustees noted that in order to make up for lost profits and an athletic department in debt that one solution could be to raise ticket prices.

But that’s assuming attendance doesn’t rise all on its own.

So far in 2014 Penn State’s two home games have nearly hit the 100,000 mark. That’s a mark that has been basically unheard of since 2010 when Penn State hosted over 100K at every single home game.

A total of 97,354 fans showed up for Akron and an impressive crowd of 99,155 to see Penn State play a game against UMass it had basically won at the opening kick. The UMass game was in fact the largest non conference crowd since Penn State hosted Alabama in 2011. Penn State’s new variable pricing program is only helping people find their way back to Happy Valley for the game. Pius being undefeated doesn’t hurt.

James Franklin’s pitch from Day 1 has been for a crowd of #107Kstrong, something that he has yet to achieve despite nearly screaming for it from the mountain tops. It seems that he will hit his mark though if not this week then in four more when Penn State hosts Ohio State for a primetime kick. Tickets for both games are going well above face value and official resale sites are running low on options.

And if Penn State’s trajectory as a program continues to trend upwards, there’s no reason why things won’t be like they once were not too long ago both in the stands and on the field.