Beaver Stadium Renovation and the Winter Classic: ‘If The NHL Called Me Today, I’d Be Like, Yep, Let’s Go,’ Says AD Pat Kraft

In a wide ranging interview with StateCollege.com on Thursday morning Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft stated that the athletic department would be interested in one day hosting the NHL’s Winter Classic or Stadium Series at Beaver Stadium.

“Oh, absolutely. I think it’d be amazing in Beaver Stadium,” Kraft said. “If the NHL called me today, I’d be like, Yep, let’s go. I think number one, it would be very cool. I think it’d be great for the NHL, I think it’d be great happy valley and for our fans. I think there’s ways to figure out how our teams could play out there, our hockey culture is really strong. But from a Penn State perspective, we’re all in. We’re still trying to get our arms around what all that entails, right? You’ve got to have all the amenities to do that and winterization will help but yeah, we we’d be very excited to do that with the NHL.”

Penn State is currently in the preliminary stages of a multi-year renovation of Beaver Stadium which focuses on a handful of major infrastructure needs including the winterization of the venue. Historically the potential for freezing pipes and restroom failures has been a major hinderance to Penn State’s ability to host events like the Winter Classic.

The immediate interest in winterizing Beaver Stadium is born not only of general necessity but also the fact higher-seeded teams in the soon-to-be expanded College Football Playoffs are set to host opening round playoff games. In turn, Penn State could see the Nittany Lions playing mid-winter playoff games in a stadium that is not fully equipped for such a thing. The overall renovation project for Beaver Stadium is slated – tentatively – for an August 2027 completion.

The winterization of Beaver Stadium isn’t the only obstacle facing Penn State hosting an outdoor NHL game. Parking [Penn State primary parks football attendees in grass or gravel lots] and the potential for hotel accommodations also pose a potential logistical challenge. All the same Kraft is interested in making it happen if the NHL comes calling even if those conversations have only been peripheral at best. Penn State would also likely have to hand over most all operational control of the event planning itself, a sticking point in the past according to at least one source.

“Not yet, just on the fringes, just – how would it work?” Kraft said. “Being in Boston, they would have a rink at Fenway and so I know a little bit about that piece. But nothing directly with [the NHL]. There had been concepts before and some of the other research so we’ve looked at that. But a lot of it’s just getting our house in order – that really has been the most important.”

Who might play in such a game remains to be seen, but it’s safe to say with State College at the intersection of so many hockey franchises, there would be no lack of interest if the day ever finally arrived.