UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State is the nation’s only college or university to have two facilities ranked among North America’s top 100 stadium experiences for 2017.
Stadium Journey ranked Penn State’s iconic Beaver Stadium (No. 23) and Pegula Ice Arena (No. 71) among the top 100 in North America. Stadium Journey asked its 100 writers to provide their top 10 stadiums and from the votes compiled a listing of the top 100 stadium experiences.
“We are proud of our facilities, but it’s our outstanding alumni, students and fans who make the atmosphere at our home events among the best in the nation,” said Brad Keen, assistant athletic director for marketing. “The passion, pride and enthusiasm Penn Staters provide for our student-athletes make a significant impact at all our venues.”
Stadium Journey ranks Pegula Ice Arena No. 1 among all of North America’s collegiate hockey facilities. It was the only collegiate hockey venue listed in the top 100 overall. Opening in October 2013 at the start of the Nittany Lions’ second varsity season, Penn State men’s hockey has played in front of 70 consecutive sellouts in Pegula Ice Arena. The Nittany Lion women’s hockey team also plays in the state-of-the-art facility.
The nation’s second-largest facility, Beaver Stadium ranks as the No. 6 college football stadium, according to Stadium Journey. Opening in 1960, Beaver Stadium hosted its largest crowd all-time this past season when a primetime throng of 110,823 saw the Nittany Lions beat Michigan, 42-13. Penn State has been unbeaten at home each of the past two seasons.
Other Pennsylvania facilities included in Stadium Journey’s top 100 were: Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field and PNC Park, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field and Wells Fargo Center, the Giant Center inHershey, and FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading.