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Penn State Planning For Fans In Stands If State Guidelines Change

One potential plan allowing up to 23,275 to attend games this fall was denied by the governor's officeGETTY IMAGES

Penn State football is preparing to play this fall "largely without fans due to state-issued guidelines," but the school's athletic department "has a plan in place if that changes," according to Jon Sauber of the CENTRE DAILY TIMES. Several athletic department members, including AD Sandy Barbour and Senior Associate AD of Capital Events & Facilities Carl Heck, detailed a potential plan for "up to 23,275 fans to attend games this fall inside the 106,572-seat Beaver Stadium." The plan was presented to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf's office but was "denied given the situation of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the guidance to limit outdoor events to 250 people." While the plan was nixed by Wolf's office for the time being, Barbour said that the school and its athletic department "maintain contact with the governor's office and have been working with it to maintain flexibility and find avenues to have fans in attendance at games" (CENTRE DAILY TIMES, 8/7).

TAKE YOUR PICK: In Pittsburgh, Nubyjas Wilborn notes PSU presented football season-ticket holders with "three options in place of them being in attendance for games in 2020." Fans "could make the payment into a tax-deductible donation, use the money toward 2021 season tickets or request a refund." If fans take the refund option, they "would have to deduct the seat-licensing fee, and the seat-licensing cost would become a tax-deductible donation." Barbour said that some ticket holders were "annoyed that choosing that option would not have their 2020 seat location or parking guaranteed for the 2021 season." Barbour: "There are probably no good answers here, and we had some difficult decisions to make." Meanwhile, Barbour indicated that she is "taking a 15% pay cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic." She also said that "other administrators around campus and athletic staff are also taking cuts but wouldn't confirm" if football coach James Franklin, who makes more than $5M and is the "highest paid public employee in Pennsylvania, is among them" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 8/7).

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