Update Nov. 13: Penn State released information on the distribution of playoff tickets.
Ever since the momentous decision of last Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, there has been one burning question on the tips of the tongues of many of my friends, family, neighbors and others here in Happy Valley. The same question that is being asked by plenty of people beyond Happy Valley as well – in fact, all over America.
I’ve had countless people ask me this question. As I’ve gone around town shopping, dining, exercising, walking and working, fellow locals have made this conversation topic number one. Right after, “How are you?” the very next order of business will be this question.
And, it’s a question that, at least as far as I can tell, has no publicly-known answer. Which is why it’s causing concern and angst and uneasiness among so many of us around town and beyond. Even me.
The question is this: How will Penn State distribute tickets for a home playoff football game?
If you haven’t been living under a proverbial rock, you know that last Tuesday the 13 members of the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee released their first rankings for a season that for the first will have time a 12-team playoff.
Finally, after years and years of deciding the national champion of what we currently call Division 1 FBS football through the archaic means of the opinions of sportswriters and/or coaches, or via a single championship game, or at best two playoff games resulting in a championship matchup, we’ve advanced as a society to a 12-team playoff!
A 12-team playoff that, get this, rewards teams for winning a conference championship! I know, this is a shocking turn of events. For over a century winning a conference championship at this level of football has meant exactly nothing. Sure, maybe you got a trophy and a banner, but it meant nothing in regards to the ultimate prize: a national title.
But now major college football has taken a page from the college hockey playbook and decided that winning a conference championship means something. The five conference champions ranked highest by the CFP selection committee automatically qualify for the playoffs, and the four highest receive first-round byes in the playoffs.
Doing a little basic math, if it’s a 12-team playoff and four teams get a first-round bye, that leaves eight teams to play four first-round games. These first-round games will be played not at neutral sites, but on the campus of the higher seeds – or, should the campus stadium be unavailable or unfit for outdoor games in late December, at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution.
This would be a good point to remind you that some of the $70 million in renovations that have already occurred at Beaver Stadium were done specifically to make sure it could host such a playoff game. Not primarily to improve bathroom facilities by installing porta-potties (a topic for another day!).
Anyway, as mentioned, last Tuesday, those first-ever CFP rankings were released. Here are the top eight teams in those rankings:
1. Oregon
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Miami
5. Texas
6. Penn State
7. Tennessee
8. Indiana
What those rankings mean is this: if Penn State wins its final four games against Washington (which it already won on Saturday), Purdue, Minnesota and Maryland, it would be almost guaranteed a first-round game at Beaver Stadium. The reason is that the path for Penn State to win a Big Ten championship – and get the accompanying first-round bye – requires that some combination of Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana lose a few games. Something that doesn’t look too likely at this point in the season.
But, Penn State does look to be in a great spot to get one of those first-round on-campus games. Which brings us back to the searing question on many of our minds: How will Penn State distribute tickets for the home playoff football game?
The majority of the people I talk to are holding out hope that they will be given the opportunity to sit in their regular season-ticket-holding seats. But almost universally, they also expect to be, well, screwed.
And, outside of an announcement from Penn State that they have moved the date of the fall 2024 commencement ceremonies to Sunday, Dec. 22, “due to a potential conflict with a large-scale event on the University Park campus,” there has been no word from Penn State about what they will do.
Scouring the CFP website also results in no indication as to how tickets to these first-round games can, should or will be distributed. The result? A little bit of concern, angst and uneasiness among us fans.
Which may be the correct emotions for us to be feeling. What’s the old saying? Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
This is the moment where I point out that words have meanings. And that the question we are all asking, “How will Penn State distribute tickets for the home playoff football game?” may be incorrectly phrased.
We are all calling it a “home” game. Except, nowhere on the CFP website are these games referred to as “home” games for the higher-ranked seed. The official language is “on campus,” and “hosting.” As in: “The eight teams seeded No. 5-12 will play in a first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution.”
These “on-campus” first-round games will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 8, and played on Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21. Were Penn State to get an on-campus game for Beaver Stadium, what would our “hosting” responsibilities include as far as ticket allocations?
As I said, I have searched for answers, and although I’m certain somebody knows what those answers are, I haven’t found them.
So, as is my prerogative as a columnist, I will suggest one. The vast majority of the people who I have discussed this with agree that Penn State should allow season ticket holders – including the students who will be on break during the game – the opportunity to buy their regular seats first before anything else happens. After that, the remaining seats can be sold in whatever manner the university deems best.
As I said, the expectation of all those same people is that this will not happen. Since 2011 when the athletic department began shifting a larger and larger percentage of revenues to salaries and benefits, and a smaller and smaller portion to facilities that benefit the fans, we Penn State fans may have begun to expect less and less from the university.
That being the case, why not announce the ticket allocation procedure now?
The upside for Penn State announcing it early is that we can all make plans as soon as possible about whether we’ll buy tickets. The only downside is if the allocation process is unfavorable to season-ticket holders as expected, Penn State may get some public backlash. But, that’s nothing new, and will likely be similar to what the other three “on-campus” sites will experience. Meaning that just becomes the new playoff norm.
Of course, the unthinkable might happen, and the team could lose a game and miss out on the “on-campus hosting” opportunity. But, I’m sure any fan unhappiness with that will not be directed at the ticket allocation knowledge they already had.
So, how about it, Penn State Athletics? Can you please answer the one burning question on the tips of the tongues of many of my friends, family, neighbors and others? How will you distribute tickets for the on campus playoff football game? Please let us know soon. Thank you!
