UNIVERSITY PARK – One of the nation’s premier spring football events, Penn State’s Blue-White Game presented by the American Automobile Association (AAA), will be televised live by ESPN2 on April 24. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Beaver Stadium.
As in previous years, there will be no admission or parking fee for the Blue-White game, which culminates spring practice for the Nittany Lions. The Blue-White Game also will air on the Penn State Sports Network and http://www.gopsusports.com/#00.
The Blue-White Game presented by AAA will be the first spring football game ESPN has televised among Big Ten Conference institutions. Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma are among the schools that have hosted ESPN for their spring football game over the past five years, with LSU and North Carolina also joining the list this spring.
One of the highlights of the Penn State sports calendar, Blue-White Weekend presented by AAA is set for April 23-24 with numerous free, fan-friendly events adjacent to Beaver Stadium. The celebration of Penn State football will include the popular pre-game autograph session with the players, the announcement of the spring football award winners as well as the recipients of the PNC Bank “Player of the Game” from last season.
During the weekend, the University will also announce the official dollar goal of For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students, the most ambitious fundraising effort in its history.
The Blue-White Game presented by AAA is one of the nation’s most popular spring football contests. The attendance record has fallen each of the past three years, with an estimated crowd of 76,500 flocking to the 2009 contest. An estimated 73,000 fans attended in 2008 and 71,000 in 2007. More than 40,000 fans have attended the game in 11 of the past 14 years, with rainy conditions during the other three contests.
Other events held in conjunction with Blue-White Weekend presented by AAA will be announced at a later date.
Coach Joe Paterno’s squad will begin spring practice the last week of March.
ESPN2 is available in nearly 99 million homes. Penn State has made numerous appearances on ESPN and ESPN2, including recent games with Northwestern (2009), Michigan, Wisconsin and Purdue (2007 and ’08), Notre Dame, Texas A&M and Indiana (2007), in addition to ABC outer market appearances.
ESPN’s popular “College GameDay presented by the Home Depot” has originated from Penn State three times in the past five years.
The Nittany Lions earned their second consecutive 11-2 record last season, capped by a win over LSU in the Capital One Bowl, Penn State’s fourth bowl victory in the past five seasons. The Nittany Lions were No. 8 in the final USA Today Coaches poll and No. 9 in the Associated Press survey, earning their 23rd final Top 10 ranking under the Hall of Fame coach.
Penn State is 51-13 (79.7) since the start of the 2005 season, tied for the nation’s No. 7 winning percentage over that span.
The Nittany Lions return 37 letterwinners for the 2010 season, including 13 starters (7 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist), as well as 11 players that have starting experience. Penn State opens the season Sept. 4 vs. Youngstown State in Beaver Stadium and visits 2009 national champion Alabama on Sept. 11.
Jeff Nelson, Penn State University
