UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Athletics and Penn State Public Broadcasting are extending their partnership to produce "Penn State Football 2012 – The Next Chapter," a weekly program that chronicles the Nittany Lions’ first season under head coach Bill O’Brien.
Penn State Public Broadcasting will produce the program, which will debut Sunday, Sept. 2 and be televised on WPSU-TV, across the Commonwealth and in numerous markets in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The program will include feature stories and highlights from the previous day’s Penn State contest throughout the season, which begins Sept. 1 when the Nittany Lions host Ohio at 12 p.m.
The 30-minute program will provide a fast-paced, intimate look at Nittany Lion football and include exclusive interviews with Coach O’Brien, members of the football staff and team members and behind the scenes access from pre-season through the end of the season.
WPSU-TV also produces the Emmy Award-winning "Courtside With Coquese," chronicling the 2012 Big Ten Champion Lady Lion Basketball team, in partnership with Penn State Athletics.
"For several months now, we have referenced ‘The Next Chapter’ of Penn State Football," said Dave Joyner, Penn State Acting Athletic Director. "Our extended collaboration with Penn State Public Broadcasting will bring that to life for our fans every week this season. This football team has tremendous character and personality and this year’s show is going to reveal that each and every week."
"We are very excited to have WPSU-TV partner with Penn State Athletics to help tell the story of the next chapter of Penn State Football," said Craig Weidemann, vice president of Penn State Outreach, which oversees the public broadcasting station. "WPSU-TV has a long-standing partnership with advancing Penn State Athletics. Given WPSU-TV’s commitment to high-quality sports programming and Coach O’Brien’s commitment to high character student-athletes playing good, tough football, it is a natural fit."
"Penn State Football 2012 – The Next Chapter" airs every week during the Nittany Lions’ football season throughout Pennsylvania and regional sports cable networks and channels in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Among the Pennsylvania outlets carrying "Penn State Football 2012 – The Next Chapter" are:
– WPSU-TV, Ch. 3 (State College/Central Pa.);
– WTAJ-TV, Ch. 10 (State College, Altoona, Johnstown);
– WLYH-TV, Ch. 15 (Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, Reading);
– WNEP-TV, Ch. 16 (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre);
– WFMZ-TV, Ch. 69 (Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton);
– WFXP-TV, Ch. 66 (Erie);
– Root Sports (Western Pa./Eastern Ohio/W. Va.);
– CSN-Philadelphia (Eastern Pa./New Jersey/Delaware).
MASN (Baltimore-Washington, D.C.) and NESN (New England) are among the other regional sports networks carrying "Penn State Football 2012 – The Next Chapter."
Fans should check the TV-Radio affiliates link at www.GoPSUsports.com for an updated listing of stations/regional sports networks airing the program and the airtimes.
Penn State Football Eve will launch the season on Friday, Aug. 31 at 7:00 p.m. in Beaver Stadium, with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. Admission and parking are free for the festive event that kicks off a big Penn State sports weekend, with the 126th football season opener the following day at noon. Also on Aug. 31, the men’s soccer team hosts Duquesne at 8 p.m. at Jeffrey Field and the women’s volleyball team faces perennial power Stanford at 8 p.m. in the Nike Big Four Tournament at Rec Hall.
O’Brien’s Lions also will host Navy (Sept. 15, 3:30 p.m.), Temple (Sept. 22, TBA), Northwestern (Oct. 6, 12 p.m.-Homecoming), Ohio State (Oct. 27, 6 p.m.), Indiana (Nov. 17, TBA) and Wisconsin (Nov. 24, TBA-Senior Day) this season.
Penn State football season and single tickets are available. Ticket purchases and information is available at www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets or fans can call Penn State athletics Customer Relations at 1-800-NITTANY (648-8269) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pre-paid single game parking passes for the general parking lots are also available at www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets. The pricing of 2012 Penn State football season tickets and accompanying donation levels is the same as in 2011.
WPSU serves central Pennsylvania and national audiences with programming, educational services and community outreach. This public media service produces, acquires and distributes programs that address local interests and reflect the diverse cultural, political, geographic and demographic characteristics of an audience within central Pennsylvania.