What Bryce Jordan Center does

The Bryce Jordan Center is a 15,000+ seat multi-purpose arena located on the campus of the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, operating as an auxiliary unit of Penn State since its opening in 1996. It is central Pennsylvania's only entertainment facility of its size, hosting concerts, family shows, sporting events, commencement ceremonies, and large-scale private functions. The venue is the home arena for Penn State Men's and Women's NCAA Division I basketball teams and the wrestling program, and serves as the primary site for THON, one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the world.

The BJC's product portfolio spans an arena floor plus over 50,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, including the 1855 Club, Legends I & II, a Board Room, a Training Table, and the Arena floor itself. Supporting infrastructure includes state-of-the-art audio/visual systems (LED video walls, HD in-room displays, Zoom Room technology, customizable lighting), comprehensive ADA-compliant accessibility services (sensory room, assistive listening, sign language, text-assist), premium Club Seats and Private Suites, multi-vendor concourse dining, exclusive on-site catering under the BJC Catering brand, and event merchandise.

The business model is event-driven and diversified across six revenue streams: ticket sales via Ticketmaster as the official ticketing partner (with Penn State students accessing mobile tickets through BJC Account Manager), concessions and food & beverage (including Penn State Berkey Creamery, Chickie's & Pete's, and other branded outlets), recurring premium seating (subscription-style private suites and club seats), full-service catering for private events ($7.95-$59.95 per person), event merchandise, and parking managed by Penn State Transportation Services through ParkWhiz and HONK. Distribution runs through Ticketmaster online and mobile, an on-site box office, phone sales, group sales, and direct premium seating sales, with sponsorships from Pepsi (exclusive beverage), Penn State Health, PSECU, and Penn State Go layering additional revenue onto the core event business.

Name

Bryce Jordan Center

Legal name

The Pennsylvania State University

Website

https://bjc.psu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Spectator Sports (7112), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

University & Educational Venue Operations (Auditoriums, Campus Arenas) (MPAGALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers (MPAKAEAB), Collegiate & School Athletic Facilities (MPAKAEAJ)

Keywords

• Live entertainment venue
• Arena event hosting
• Concert venue services
• Sports event facility
• Private event catering

Headquarters

HQ city

University Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream through Ticketmaster as official ticketing partner. Tickets sold online, through BJC Account Manager for students, in-person at box office, and via phone. Group sales available for many events.
2. Concessions and Food & Beverage: Multiple concession outlets offering a variety of food and beverages including Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream, Chickie's & Pete's crabfries, Auntie Anne's pretzels, and various other dining options. Accepts cash, credit, Lion Cash, and student/faculty/staff meal plans.
3. Premium Seating: Club Seats offering cushioned seating, complimentary VIP parking, access to VIP room with complimentary food and beverages, and in-seat dining service. Private Suites available for up to 14 people with annual purchase including 14 tickets to all concerts and non-athletic events, complimentary parking, private entrance, and customized catering.
4. Catering and Private Events: BJC Catering is the exclusive caterer offering full-service catering for on-campus and BJC events including breakfast buffets, lunch/dinner buffets, hors d'oeuvres, weddings, and in-suite dining. Provides on-campus drop-off catering for groups of 10-60 and full-service catering for groups of 50 or more.
5. Merchandise: Event merchandise available at most events located at various positions on the arena concourse.
6. Parking Services: Parking provided and managed by Penn State Transportation Services with pre-paid options through ParkWhiz and day-of-event HONK platform payment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bryce Jordan Center is a 15,000+ seat multi-purpose entertainment arena located on the Pennsylvania State University campus that hosts concerts, family shows, sporting events, commencement ceremonies, corporate meetings, weddings, and trade shows. It also serves as the home venue for Penn State Men's and Women's NCAA Division I Basketball teams. Supporting offerings include premium seating (Club Seats and Private Suites), concourse dining concessions, on-site BJC Catering for private events, the 1855 Club event venue, and ADA-compliant accessibility services.

Product overview

The Bryce Jordan Center is a single-venue entertainment facility offering event hosting services centered around its 15,000+ seat arena. The core product portfolio includes arena events (concerts, family shows, sports), supported by ticketing services through Ticketmaster, premium seating options (club seats and private suites), and concourse dining. Additional offerings encompass private event rentals of flexible meeting spaces totaling over 50,000 sq ft (1855 Club, Board Room, Legends I & II, Training Table, Arena floor), exclusive BJC Catering services, and comprehensive accessibility services compliant with ADA requirements. The venue serves as home to Penn State Men's and Women's NCAA Division I Basketball teams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BJC Catering: Exclusive on-site catering services at the Bryce Jordan Center providing full-service catering for events ranging from casual buffets to elegant plated dinners.
• 1855 Club

Products and services

• Bryce Jordan Center Arena Event Hosting Multi-purpose 15,000+ seat arena hosting top-name music performers, family shows, sporting events, and commencement ceremonies, serving as the home venue for Penn State Men's and Women's NCAA Division I Basketball teams.
• Premium Seating (Club Seats and Private Suites) Event-level premium seating including cushioned Club Seats with complimentary VIP parking, VIP room access, and in-seat dining service, plus Private Suites for up to 14 guests with annual subscription including 14 tickets to all concerts and non-athletic events, complimentary parking, private entrance, and customized catering.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketmaster is the official ticketing partner of the Bryce Jordan Center. All tickets for concerts and events can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com or the Ticketmaster app, guaranteeing 'Verified Tickets' for authentic purchases.
• THONcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTHON is a major annual event held at the Bryce Jordan Center. As one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the nation, THON has raised millions for pediatric cancer. The BJC serves as the primary venue for this signature Penn State event.
• Penn State HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPenn State Health is a sponsor of the Bryce Jordan Center, advertised on the venue's digital platforms and physical banner spaces.
• PSECUminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPSECU (Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union) is a sponsor of the Bryce Jordan Center, with their logo featured on the venue's digital platforms and physical banner spaces.
• PepsiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPepsi is a sponsor and exclusive beverage provider for the Bryce Jordan Center, with their products available at all concession stands throughout the venue.
• Penn State GominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPenn State Go is a sponsor of the Bryce Jordan Center, with advertising displayed on the venue's digital banner spaces.
• ParkWhizcoreTechnology or IntegrationParkWhiz is the preferred pre-paid parking platform for Bryce Jordan Center events. Fans can purchase parking in advance through ParkWhiz to save on event parking fees.
• Penn State Transportation ServicescoreOthersPenn State Transportation Services provides and manages parking for the Bryce Jordan Center. They oversee parking lots including Jordan East, Stadium West, and Porter North, as well as the HONK platform for day-of-event parking payments.
• Lion Country LodgingminorOthersLion Country Lodging, owned and operated by Hospitality Asset Management Company (HAMCO Hotels), offers five award-winning State College properties for visitors to the Bryce Jordan Center area.
• Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA)minorOthersCATA provides public transportation throughout the Centre Region, offering safe, reliable, and affordable transit for Bryce Jordan Center event attendees.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Schottenstein Center (Ohio State University): Big Ten university-owned multi-purpose arena of similar scale (~20,000 seats) on the Ohio State campus, hosting basketball, concerts, and family shows under comparable university-operated governance.
• Mackey Arena (Purdue University): Big Ten university-owned arena (~14,800 seats) operated by Purdue University, hosting NCAA Division I basketball and special events under a university-auxiliary operating model similar to BJC.
• Breslin Center (Michigan State University): Big Ten university-owned multi-purpose arena (~14,759 seats) at Michigan State, hosting basketball and concerts under a comparable university-operated business model and similar premium-seating offerings.
• Dean E. Smith Center (UNC): University of North Carolina's flagship multi-purpose arena (~21,750 seats), operated as a university auxiliary, hosting NCAA Division I basketball, concerts, and commencement ceremonies in a comparable manner to BJC.
• Rupp Arena (University of Kentucky): University of Kentucky's major multi-purpose arena (~23,500 seats) in a similar college-town setting, hosting NCAA Division I basketball and concerts under a closely related university-affiliated operating model.
• Xfinity Center (University of Maryland): Big Ten university-owned arena (~17,950 seats) on the University of Maryland campus, hosting NCAA Division I basketball and concerts under a directly comparable university auxiliary operating structure.

Broad incumbents

• PPG Paints Arena: Larger professional multi-purpose arena (~19,758 seats) in Pittsburgh, PA. Operates in the same Pennsylvania regional market as BJC and competes for Northeast touring artists, but operates as a professional (non-university) venue.
• Xfinity Mobile Arena (formerly Wells Fargo Center): Major professional arena in Philadelphia, PA (~21,000+ seats). A much larger and broader-incumbent venue that competes for Northeast touring concerts and major entertainment events within BJC's broader Pennsylvania reach.

Regional players

• Giant Center: Pennsylvania-based entertainment venue (~10,500 seats) in Hershey, PA. Competes regionally in central Pennsylvania for concerts and family shows, though smaller in capacity than BJC.
• Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza: Pennsylvania-based entertainment venue (~8,050 seats) in Wilkes-Barre, PA. A regional competitor within Pennsylvania for mid-tier concerts, comedy, and family entertainment, complementing rather than replacing BJC's larger-scale offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jordancenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/jordancenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/jordancenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bryce Jordan Center