Penn State Athletic Department
Penn State Athletic Department operates 31 varsity sports programs for The Pennsylvania State University within the Big Ten Conference, serving students, alumni, and fans through digital ticketing, merchandise, streaming, corporate sponsorship, and donor engagement platforms.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1855
- HeadquartersUniversity Park, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Penn State Athletic Department does
Penn State Athletic Department operates the intercollegiate athletics program of The Pennsylvania State University, managing 31 varsity sports (16 men's and 15 women's) that compete primarily in the Big Ten Conference. The department serves students, alumni, and fans through a comprehensive digital platform ecosystem anchored at gopsusports.com and a mobile application available on iOS and Android, with Ticketmaster powering digital ticketing for Football (Beaver Stadium), Basketball, Ice Hockey (Pegula Ice Arena), Volleyball, and Wrestling. The department's product portfolio also includes LionVision streaming, a Composite Schedule platform, the Nittany Lion Club donor program, the ICA Sport Privilege Pass bundled ticket product, and an official merchandise storefront operated through a partnership with adidas/Fanatics.
The business model combines multiple revenue streams: ticket sales through Ticketmaster (season ticket deposits and single-game purchases), corporate sponsorships across financial services (PSECU), beverage (PepsiCo), grocery (Giant Food Stores), healthcare (Penn State Health, Highmark), home services (West Shore Home), and insurance (Amica) verticals, managed by Playfly via Penn State Sports Enterprises; NIL monetization through Playfly Max; Big Ten Conference media rights distributions distributed via B1G Ten Network; official merchandise sales; and donor contributions through the Nittany Lion Club. Student-athlete support infrastructure includes the Morgan Academic Center for academic services, Sports Medicine, and Athletic Performance divisions.
The department operates under Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft with a leadership team comprising Deputy ADs for Strategic Engagement, Internal Operations, External Affairs, and Competitive Excellence/Student-Athlete Wellness, alongside Senior Associate ADs overseeing Capital Projects (including the Beaver Stadium Revitalization project slated for 2027), Advancement, Compliance, Auxiliary Operations, Finance, and the Morgan Academic Center. Over 800 students are employed across administration, facilities, athletics, marketing, and operations functions. As a department within a public state-related university, Penn State Athletics does not operate as a standalone commercial entity and does not publicly disclose standalone revenue figures; financial performance is consolidated within The Pennsylvania State University's broader institutional reporting.
Penn State Athletic Department firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Penn State Athletic Department
- Legal name
- The Pennsylvania State University
- Website
- https://gopsusports.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1855
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Penn State Athletic Department operates 31 varsity sports programs for The Pennsylvania State University within the Big Ten Conference, serving students, alumni, and fans through digital ticketing, merchandise, streaming, corporate sponsorship, and donor engagement platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Penn State Athletic Department industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Collegiate Athletics Programs
- NAICS
- Spectator Sports (71121), Spectator Sports (7112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)
- akta.pro primary industry
- College/University Athletic Departments & Varsity Programs (MPAKACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Intercollegiate Athletics (Varsity Sports Programs) (EDALAIAA), College & University Sports Networks (Conference/School-Owned) (MPABAJAD), Collegiate & School Athletic Facilities (MPAKAEAJ), National Collegiate Governing Bodies (e.g., NCAA/NAIA/NJCAA/USCAA) (MPAKACAC), College/University Sports Events (NCAA & equivalents) (MPAGAMAE)
Keywords
Where Penn State Athletic Department is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- University Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Penn State Athletic Department business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Season ticket deposits for 2026 Football Season |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Single-game tickets for various sports |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Penn State Athletic Department product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Penn State Athletic Department operates the intercollegiate athletics program for The Pennsylvania State University, fielding 31 varsity sports (16 men's, 15 women's) that compete primarily in the Big Ten Conference. The department sells tickets, merchandise, multimedia content access, and donor memberships, and operates the official athletics website, mobile applications, and LionVision streaming platform that connect fans to live and on-demand coverage of teams, schedules, and news.
Product overview
Penn State Athletic Department operates a digital platform ecosystem centered on its official athletics website (gopsusports.com) and mobile application. The portfolio includes the Official Penn State Athletics Mobile App for news, stats, and digital ticketing; LionVision for video streaming; Composite Schedule for event scheduling; ICA Sport Privilege Pass for ticket packages; Nittany Lion Club membership program; and an Official Online Store for merchandise. The platform serves 31 intercollegiate athletic programs spanning men's and women's sports.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Official Penn State Athletics Mobile App Mobile application providing fans with news, stats, rosters, standings, digital ticketing, and exclusive content access for all Penn State sports teams, available on iOS and Android
- LionVision Video streaming platform providing live event coverage, video archives, and multimedia content for Penn State athletics
- Composite Schedule All-sports scheduling platform allowing fans to view and download schedules for all Penn State athletic teams
- Nittany Lion Club Official donor and fan support organization for Penn State athletics, providing member benefits and supporting student-athletes through annual donations
- ICA Sport Privilege Pass Ticket pass providing access to select Penn State athletic events including Women's Volleyball, Men's Basketball, and Women's Basketball home games
- Official Online Store E-commerce platform selling official Penn State athletics merchandise including apparel, accessories, jerseys, hats, and branded memorabilia with nationwide shipping
- Athletic Event Tickets (Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Volleyball, Wrestling) Season tickets and single-game tickets for Penn State home athletic events, distributed through Ticketmaster with student and premium pricing tiers
Companies that use Penn State Athletic Department
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Penn State Athletic Department technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Penn State Athletic Department partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PSECUcoreOfficial partner of Penn State athletics. PSECU branding appears on athletics website and communications materials. Partnership provides financial services and banking relationship with the athletics department.
- PepsiCocoreOfficial beverage partner of Penn State athletics. Pepsi branding visible on official athletics website. Partnership provides beverage concessions and marketing activation opportunities.
- Giant Food StorescoreOfficial grocery partner of Penn State athletics. Giant branding appears on athletics communications and website materials.
- Penn State HealthcoreOfficial health system partner providing sports medicine and healthcare services for Penn State student-athletes. Team physicians affiliated with Penn State Health.
- West Shore HomecoreOfficial partner of Penn State athletics. West Shore Home branding appears on athletics website as a corporate sponsor.
- AmicacoreOfficial insurance partner of Penn State athletics. Amica branding visible on athletics website. Partnership includes mutual marketing and brand association benefits.
- HighmarkcoreOfficial health insurance partner appearing on Penn State athletics website. Partnership provides healthcare coverage options and wellness program support.
- TicketmastercoreOfficial ticketing platform for Penn State athletics. Provides digital ticketing infrastructure for all sports including Football (Beaver Stadium), Basketball (Ticketmaster.com/penn-state-nittany-lion-basketball), and Ice Hockey (Pegula Ice Arena).
- B1G Ten NetworkcoreOfficial broadcast partner for Big Ten Conference athletics. BTN provides television broadcast and streaming coverage for Penn State athletic events.
- Playfly (Penn State Sports Enterprises)coreThird-party partnership management company handling sponsorship sales and corporate partnerships for Penn State athletics. Playfly Max also manages NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) programs for student-athletes.
- adidas/FanaticscoreOfficial apparel and merchandise partner. adidas/Fanatics branding appears on official athletics website shop with merchandise available through shop.gopsusports.com.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Penn State Athletic Department competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Michigan State Spartans Athletic Department: Big Ten peer with similar scale of multi-sport portfolio. Comparable structure with football, basketball, and Olympic sports, plus direct recruiting competition within the conference.
- Michigan Wolverines Athletic Department: Big Ten peer and primary historical rival. Operates the largest collegiate stadium (Michigan Stadium) and comparable 30+ sport program with similar sponsorship, ticketing, and donor structures.
- Oregon Ducks Athletic Department: New Big Ten member (joined 2024) with aggressive Nike-aligned brand and significant NIL resources. Represents the new competitive pressure from the conference's West Coast expansion.
- Ohio State Buckeyes Athletic Department: Fellow Big Ten founding member operating a similarly large multi-sport portfolio. Direct conference competitor across revenue sports (football, basketball) with comparable media rights, sponsorship, and donor-driven model.
- Wisconsin Badgers Athletic Department: Big Ten peer with comparable football brand strength, 20+ sport program, and donor/alumni-driven revenue model. Direct conference competitor in football and revenue sports.
- USC Trojans Athletic Department: New Big Ten member (joined 2024) bringing West Coast media market access and major brand recognition. Direct competitor in football/basketball with large LA-area sponsor base.
Emerging players
- Clemson Tigers Athletic Department: ACC peer with recent football championship success and rapidly growing athletic brand. Comparable in building 30+ sport portfolio with strong football revenue, though in a less lucrative media rights environment than the Big Ten.
Broad incumbents
- Texas Longhorns Athletic Department: SEC peer (with new SEC media rights deal, ~$390M annual to Texas) and a top revenue-generating program. Comparable in football brand and scale; represents the top-tier revenue benchmark for major athletic programs.
- Alabama Crimson Tide Athletic Department: SEC peer and one of the most valuable college athletic brands. Comparable in football revenue dominance, donor scale, and sponsorship portfolio depth. Sets the upper bound for college athletic program economics.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish Athletics: Independently-branded powerhouse with elite football brand and NBC media rights. Comparable in donor/alumni engagement and national brand reach, though structurally independent of conference media distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Penn State Athletic Department social profiles
Digital presencePenn State Athletic Department financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Penn State Athletic Department leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Penn State Athletic Department funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Penn State Athletic Department M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Penn State Athletic Department
What does Penn State Athletic Department do?
Penn State Athletic Department operates the intercollegiate athletics program for The Pennsylvania State University, fielding 31 varsity sports (16 men's, 15 women's) that compete primarily in the Big Ten Conference. The department sells tickets, merchandise, multimedia content access, and donor memberships, and operates the official athletics website, mobile applications, and LionVision streaming platform that connect fans to live and on-demand coverage of teams, schedules, and news.
Is Penn State Athletic Department a public or private company?
Penn State Athletic Department is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Penn State Athletic Department founded?
Penn State Athletic Department was founded in 1855. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Penn State Athletic Department based?
Penn State Athletic Department is headquartered in University Park, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Penn State Athletic Department's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Michigan State Spartans Athletic Department, Michigan Wolverines Athletic Department, Oregon Ducks Athletic Department, Ohio State Buckeyes Athletic Department, Wisconsin Badgers Athletic Department and USC Trojans Athletic Department. Clemson Tigers Athletic Department is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Texas Longhorns Athletic Department, Alabama Crimson Tide Athletic Department and Notre Dame Fighting Irish Athletics.
Does Penn State Athletic Department have an API?
No public API is recorded for Penn State Athletic Department.
What industry is Penn State Athletic Department in?
Penn State Athletic Department's product category is Collegiate Athletics Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKACAB, College/University Athletic Departments & Varsity Programs, with a secondary code of EDALAIAA, Intercollegiate Athletics (Varsity Sports Programs). Its NAICS code is 71121 and its SIC code is 7997.