BEYOND GAME DAY: FILLING THE CALENDAR IN A COLLEGE TOWN

Beaver Stadium during the 2024 season home opener for Penn State vs Bowling Green

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Breaks in Penn State's academic calendar, including summer and spring break, bring historically low occupancy periods to Happy Valley, giving the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance the opportunity to fill those need periods with various events. However, there are some weekends that we never look to fill, and those are when there are Penn State Football home games.

The reality of a football weekend is that the region is at its peak in terms of capacity. In fact, when there’s a home game, State College becomes the third largest city in PA. When Penn State plays a home game during the football season, people travel from all over to fill the stadium, with thousands more tailgating in the surrounding parking lots. Students at the university have their families come visit, alumni return, and fans travel to watch. Everything maxes out, from restaurants to parking to hotels. This means that during this time, there is no need, or room, for any additional events in Happy Valley. A prime example of this would be the fall 2024 commencement. This was moved due to a College Football Playoff game. The demand is already there.

Flag football captured by Unrivaled Sports, SEE HER WIN is hosted during Memorial Day Weekend

The football schedule creates shifting demand spikes. While regular-season games are scheduled well in advance, the College Football Playoff creates a sense of unpredictability. If Penn State makes it into the CFP, it makes it more difficult to plan long-term, as game locations and dates are often announced very late into the season. And since the following year’s schedule typically doesn’t get announced until the current season ends, it’s nearly impossible for event organizers looking to book more than a year out or keep a consistent fall date. The annual Spring Game brings in similar crowds as a typical home game during the season does, but the timing is uncertain, and April dates are always left up in limbo.

Because of the high levels of demand during the period, the HVSEA fills the gaps and focuses on the historically low-demand weekends in Happy Valley. Rather than building an event and then selecting a date to host it, the reverse approach is used. We start with the open dates and build events around those. This is especially critical to our planning during the fall when availability is already tight. This way when we go to tradeshows and conferences to connect with events, the HVSEA knows exactly what dates are available, allowing us to search for sports that align with that timing.

Because the fall is such a high-demand period in Happy Valley, naturally we look to the more flexible winter, spring, and summer months to create recurring, annual events. This helps to build a sense of consistency, as we are often able to host these events on the same weekends each year. Because of that consistency, we are able to grow stronger audience habits and plan the events in an easier fashion.

However, we also look to create opportunities for events on weekdays. Midweek events are often less impacted by athletics happening at Penn State. This creates strong opportunities for conferences, meetings, and niche events to enter the region. In particular, sports like tennis and golf tend to be midweek events, which help stabilize demand beyond weekends in Happy Valley.

Photo from PIAA Golf Championships photo, a midweek event in the fall

The HVSEA strategically chooses dates for our events, rather than adding onto the high demand dates that are already established. By doing this, we can maximize economic impact across the entire calendar, spanning holidays, spring break weekends, and even summers when students are no longer on campus. It’s important to be intentional when an event is being hosted, and not just what the event is.

By choosing these open dates, we ensure that the events coming in are the center of attention and get the spotlight they deserve during their time in Happy Valley. Are you looking to host an event in Happy Valley? Let’s find the perfect time to make it stand out!

Have an idea for another blog post? Email us at info.sea@happyvalley.com