Happy Valley United - Penn State Nittany Lions Collective

Penn State took its first steps toward a cohesive NIL strategy with a consolidated collective in June 2023. With full support from school leaders like Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft and persistence from football coach James Franklin, Success With Honor and the Lions Legacy Club merged to form Happy Valley United. Through the initiative of Kraft, and NIL partnerships with Doug Fillis of Accelerate Sports Ventures and Rob Sine, co-founder and CEO of Blueprint Sports, Happy Valley United will be the school’s singular NIL focus. Within the Happy Valley United umbrella, Penn State football will be served by the Lions Legacy Club brand. It will utilize a paid, dedicated staff specific to Penn State’s needs, and have resources working exclusively toward generating NIL investment for the Nittany Lion football program. The same will be true for men’s basketball, with a yet-to-be-named branding for its silo.