Penn State football set for NIL push with "We Are at The Shore"

Penn State’s marquee NIL event has begun. Happy Valley United’s fourth annual “We Are at The Shore” is taking place Thursday at the Union League National Golf Club in Swainton, N.J.

From 6–7 p.m., Penn State football players will meet fans for an informal meet-and-greet, followed by head coach James Franklin’s appearance at a VIP reception from 6:30–7:30 p.m. Joined by his coaching staff and former lettermen, Franklin will “discuss NIL at Penn State and the upcoming season” with attendees.

The main event kicks off from 7–10 p.m., featuring entertainment by DJ Rictor and live painting by Cody Sabol. An afterparty is set for 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Whitebrier in Avalon, N.J.

The purpose of the event, of course, is to support Penn State football’s ongoing push to generate NIL funding. Ticket prices range from $200 for individuals and $300 for couples for the meet-and-greet, to $1,000 and $1,500 for the VIP reception, and $1,500 and $2,000 for the main event. HVU is also hosting both in-person and online auctions to further bolster fundraising.

Among the items up for bid: a signed Drew Allar jersey, an autographed Saquon Barkley Penn State helmet, a Nick Singleton game-worn autographed jersey, a signed Dani Dennis-Sutton football, and a Kaytron Allen game-worn autographed jersey. Additional memorabilia comes from Micah Parsons, Chop Robinson, Tyler Warren, and James Franklin.

Penn State football’s NIL push

Against the backdrop of this summer’s House settlement, Franklin acknowledged the relative success of the program’s NIL strategy. Prioritizing the retention of top players, protecting them from poaching by other programs, taking a targeted approach to the transfer portal, and seeking fair value in recruiting – Franklin said the 2025 roster is the result of those efforts.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday in Las Vegas at Big Ten Media Days, Franklin pointed to the broader benefits of legalized NIL compensation for all parties involved.

“I think a lot of people could be upset or have questions or concerns about NIL and those types of things, but I know for the retention of players, I think it’s an extremely positive thing,” Franklin said. “There were guys that were leaving college to go to the NFL, and they shouldn’t have. But based on their situation – their family situation, or whatever it was – they hadn’t gotten their degrees yet. They were going to be fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, seventh-round draft choices, and they came out early because they just could not turn that opportunity to make that type of money down for their family.

“So when it can become a win-win situation – where they can come back and finish their degrees or get a master’s degree, like Nick Dawkins, have a chance to win at the very, very highest level, and have a chance to increase their draft stock – it’s hard to argue.”

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