Penn State NIL gets boost from new partnership
Penn State football is taking another step with its Name, Image, and Likeness partnerships. Announced Friday, Happy Valley United is teaming with Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka for an NIL-supporting new release of Happy Valley Vodka.
Branded in Penn State traditional colors, it is now the official vodka of Happy Valley United.
“Our award-winning vodka is the perfect complement to the Happy Valley scene, and is what we hope will become a game day good luck charm for all of Nittany Nation,” said Barry Young, cofounder and Master Distiller of Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries, via press release. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to partner with HVU to gain more NIL support for student-athletes, and to become a part of the loyal and historic game day rituals for fans and alumni.
“We hope Happy Valley Vodka will become a tradition at tailgates, a favorite gift to give or get for Nittany Lion alumni, and the go-to spirit while watching a game at the bar or with friends who bleed blue and white across the country.”
With the new partnership, Penn State student-athletes have an additional revenue stream now bolstering the Happy Valley United collective coffers.
A portion of all sales of the vodka will be directed toward Happy Valley United. Upon the announcement, it is set for pre-order currently and will be made available on Thursday, Nov. 9. It is also being sold locally in the State College area and will be in local restaurants. It also has shipping set for outside of Pennsylvania to be announced at a future date.
Bottles are priced at $26.95.
Penn State takes NIL strides
The step is the latest in a process that has gradually built steam for Penn State’s NIL efforts.
Initially describing the effort as halting, Nittany Lions’ head coach James Franklin has pushed to educate fans, leaders, and the broader community of NIL’s importance to the program’s success on and off the field.
“It’s been a little bit resistant from a historical perspective. It’s been a little bit resistant internally,” Franklin told BWI in May. “In the beginning, we didn’t embrace it as an athletic department. And then externally, trying to get people bought into it.”
That message has extended beyond just the athletic department.
They have enlisted former All-American linebacker LaVar Arrington to help with the endeavor. And, in his perspective, the Nittany Lions have both an urgent need and an opportunity.
“It’s just understanding the ever-changing landscape of college sports,” Arrington told BWI in September. “Schools are now faced with new challenges as it applies to bringing in quality people and keeping them.
“We have so many active people in our community. I believe if they are educated about what NIL is and how they apply, they will be on fire and excited about playing a vital role in our school’s success. I believe our community can create the most powerful collective in all of college, period.”
