Penn State reveals new '1-0 shirt' following weekend win
Another week, another win shirt for the Penn State football program. And, importantly for the Nittany Lions coming out of their 46-10 decision over Ohio on Saturday afternoon, another opportunity to raise NIL funds.
Announcing the new shirt via social media on Monday, Penn State has a new design of its weekly shirt with sales directly benefiting Nittany Lion football players. The design shows Penn State’s familiar “WE ARE” emblazoned across the chest. It has a “1-0” on the back side at the nape.
Another “Limited-Edition 1-0 Shirt,” all proceeds from the sale of the shirt will go to NIL endeavors for the program. The shirts are sold in three versions in various sizes running from small to 2XL. They include a unisex short sleeve shirt, a women’s shirt, and a youth shirt.
Though limited somewhat by NCAA rules preventing the program from using the Penn State logo, the official Twitter channel of the Nittany Lions has legally promoted and linked to the shirt each of the past two weeks.
Penn State NIL approach
The effort is for good reason, too, as Penn State has sought to keep pace with its national competitors in the NIL space.
Most recently asked about name, image, and likeness and its impact on college football during his weekly radio show, Penn State head coach James Franklin acknowledged the reality of the situation. While seemingly heralding something of an uncomfortable change to the model that has always existed, Franklin responded to a question with a new frame of reference.
“Specifically at a place like Penn State, and probably for you and probably for me, we’re traditionalists and we like things how they’ve always been,” Franklin said. “I think that’s a big part of Penn State. Our history, and our tradition, and this is how it’s always been done. And this is the model that we’re comfortable with.
“(But) it’s really how you look at it through your lens. All we have really done with college athletes, and specifically college football players, is allowed them to do what every other student on campus has been able to do for 100 years. And the student-athletes weren’t allowed.”
New opportunities
Pointing to sixth-year quarterback Sean Clifford, who has founded and run his NIL agency since last February, Franklin said the new rules have opened doors to the student-athlete experience.
The change creates avenues for which Penn State’s players can make money, yes. But, to do so through hustling and their initiatives, Franklin insisted the change has been a positive.
“All we’re doing is allowing the student-athletes to have an opportunity to have a job. To make money, to have a business as every other student has. I think that’s the first point,” Franklin said. “Penn State football brings in $100 million for the university and the athletic department and supports all 31 sports. And I mean that with total respect, I don’t want anybody to misinterpret what I’m saying. And the student-athletes get none of that.
“Where else in the United States would that be allowed? It went to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court shot it down nine nothing. They said it’s amazing that you’ve gotten away with it for this long.”
Next steps
With that in mind, Franklin said now is the time for the Penn State community to rally around the change.
Still, a new frontier that can be as much of an opportunity as it is a burden, Franklin is choosing to push at an optimistic approach.
“What I would just say for all of us is just take a deep breath. And understand this is coming, whether you like it or not,” Franklin said. “And what we have to do is, we have to embrace it, no different than any other industry. When change comes, you better embrace it. You better change with it and you better be bold and aggressive and that’s what we’re doing at Penn State.”
