Penn State's NIL Collective Launches $500,000 'Retain The Roar' Campaign

"Happy Valley United wants playoff and championship football to become a fixture at Penn State yet again,” the collective says.

Penn State Nittany Lions fans cheer during a football game at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Happy Valley United, Penn State's official NIL collective, has launched a $500,000 fundraising initiative to position Penn State football as a player in the new College Football Playoff. The collective partnered with State Media, a channel run by several former Nittany Lions, to support roster retention and player recruiting from the NCAA Transfer Portal. A former Nittany Lion has pledged to match the first $50,000 that the "Retain The Roar" campaign raises.

“Happy Valley United wants playoff and championship football to become a fixture at Penn State yet again,” Jen Ferrang, General Manager for Development and Corporate Partnerships, said in a Happy Valley United statement.

According to a news release, Happy Valley United has partnered with State Media to promote the platform. Former Penn State football players Adam Breneman and Christian Hackenberg run the State Media channel, which conducts interviews with Penn State players and coaches to produce content about the football program. State Media will leverage its content and connection with lettermen to promote the initiative.

In addition, former Penn State football player Brad Bars pledged to match the platform's first $50,000 raised. Bars, a financial advisor in Nashville, Tennessee., co-founded Creative Investments, a wealth management firm.

“Penn State is a special place for me, and I am honored to give back to coach [James] Franklin and our football program,” Bars said in a statement. “If the entire Penn State community came together to support, we could have the best NIL program in the nation.” 

The "Retain The Roar" campaign is similar to Michigan's "One More Year" fund that helped the Wolverines retain players for their run to the 2023 College Football Playoff championship. According to its website, the Michigan fund raised more than $135,000 for the program. Michigan's NIL initiative has followed that campaign with "Those Who Stay," a $1 million fundraiser to support new Michigan coach Sherrone Moore.

"Strong NIL support is necessary to win championships at every school across the country and Penn State is no different,” Hackenberg, the former Penn State quarterback, said in a statement. “Alumni and fans who want Penn State in the playoff and national title conversations every season must get behind us and give to 'Retain The Roar.' Every dollar counts and supports NIL opportunities for our current and future players. The time to give is now.”

Visit the Happy Valley United site for more information.

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