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Penn State: No fans at home games if state order doesn't change

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Penn State announced Thursday it will play in an empty home stadium for the 2020 season if current state guidelines remain unchanged before the campaign starts.

Penn State believes it will take a financial hit in the "high eight figures" regardless of whether the team plays or not. If there are no games, though, the school said its losses would reach "nine figures."

The University of Wisconsin recently said it expects to lose as much as $100 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Penn State's Beaver Stadium is the second-largest stadium in the country, with a capacity of 106,572 people. Only Michigan's Ann Arbor Stadium can hold more.

Penn State has already felt the impact of the coronavirus on the field, as the school reportedly expects linebacker Micah Parsons to opt out of the 2020 season and begin preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Nittany Lions are slated to begin their 10-game conference-only schedule on Sept. 5 against Northwestern.

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