My expectations for the launch of Roar+ were pessimistically apprehensive.
I’m starting to shift that to optimistically apprehensive.
Penn State’s new NIL de facto media outlet launched on Thursday – more than a month after it was announced – and while it’s not perfect, the vision for good content seems to be there.
The question will remain whether or not Penn State – and the subjects of that content – can continue to produce it.
For all of the other Penn State media outlets that position themselves as fascinated in sports media and sports business in the way you’ve grown accustomed to here on The Blog, Thursday’s launch was a big day. Penn State launching an online PR-y media publication was a big story because in many ways, it’s something it’s not done to the extent it was hyped up to be.
And much like when we launched this site – and let’s be honest, there are still quite a few things like this if you look around – the technology aspect of Roar+ and its launch wasn’t exactly 1-0. The platform, which positioned itself as vaguely just that, did not link to or acknowledge on its homepage directly that it is an app you can download on your phone. Nor did any press release in the lead-up to the launch. The only allusion to that is a video on the homepage (and on social media) showing the site on a mobile phone.
Why that feels like a bit of a miss is that the experience is relatively better suited in that mobile app experience. The app – which you can download from Apple here, assuming you have also signed up for the at least $15 a month subscription – is however a hair unorganized. There are very few filtering options and organizational groupings that make it efficient to sort through the content.
From the computer side – once the login button appeared on the Roar+ homepage around midday – the user experience was a bit more accessible.
Powered by the Lockerverse platform, which is used by other NIL collectives at schools like Oregon State, Stanford and Arizona State, the software seems to have its limitations and occasional glitchiness for the majority of the video content on Penn State’s platform.
But the content that’s in the videos themselves is strong.
The centerpiece – and in my opinion, the most crucial piece to make this platform work – is Lavar Arrington’s conversation with James Franklin that spans a digestible 16 minutes. In the first of the “Quite Franklin” series, Franklin appears relaxed in his conversation with the former linebacker, who asks reasonable questions about expectations at Penn State, alignment and more for 2025.
While there isn’t anything earth-shatteringly packed into the conversation, Franklin does broach the topic of the moniker of the “CEO coach” and of being a “great recruiter” because he “understands what it implies.” The coach also addresses the “vocal minority” displeased with last year’s loss in the College Football Playoff’s semifinals.
At one point in the conversation, headlines related to that from the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal flash on the screen.
It’s clear – both in the conversation and with those subtle graphics – that the “negative” has a place alongside the “positive.” As in any other journalistic endeavor, that straightforwardness is appreciated and important to creating the authenticity that the platform had promised in its run-up to launch.
But that must continue. Because of the time of year, it’s probably easier for Franklin to let his guard down a bit in a fashion more akin to the way we see him do in the offseason when he holds one-on-one interviews with the media – which is what the interview is reminiscent of. It is less of the Franklin we see in Monday press conferences and even to a degree hear in his weekly radio show with Steve Jones, which is usually recorded in front of an audience.
How that progresses and changes throughout the season will be key, and Arrington must continue to do that in the relaxed but matter-of-fact fashion he brings to the conversation as well. Even given his stature as a key player in Penn State’s overall NIL approach and with the fact his own son is now coached by Franklin, there is a relative amount of journalistic integrity that Arrington brings to the conversation in a manner similar to that of his Fox Sports radio show. It’s clear he recongnizes tying that to his relationship with Franklin can get the coach to open up so far in this first interview.
Elsewhere on the platform, the content shines through in an interview with Guy Gadowsky, hosted by Brian Tripp and Morgyn Seigfried, who will both be central figures in getting the more in-depth answers out of not-always-talkative head coaches and athletes. The duo get Gadowsky to talk about Gavin McKenna’s commitment to Penn State – and what the reaction in particular from Gadowsky’s family and friends in Canada has been like. Gadowsky discusses the impact of McKenna announcing the commitment on Sportscenter as well.
There are also light-hearted and sentimental moments where Gadowsky talks about coaching his son this upcoming season and the competitiveness in his family. The head coach also talks about his passion for education, which was prompted by his parents and sister.
(And we have to give major credit to Seigfried for asking about Gadowsky’s tooth because if you know, you know.)
There’s also a great conversation between Tripp and Penn State men’s volleyball head coach Mark Pavlik that is a healthy mix of his family, his love of Pittsburgh sports and his love of volleyball. As someone who covered the men’s volleyball team, this chat was much like any of the others we’d have before we’d start talking about his team’s performance. And I feel that – much as I have always enjoyed those conversations with “Pav” – Penn State fans will as well.
Another cornerstone, however, falls short. The archive of older games and content is lacking. Right now, there are only three football games on the site. While two of the games (1993 vs. Minnesota and 1994 vs. Ohio State) are in their entirety, the 1982 Nebraska game only features an hour. Meanwhile, a quick search of YouTube yields the full contest.
And in fairness, the archive aspect of this was going to be an uphill battle. The internet is a vast place and there’s a lot of Penn State content, especially older Penn State content, out there. But Penn State could leverage some of its more “original” content like the Penn State Football Story that was crucial to the program’s overall awareness for much of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.
The chat room feature also leaves much to be desired. It’s relatively open to any and all who subscribe – and while that’s a part of the pitch, its lack of organization could make for a chaotic, and therefore, useless feature.
It will be tricky to navigate and sift through the pleasantries and, potentially during closely contested football games, profanities in a way that adds value. Had that feature been more like the message boards we see from Lions247 or Blue White Illustrated, it would receive more optimism from me.
The platform also is somewhat surprisingly low on basketball content, even at this point of the year, which feels odd given basketball’s place as a revenue-driving sport for athletics. And while this is nitpicky, there’s a strange lime green color that shows when you click the tab you want to be on that doesn’t seem to jive with the overall branding of Penn State.
However, these are, like many of the other parts on the platform, things that can improve over time. What needs to remain a must is the value of the content — and for the most part, the potential of that is at least there. Especially for those looking to contribute at an affordable rate to the NIL space, it’s a better, more valuable option than Happy Valley United’s offering for a similar price.
At $15 a month — and the knowledge of the larger mission it supports — it appears that Roar+ can be worth it. But as the football season — and broader school year approaches — it must continue to deliver.
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