Penn State football, an unfaltering moneymaker with Beaver Stadium filled to at or near its 108,000-seat capacity for every home game, always is examining new ways to raise even more cash.

Coming to the venerable stadium in Happy Valley, beginning in the 2011 season, is a plan to charge season-ticket holders more money per year for every seat.

While Penn State will not disclose the dollar amounts, a published report stated that season-ticket holders would be charged $600 per seat between the 40-yard lines and $400 per seat between the 40 and the goal line, in addition to the ticket price.

Yesterday, Greg Myford, Penn State's associate athletic director for business relations and communications, would not confirm the report in the Harrisburg Patriot-News on the fees, which could raise as much as $24 million annually, but he did say there would be four different seating zones.

The new plan is certain to generate complaints. Swaths of empty seats could be found this season at Penn State's nonconference games against Akron, Syracuse, Temple and Eastern Illinois, and the home nonconference slate next year consists of Youngstown State, Kent State, and Temple.

Under the current system, those wishing a season ticket, regardless of location, need to donate $100 to the Nittany Lion Club for the right to purchase. To renew the same seat for the next season, it takes the same $100 donation.

So, one may have a better seat than someone who annually gives more than the minimum. According to Myford, 97 to 98 percent of ticket holders renew annually, creating little opportunity to improve one's seat location.

Under the new plan, the better seats go to the customers who want to donate at the higher levels.

To open up more prime seats, officials plan to move the student sections, including one close to the 40-yard line, toward the south end zone in 2011. Those sections will run from the 5-yard line on the east side to the 5-yard line on the west side, Myford said.

Myford said the new plan is different from a personal seat license system because no long-term commitment is required. Ticket holders may change their donation and seat, or decide to cancel, on an annual basis.

Myford said the raising of additional revenue for seats already is in place at a number of Big Ten and Southeastern Conference schools.

"We're already pretty late to the game on a seating plan," he said. "While it's new to us, it's not a new concept."

Myford acknowledged the delicate balance that exists between fans who have been hit hard by the economy, and by a football program that sustains Penn State's other 28 varsity sports without the use of state money.

Myford said information about the new plan will be mailed out immediately after the Nittany Lions' final regular-season game Saturday at Michigan State.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno, the school's athletic director from 1980 to 1982, said at his weekly teleconference that he was consulted about the new pricing plan.

"I said, 'Look, you guys have the responsibility for 29 sports,' " he said. "It's a lot different than when I was the athletic director. It didn't have the impact it has now. . . . We didn't have some of the pressure that we have as far as expenses and things of that kind.

"We don't get a nickel from the university for anything. So we've got to do something or we've got to cut back sports, and we don't want to do that."

Contact staff writer Joe Juliano at 215-854-4494 or jjuliano@phillynews.com.