# OKCpedia > General Real Estate Topics >  Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium construction - live camera

## Laramie

Live Stadium Construction Cam | Gaylord Family ? Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

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## SoonerDave

Be aware that those cams aren't consistently available. Sometimes it's great with about a 1 fps refresh, sometimes you can't get a picture at all. 

It's cool they set up a camera facing the SEZ from within the stadium so you can see work in both directions. Betting work ramps up REALLY fast once they get that last remaining section of the existing structure torn out.

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## bombermwc

It's so crazy to see the Switzer Center gone and the scoreboard totally ripped out!  Hopefully, they'll correct the crossing locker rooms with this change as well. It's going to be nice to finally have it bowled in too. What's going to be super weird is when they tear down the old upper deck. At least the new upper deck will match the other side. All those years of saying "we aren't gonna do that because of the Switzer Center" and then BAM. Show how you can make more dollars by getting all those extra new suites in there like the other side and suddenly the story changes. LOL.

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## SoonerDave

> It's so crazy to see the Switzer Center gone and the scoreboard totally ripped out!  Hopefully, they'll correct the crossing locker rooms with this change as well. It's going to be nice to finally have it bowled in too. What's going to be super weird is when they tear down the old upper deck. At least the new upper deck will match the other side. All those years of saying "we aren't gonna do that because of the Switzer Center" and then BAM. Show how you can make more dollars by getting all those extra new suites in there like the other side and suddenly the story changes. LOL.


A few thoughts...

* Based on the animated renderings, OU will still come out of the SE corner of the stadium. This tends to have been verified by some tweets from OU showing photos of the new SE corner going in with comments to the effect of "work going on where the Sooners will enter the field." 

* The reconfiguration of the west deck won't be a complete teardown, and it won't exactly match the east side. It appears the extreme ends of the deck - currently sections 101 and 109 - may be significantly cut back for two new sections (wrapped in brick, with small video/display boards in front). The west deck reconfiguration appears to preserve (very roughly) the lower third to half of the existing deck, then restructure the rest. There's no question the design intent is to *simulate* the east deck configuration, but I think completely matching it WOULD require a complete tearout. My guess is that, once funding finally is available, they'll want to get the work done in a single off-season, so a complete teardown is unlikely. 

The disappointing part of the reconfiguration on the west deck is that the oil price situation has probably put that part of the rebuild off at least four or five years. Boren has said that he won't pursue more changes to the stadium until at least half of the bonded indebtedness incurred for the current south endzone bowl project is retired, and surely that threshhold won't be reached for a couple of years. I recall seeing some numbers somewhere indicating OU had raised about $45M for the endzone project, leaving about $115M to finance.

There are rumblings that OU's B12 title and championship run *might* loosen the strings on some big-time money presently on the sidelines, but at this point, that's all they are - rumblings. 

It's reminding me how much of an "old-timer" Sooner I'm becoming. I remember when the put in that west deck and press box in 1974, and remember when they literallly "blew up" the old press box (and let it fall into what was then a parking lot) before building the deck under the STadium Expansion Program (called STEP). I also remember the green bleachers in the south endzone, and when they replaced those with the too-tall south endzone structure in 1980...

The ol place has sure changed a bit since my first game as a starry-eyed 8-year-old in about 1972..

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## FighttheGoodFight

If OU wins a championship I bet the money flows and the enrollment goes up huge.

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## Urbanized

> ...The ol place has sure changed a bit since my first game as a starry-eyed 8-year-old in about 1972..


I think you have a few years on me, and my first game was about '74 or '75 (about all I remember to nail down the time frame is that Tinker Owens was still playing), but we have some of the same memories. I remember my dad making a big deal about the new west upper deck, but to me it looked like it had been there for all of time. The late '70s and the addition of the south end zone I remember well, however.

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## Laramie

> If OU wins a championship I bet the money flows and the enrollment goes up huge.


 Love your handle:  :Congrats: 




> I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.--2 Timothy 4:7


  Large ribbon that draped my brother's bronze casket; prior to the American flag being placed over it.

It brings back memories of his funeral (we lost him in Vietnam  May 17, 1970).  He had a chance to avoid the artillery action and combat because he was a recent college graduate to accept a desk job with the U. S. Army.  He choose to fight for our country along side many who took that same path;  he stepped on a booby trap which led to his demise. _(Forgive my Walter Mitty moment.)_

You can bet that if OU wins a championship the money will flow and the enrollment will follow.  Add to that; recruits will want to come to the University of Oklahoma.  Just making the 4 team playoffs will pay future dividends.

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## dankrutka

I could be wrong, but I remember reading a study a while ago that football championships don't really affect general student enrollment. Football championships most help football, but I am sure there are some side benefits.

I was a freshman during the 2000 national championship season and I can assure you that was a fun time to be a student.  :Smile:

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## adaniel

Actually, there is something called the "Flutie Effect" (named after Doug Flutie of Boston College fame) that does show a weak link between athletic success and enrollment numbers, among other things. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flutie_Effect

I know Alabama's enrollment has surged in the past few years, and its now one of the few big state schools that has a majority of out of state undergrads. You can conclude with some certainty that the success of the FB team has, at a minimum, put the school in front of potential students who would have never considered U of A.

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## Rover

Donations to the school go way up with success and recognition...and not just for the athletic department.  People like to support and be associated with success.

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## bombermwc

> A few thoughts...
> * The reconfiguration of the west deck won't be a complete teardown, and it won't exactly match the east side. It appears the extreme ends of the deck - currently sections 101 and 109 - may be significantly cut back for two new sections (wrapped in brick, with small video/display boards in front). The west deck reconfiguration appears to preserve (very roughly) the lower third to half of the existing deck, then restructure the rest. There's no question the design intent is to *simulate* the east deck configuration, but I think completely matching it WOULD require a complete tearout. My guess is that, once funding finally is available, they'll want to get the work done in a single off-season, so a complete teardown is unlikely.


So that's not accurate. The plans ARE actually to tear down the old upper deck/press box. So this is a year old, and maybe things have changed, but look at  this video It very clearly shows the new "home" side. Now they said that from day 1, this was going to be a multi-phase project so they can do it without having to get more bonds. But it will make the two sides match!!!! WOO!!

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## warreng88

So, from the looks of things, they are not tearing down the entire south end zone, just enough to get the angle right. Am I seeing that right?

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## bombermwc

Correct. They tore out the Switzer Center, and have already placed a lot of the structural elements to "close in" the two corners.

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## SoonerDave

> So that's not accurate. The plans ARE actually to tear down the old upper deck/press box. So this is a year old, and maybe things have changed, but look at  this video It very clearly shows the new "home" side. Now they said that from day 1, this was going to be a multi-phase project so they can do it without having to get more bonds. But it will make the two sides match!!!! WOO!!


Sorry, bomber, and I don't at all mean to be argumentative, but they will tear out *only* the existing press box and selected portions of the west deck, not tear out the whole thing. Also, the two sides (E/W) simply *will not* match. 

To demonstrate: The current west upper deck *remains cantilevered* over the existing west stands. That's a mismatch. The new top (third) deck on the west side is, itself, *cantilevered* over the reconfigured, existing west deck - that's another structural mismatch. Additionally, suites exist between the top of the lower east stands and the club grandstands, with two tiers of club provisions extending vertically to meet the lowest tier of the third deck - no cantilevering. Further, the top-most tier of the east deck is significantly taller than the new third tier on the west side. 

The existing west deck (absent, obviously, the press box) will be maintained with structural changes to eliminate most (approximately half) of the *existing* sections 101 and 109, and replaced with what I suspect will be top-to-bottom columns housing controlled/elevator access to the new press/suite areas. The new third tier will extend over the top several rows of the surviving west deck, although one cannot say with certainty from the renderings that the top few rows of the current west deck might not be razed in much the same fashion as the top 10-15 rows of the SEZ were razed for this expansion. 

Look at the profile of the existing east stands:



Each tiered seating level ascends vertically atop the one beneath with *no* cantilevering. It would be pointless to rebuild the west deck if your objective were to match the east side, but persist the cantilevered design. Look at this pic of the early renderings of the new west side:



Note that *clearly* the lower portion of the west deck even in this early rendering (that has since been revised, but this aspect of the detail isn't substantially changed) that cantilevering is in place, and the lowest row of the west deck starts essentially at the same vertical location as the top of the existing lower stands - whereas the east stands offer a tier of suites - again, they just can't match. Note, too, that the third west deck extends *over* the existing middle deck - no multistory "bump" for a corresponding club level - hence, again, the two don't match. Even the west renderings take care to maintain the appearance of the lower portion of the current west upper deck, just as they maintained the surviving portion of the current south endzone. 

I think there is clearly an architectural intent to make the west side *strongly resemble* the east side, but they won't be a level-for-level match. As far as completion of the project goes, this thing was conceived well before oil crashed, and the $360M pricetag was constructed under the assumption they could probably complete each phase during several consecutive off-seasons, or perhaps in parallel with crews working different parts of the stadium simultaneously. Now, with oil prices in disarray, this SEZ project is all that's *funded* for now ($160M IIRC, with about $45M in direct donations so far and the balance issued in bonds), and Boren I believe (sorry I cannot cite a news article or other source) said he won't push (sanction, support, whatever) a "next phase" until at least half the current bonded indebtnedess for the SEZ project is retired - so we're looking at retiring about $57M, and I *think* those bonds were of the ten-year variety). While there are rumblings that this year's CFP appearance might loosen the pockets of some bigger donors, right now that west deck project (which is 2nd on the list, and the north concourse becoming Phase 3), would have to be deemed *at least* three or more years away  - five pessimistically - unless oil prices recover drastically or some other T. Boone PIckens-like benefactor emerges from the shadows  :Smile: 

As I said, don't mean to fight over the aspects of the project, but the idea the E and W sides are going to precisely match just isn't accurate. No question the architects have that illusion in mind, no argument there at all, but the literal structures will be dissimilar. Now, all that said, there's nothing to say a *subsequent* rework of the west side might be more similar, but frankly I don't see any possible way they could *completely demolish* the west side AND pressbox, AND rebuild it AND have it game-ready in a single off-season. That's just too much work in too little time. Building a new superstructure around what's already there makes *drastically* more sense. 

I've been a crazed kid about construction in general and upgrades to OMS since I was about 8, so I'm trying as best I can to follow this fairly closely - this will probably be the last major overhaul to that stadium in my lifetime, although in high $$$ areas I'll probably never get to see in person LOL  :Smile: 

I've already been amazed just going to Norman and standing next to the SEZ area where all the new structure is going up - you can't imagine how much the place has changed and how the new structure changes the "ambiance" of the place - even in its current skeletal form. Totally different feel already.

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## BoulderSooner

^ is correct

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## Pete

As a side note, I sat near the top of the east upper deck for the TCU game and it's just stupid high.

You are actually above the top of the press box on the other side of the field and feel completely removed from the field and the rest of the crowd.

I know the intention is to add mainly suites to the renovated west upper deck, which is a different thing and for the best.

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## ou48A

There are rumors that OU is considering placing at least some of the visiting fans up in the east upper deck… It’s a long climb up to a cold windy place late in the season and it faces the hot sun early in the season. 

Many universities are now locating their visitors sections high up….. Which as a visiting fan I don’t mind because I watch the game though binoculars.

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## Pete

Yes, that walk up and down the ramps to the east upper deck is something else.

Not sure how many switchbacks but I'd guess about 15-20, which is a ton.

There are a couple of elevators but the lines were very long.

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## SoonerDave

> Yes, that walk up and down the ramps to the east upper deck is something else.
> 
> Not sure how many switchbacks but I'd guess about 15-20, which is a ton.
> 
> There are a couple of elevators but the lines were very long.


This has always been my secret weapon in going to OU games. I *PREFER* the upper deck seating. Few others do, and as a result tickets are usually dirt cheap. I've tried sitting low before, and all I can see are backsides, player jerseys, and guys running from side-to-side with no context. Just a preference for me, but it sure works out  :Smile:

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## ljbab728

> There are a couple of elevators but the lines were very long.


Unless things have been changed, the elevators are only available to donors with a pass or to those with disabilities.

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## SoonerDave

> Unless things have been changed, the elevators are only available to donors with a pass or to those with disabilities.


Or a ticket with elevator privs.

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## bombermwc

> Sorry, bomber, and I don't at all mean to be argumentative, but they will tear out *only* the existing press box and selected portions of the west deck, not tear out the whole thing. Also, the two sides (E/W) simply *will not* match.


I'm not going to quote the whole thing, because, well what's the point.

Obviously they can't 100% match since one has a press box and ones is just suites. The point, is that one won't be just a large section of seating like it has been since the 70's, and will rather have a tiered structure to it, including a new press box. I guess it's in how you look at it. That complete part of the project won't be happening this year and there's no way it will be done in between seasons either. We'll have at least one season with the place under construction. Just think about how many times plans have failed to meet deadlines like that. So no, it won't be a cookie cutter, but in terms of comparing the current with the finished product, I'm going to call it "matching".

But also keep in mind that the goal of this project is NOT to increase seating capacity, We get some increase, but this is more a redistribution of seating from the old upper deck, to the corners (which is a far WORSE perspective). This is all about packing more suites in to make more money off of the butts you put into the stadium. So I bet you that the folks that lose their box placement that year, will be getting the regular seats from someone else.

IMO, I'd cut off half of that student section since they can't ever seem to populate it fully anyway.

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## SoonerDave

> * We'll have at least one season with the place under construction*
> 
> But also keep in mind that the goal of this project is NOT to increase seating capacity, We get some increase, but this is more a redistribution of seating from the old upper deck, to the corners (which is a far WORSE perspective). This is all about packing more suites in to make more money off of the butts you put into the stadium. So I bet you that the folks that lose their box placement that year, will be getting the regular seats from someone else.
> 
> IMO, I'd cut off half of that student section since they can't ever seem to populate it fully anyway.


Certainly see where you're coming from, but in all honesty I don't think they can afford to cut off ~10K seats for a whole season and/or have no press facility. You'd be talking about the loss *at a minimum* of face-value of the tickets - this year averaged out to, what, say $100/ticket (for discussion)? For a six-home-game season, losing 10K seats (and I know the west upper deck doesn't hold quite that many, but again for the sake of discussion) works out to a $6 million loss - and that doesn't count incidentals like seat rentals, programs, concessions, souvenirs, or parking.

You'd almost have to suspect the plans are to integrate the existing press box structure in some sneaky architectural way in much the same fashion they've integrated the SEZ stands, then perhaps build *out* that third tier. That would also solve the presumptive issue of the (lack of) space between the west side of the stadium and the parking garage. That will be a fascinating build-out whenever it happens. 

I agree wholeheartedly with the premise of not expanding seating capacity. Some family members didn't understand that when I explained it to them over the holiday - the fact that they're not expanding capacity - and that the whole point was to improve facilities for the athletes and improve the gameday atmosphere for the folks who are increasingly opting to stay home and watch games on their big TV's in their living rooms. 

I am 100% with you on reducing the student section. They consistently fail to fill it, so figure out what their average attendance is and reallocate some of those nasty corner seats to the visitors. That shows you how much things have changed since I was down there in the 80's; student seats were reserved, not general admission, and we were always packed in like crazy. 

The folks who lose their seating this year is just a prelude to those who will lose it when they do finally get around to rebuilding the west deck. The price of getting the ol' place upgraded is, unfortunately, going to price some folks out, but I guess its an inevitable consequence of the times. Bennie Owen would be shocked.  :Smile:

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## HangryHippo

I'm in favor of putting the visitors in the upper east side and reducing the student section and moving it as well.

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## dankrutka

I'm pretty sure K-State did a similar renovation in one offseason.

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## SoonerDave

> I'm pretty sure K-State did a similar renovation in one offseason.


The more I think about the "buildout" I speculated earlier the more sense it makes specifically for a one-offseason project; pare the existing pressbox to its concrete shell, build out a stem-to-stern steel framework around it, then extend the deck over the existing structure. You might have to add some lateral structure beneath it, but it's still doable and would be an ingenious alternative given the constraints of the construction area. I wish we could get someone from OU here to talk about this aspect of it - I know those plans are down the road, but the structural/design aspect of it is fascinating.

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## ou48A

> I'm pretty sure K-State did a similar renovation in one offseason.


They did….!
With each new phase OU might not have every cosmetic item ready in one off season but it can certainly be game day ready to be occupied….

Some items such as what was done during this past spring, summer and fall can be done during the season.

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## ou48A

> I'm in favor of putting the visitors in the upper east side and reducing the student section and moving it as well.


Im with you and all those who favor reducing the student section.
From what I have been told Boren has resisted every attempt to reduce the size of the  student section.

What I would really like is assigned seating and a point system for students that rewards the students who do show up and stay at all games.

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## ljbab728

> Or a ticket with elevator privs.


Which is exactly what I said.  I have elevator access as a donor and my ticket indicates that.  I just have to show my ticket when getting on the elevator. I only use it for going up though.  It's just not worth a wait when going down.

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## SoonerDave

> Which is exactly what I said.  I have elevator access as a donor and my ticket indicates that.  I just have to show my ticket when getting on the elevator. I only use it for going up though.  It's just not worth a wait when going down.


Well, no, you said "donor with a pass." I thought you meant a separate credential other than the specially marked ticket, because anyone could buy one (as have I, and I'm not a donor). I've seen lots of different kinds of gameday credentials besides tickets over the years. I thought you were referring to something else only a donor could possess/use.

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## bombermwc

With the student section, I think its more about guts on Boren's part. He doesn't want to piss off the students by cutting the section. If he ever did that, it would have to basically be a permanent change. You don't want to open up more seats for season ticket holders and then come back in 15 years and try to take them away again for the students (that in the past proved they couldn't be counted on to attend). Look at what Saban did at Alabama. He called the students out and told them if they didn't get their butts in the seats and KEEP them there the whole game (which is also a problem in the student section), that he would push (which means he would get it) to have it cut. In that case, I think he was successful in getting butts in the seats. It would be nice if Stoops would make a similarly ballsy statement. 

Im totally with ya'll on the visitors going in the corners though. Pull them off that red-zone/endzone they go in today and shove them in the actual corners. But you do have to be able to get the visiting band down to the field easily, so since they'll be over a tunnel, we'll probably be stuck with at least the band in the better seats. 

I'm a north endzone seat, right between the poles, up about at row 60 or so. I really enjoy those seats. We were moved from the South endzone years ago. South, at that time, was actually nicer and more roomy because it was a newer section. It was a lot easier to get in/out/around in. But the view there in the 90's wasn't great....I mean really the view anywhere wasn't good then...bleh. I saw all that, hoping that the south end doesn't end up becoming a mess. It will be cool to finally be able to walk the circle around the whole stadium. Something to do in those rain delays.  :Smile:

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## Laramie

Saban, Saban, Saban

You can't micromanage everything.  What appears to work for Saban at Alabama may not hit a home run with Sooner fans in Norman.

Just don't think you can bully college students into keeping their hips in those seats for the entire game.   We just have to realize that in this day and age fans will have various & sundry reasons to exit the game early.   

Who's to question?

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## SoonerDave

> Saban, Saban, Saban
> 
> You can't micromanage everything.  What appears to work for Saban at Alabama may not hit a home run with Sooner fans in Norman.
> 
> Just don't think you can bully college students into keeping their hips in those seats for the entire game.   We just have to realize that in this day and age fans will have various & sundry reasons to exit the game early.   
> 
> Who's to question?


I think you can surely encourage them to show up, but you just as surely can't make them stay any more than you can make any *other* fans stay. If you transferred, say, 500 seats from the student section to the general population, I don't think it would be a problem. Start there, see how it goes. 

As far as taking them back if the student population/demand goes up, c'est la vie. OU has taken back tickets before, or drastically changed the terms under which they might be available (just ask a few folks here who discovered they now sit in, ahem, "premium" endzone locations).

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## Laramie

> I think you can surely encourage them to show up, but you just as surely can't make them stay any more than you can make any *other* fans stay. If you transferred, say, 500 seats from the student section to the general population, I don't think it would be a problem. Start there, see how it goes. 
> 
> As far as taking them back if the student population/demand goes up, c'est la vie. OU has taken back tickets before, or drastically changed the terms under which they might be available (just ask a few folks here who discovered they now sit in, ahem, "premium" endzone locations).


...And it's unfortunate that die-heart fans like me who support the team in times of troubled waters can't get a ticket without having to purchase season passes or solicit something outside the stadium.

It's all good; because I'm a Sooner fan for life and not one of those who hop on the success bandwagon--darning the Sooner attire to associate with a winner and make a fashion statement.   

The danger, bridges & train tracks we had to cross as children growing up to support our Oklahoma Sooners were a real challenge--_and I wouldn't change a thing..._

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## ou48A

A point system that awards points based on full attendance along with assigned seating is the way to go with the students IMHO 

OU could reduce the number of student tickets from the walk way on up for the section near the east 50 YD….. OU should sell those seats to new donors and help defray the cost of student tickets, then use the money to reward the students with the very best attendance.....

Students would receive points at the conclusion of each game by scanning their ID’s
Rewards could include ticket rebates, prizes and priority for the best student ticket locations at home, OU-Texas and bowl games….

This would cut back on the large number of students who leave games starting in the middle of the second quarter to go get drunk as many do.

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## Laramie

> This would cut back on the large number of students who leave games starting in the middle of the second quarter to go get drunk as many do.


I'm not so sure that's all they do.   Remember the song; "Why don't we get drunk and ...."_--Jimmy Buffett_

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## kevinpate

> I'm not so sure that's all they do.   Remember the song; "Why don't we get drunk and ...."_--Jimmy Buffett_


In today's world of facebook, instagram, twitter, etc., they could probably devise a points system for this as well, with bonus points if OU shirts remained visible in the images.

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## Laramie

The steel framework in the south end looks close to complete.   Going to miss those splinters we use to get sitting in the green bleachers.  I may still be carrying one.  :Oops:

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## gman11695

Speaking as an OU student who has attended many and most OU home games, reducing student ticket numbers would create an outrage amongst the student body. If anything, a bigger student section is needed. There is barely even standing room during any game, and standing is the only thing we do. Students create so much life to any game. 

Also, student tickets are already hard to comeby. Albeit students sell them in Facebook pages to other students, but season tickets run out fast. 

And as for students leaving halfway through the game to get drunk, that goes for anybody attending a game, ntm with all the tailgating, half the students come to games already drunk. 

In addition, a "point based system" would probably deter students from coming to games to begin with. Students want to go and have fun and watch football and cheer on our amazing school, not have to worry about having attendance taken.

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## ou48A

> Speaking as an OU student who has attended many and most OU home games, reducing student ticket numbers would create an outrage amongst the student body. If anything, a bigger student section is needed. There is barely even standing room during any game, and standing is the only thing we do. Students create so much life to any game. 
> 
> Also, student tickets are already hard to comeby. Albeit students sell them in Facebook pages to other students, but season tickets run out fast. 
> 
> In addition, a "point based system" would probably deter students from coming to games to begin with. Students want to go and have fun and watch football and cheer on our amazing school, not have to worry about having attendance taken.


Those of us siting  high up have seen for many years that the student section # 26 almost always has plenty of  empty student seats…. so to say that OU’s student sections are over crowed is totally incorrect….But to prevent the few pockets of overcrowding would be why OU needs assigned student seating.
A size reduction of about 700 seats could be totally justified.

Those students who truly value the OU football experience would comply with any points system and benefit from it in several ways. 	The students who care would still show up and stay so why not reward them? 

I don’t really care if it created an “outrage amongst the student body” The students who care would eventually get over it particularly after they saw how it benefited them! Only about 30% to 40% attend games anyway.  An incentive system would be a very good learning lesson for real on the job corporate life that way too many students today are woefully unprepared for.

 An incentive system would gradually improve student attendance and force out those who have the poorest fan ethic.

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## ou48A

> And as for students leaving halfway through the game to get drunk, t*hat goes for anybody attending* a game, ntm with all the tailgating,


I’m sure there is an element of truth in that some non-students are leaving competitive games early to party…

But by far the biggest reason I hear from fans about why they leave competitive games early are over issues of parking and traffic congestion….. This is particularly true for fans coming from a distance and those who are not very familiar with the Norman area short cuts.

Along with better control of traffic lights….making Flood Street one way north bound to Robinson after games is one low cost solution to help empty out the congestion in Norman.

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## hfry

I don't think most people realize how the student section works and as a student there would be outrage if tickets are taken away. There are students who wait on Thursday mornings just for a chance to grab an extra student ticket, so they are in demand for almost every game. But the section itself can be deceiving. Since you don't really get a seat but ticket to get into those sections everyone stands and packs it lower so it makes the top few rows look empty but in reality it's more than full farther down. Ou can only sell so many tickets but I promise they could sell more student tickets and oversell for the number of seats there. Now for the students leaving early, there is no defense but I can say from going with my family's tickets and as a student the majority stay most games that are competitive. The only games I can remember the sections looking empty in the second half are when there is bad weather or blow outs. Still wish people would stay till the end but this idea of making the students section smaller is just ridiculous.

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## ou48A

In the mid to late 1970’s the OU student section had the second highest percentage of its full time students buying a student season ticket. Only Nebraska had a higher percentage of it students buying more tickets. At that time OU had something like 16,000 to 17,000 students buying student season tickets.

 Now and with a much larger university it’s been reduced to I believe somewhere around 8000 seats because of a much lower level of student interest at OU.

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## ou48A

> I don't think most people realize how the student section works and as a student there would be outrage if tickets are taken away. There are students who wait on Thursday mornings just for a chance to grab an extra student ticket, so they are in demand for almost every game. But the section itself can be deceiving. Since you don't really get a seat but ticket to get into those sections everyone stands and packs it lower so it makes the top few rows look empty but in reality it's more than full farther down. Ou can only sell so many tickets but I promise they could sell more student tickets and oversell for the number of seats there. Now for the students leaving early, there is no defense but I can say from going with my family's tickets and as a student the majority stay most games that are competitive. The only games I can remember the sections looking empty in the second half are when there is bad weather or blow outs. Still wish people would stay till the end but this idea of making the students section smaller is just ridiculous.


Assigned seating would solve many current student seating problems.


For the students who do attend full games in premium seats at a giant discount, they would see an incentive system rewarding them for their loyal fandom. 

Shrinking the student by only about 700 would help pay for rewards from OU including deeper subsidies for tickets on a tiered system for students. Local’s sponsors could offer free or major discounted merchandise and food.

A Greek house could receive bonus points for the best GPA and have points taken away for serious infractions.

After graduation those with the very best attendance could receive free Sooner points and major season ticket discounts for a year or 2 after graduation. 

When for so long the privilege is being wasted and abused by such a large number, by leaving any game OU loses nothing by losing a few hundred of the poorest preforming students.

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## soonermike81

I graduated in 2004 and came back for Notre Dame in 2012. Because tickets were expensive, I decided to buy a student ticket and use a family member's ID, which looked close enough to me to get me in. I was disgusted with what I saw in the student section. Kids were goofing off, not paying attention at all to the game. No cheering or screaming on defense. I was so irritated, I started yelling at students around me to stand up to get loud. Top 10 matchup and that was the most pathetic display of fandom I've seen. I've said it many times over the years, we have a pretty weak fan base when it comes to stadium intimidation. I just never expected it see it from the student section, esp with such a big game. Our fans are spoiled fans, students or not.

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## bombermwc

Personally, I'm not concerned if students get "upset" about having the number of tickets reduced. If there wasn't a problem with that section....EVERY GAME, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. And there is no way you're gong to convince me, that it being general admission squeezes THAT many more people in a row than assigned seating does. Those seats are incredibly small and you just always hope that each group of people has a skinny person in the mix to even it out. 

As described above, not only are the students not there in populations sufficient to even fill the seats they have, but as said, they aren't paying attention most of the time. They're more worried about getting on the big screen camera. I'd shove their ungrateful and unappreciative butts up in the corners at the top. Then let's see how many of them show up. Thousands of people are waiting every year for tickets and would LOVE to get even that seat. Just another example of how kids today (and remember, I'm only in my mid-30's so I'm not some old fart commenting here) are completely self-absorbed in their instant gratification world where everyone is entitled to something and is special. Barf.

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## SoonerDave

> *I don't think most people realize how the student section works and as a student there would be outrage if tickets are taken away.*


You tell me where I'm wrong. 

When I was a student at OU, there was a priority student ticket system based on your completed hours. Freshman were entitled to nothing, but as you had more and more hours, you qualified for a better and better seat. Grad students got the best, then seniors, juniors, etc. Preference worked from closest to midfield then down the sideline toward the corner. I'm reasonably sure I remember that, once I was no longer a freshman, I at least got to desginate a preference of high/med/low. Married students got the option of purchasing a "student spouse" ticket that required no ID - anyone could use it. You had to prove you were married, however; marriage license, etc. Same went for Texas tickets. 

Because the seats were doled out on a preference basis, they were necessarily reserved. Granted, lots of folks didn't abide the assignment, but if there was a conflict, the guy holding the ticket was the one who could get an usher/campus cop and have someone *without* a ticket thrown out. And you didn't show up hours in advance, and the student section was packed. 

Over the years, student section sales and attendance decreased - I think it really ebbed during the Schnellenberger/Blake years because the team sucked so thoroughly in that era. To get folks - anyone - back in the door, they created all kinds of programs - SoonerSaver (and others, don't recall which) - and turned the student section into general admission, first-come first served. And it's clear now that there is nowhere *near* the *general* demand for student tickets there once was. Now, the Athletic Department has transitioned student tickets into regular tickets anyone can hold for an "upgrade" fee - again, a tip of the cap to the fact that the old student ticket that required an ID was a pariah to try and sell - on top of the fact it was like a lunch ticket that got "punched" for each game - they weren't individual game tickets. 

I will grant that the gaps in the section could, at least in part, be a product of "redistributing" the gaps in the formerly assigned student seating, but that's not all of it. Tastes are changing. Students that do go aren't entirely engaged. C'est la vie. Can't force someone to be a fan. 

So what part of "how a student section works" don't I understand? 

Students aren't coming, and other fans who might like the chance for tickets and would enjoy going would probably buy them. If the students don't like that, well, in all honesty, tough toenails. 

Now, I will temper that demand notion by offering that this notion of  "thousands of people" waiting for season tickets has been a fiction for a long time. For many years, including fairly recently, you could join the Sooner Club for something like $100 (?) and get a chance to buy tickets. The "thousands of people" number comes from multiple members of the same family going on the famed "waiting list" for tickets requiring no contribution, or people who might get a chance at endzone tickets and decline them (which I entirely respect). Given the way things are going the season ticket not requiring a donation is a dying animal, especially given that a good chunk of the *south endzone* is now considered "premium" (tongue firmly planted in cheek) seating. Gaack. 




> Still wish people would stay till the end but this idea of making the students section smaller is just ridiculous.


No, it isn't. That's why a trial run of 500 tickets pulled from the student allotment is a great first-shot at contrasting theory versus reality. 

The broader reality is that OU is very much at a capacity-versus-demand sweet spot, and Joe C has always maintained the best position to be in is for there to be a *perception* of demand that's *just ahead* of capacity. The giant holes in the student section that blare across TV sets nearly every home game belie that reality on no uncertain terms.

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## Laramie

> I graduated in 2004 and came back for Notre Dame in 2012. Because tickets were expensive, I decided to buy a student ticket and use a family member's ID, which looked close enough to me to get me in. I was disgusted with what I saw in the student section. Kids were goofing off, not paying attention at all to the game. No cheering or screaming on defense. I was so irritated, I started yelling at students around me to stand up to get loud. Top 10 matchup and that was the most pathetic display of fandom I've seen. I've said it many times over the years, we have a pretty weak fan base when it comes to stadium intimidation. I just never expected it see it from the student section, esp with such a big game. Our fans are spoiled fans, students or not.


Gotta to give you credit, you tried...

What's the real concern here:

1.  Students that don't enthusiastically support the team should lose their ticket purchasing privileges.
2.  Students should be forced to remain in their seats until the game is over.
3.  Students purchase tickets and don't attend _(no shows)_ .
4.  The University can make more money by reducing the student section.
What gives?

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## SOONER8693

> You tell me where I'm wrong. 
> 
> When I was a student at OU, there was a priority student ticket system based on your completed hours. Freshman were entitled to nothing, but as you had more and more hours, you qualified for a better and better seat. Grad students got the best, then seniors, juniors, etc. Preference worked from closest to midfield then down the sideline toward the corner. I'm reasonably sure I remember that, once I was no longer a freshman, I at least got to desginate a preference of high/med/low. Married students got the option of purchasing a "student spouse" ticket that required no ID - anyone could use it. You had to prove you were married, however; marriage license, etc. Same went for Texas tickets. 
> 
> Because the seats were doled out on a preference basis, they were necessarily reserved. Granted, lots of folks didn't abide the assignment, but if there was a conflict, the guy holding the ticket was the one who could get an usher/campus cop and have someone *without* a ticket thrown out. And you didn't show up hours in advance, and the student section was packed. 
> 
> Over the years, student section sales and attendance decreased - I think it really ebbed during the Schnellenberger/Blake years because the team sucked so thoroughly in that era. To get folks - anyone - back in the door, they created all kinds of programs - SoonerSaver (and others, don't recall which) - and turned the student section into general admission, first-come first served. And it's clear now that there is nowhere *near* the *general* demand for student tickets there once was. Now, the Athletic Department has transitioned student tickets into regular tickets anyone can hold for an "upgrade" fee - again, a tip of the cap to the fact that the old student ticket that required an ID was a pariah to try and sell - on top of the fact it was like a lunch ticket that got "punched" for each game - they weren't individual game tickets. 
> 
> I will grant that the gaps in the section could, at least in part, be a product of "redistributing" the gaps in the formerly assigned student seating, but that's not all of it. Tastes are changing. Students that do go aren't entirely engaged. C'est la vie. Can't force someone to be a fan. 
> ...


Nicely done. You are dead on on everything you've said.

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## SoonerDave

> Gotta to give you credit, you tried...
> 
> What's the real concern here:
> 
> 1.  Students that don't enthusiastically support the team should lose their ticket purchasing privileges.
> 2.  Students should be forced to remain in their seats until the game is over.
> 3.  Students purchase tickets and don't attend _(no shows)_ .
> 4.  The University can make more money by reducing the student section.
> What gives?


Well, Lar, I see where you're coming from, but man...that list kinda bugs me a bit. 

1. What's "enthusiastically?" Person X does or doesn't jump around enough, clap enough, yell enough? And if you measure "enthusiasm," you'd better start measuring the folks way up in the 220's and the 100's as well. 

2. It's a football game, not a prison. How do you _begin_ to enforce the idea that students should be "forced to remain in their seats" any more than any other fan? 

Now 3 and 4 are ENTIRELY workable. Don't use the ticket/get it scanned, lose some attaboy points in a priority system. Maybe even add attaboy points if you get a ticket scanned after an event is over, proving you stayed the whole time.

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## ou48A

If a student cares enough to stay and receive the extra points for staying until the complete conclusion of all games then odds are pretty good that the student is “enthusiastically” participating.

As a way to thank those students with perfect attendance, upon graduation, they should receive heavy discounts for public season tickets for a period of time…

We need lifelong good dedicated season ticket holders filling the stadium….

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## Laramie

Although the student section is more compact and has a more recognized homogeneous group; it's more visible than the alumni sections.  Personally, I don't see it as a problem.  _Leave the damn students alone!_

An off year (like during the Schnellenberger & Blake regimes) will flush out those fair weather fans who surface whenever the team is having a banner year; these fans want to be associated with a 'winner;'  therefore they want to look good; when you're looking good and sexy--things happen.

Have you seen Darryl K. Royal Stadium in Austin, TX lately(?):

When Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium starts to look like this; _call 911..._

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## ou48A

> Although the student section is more compact and has a more recognized homogeneous group; it's more visible than the alumni sections.  Personally, I don't see it as a problem.  _Leave the damn students alone!_
> 
> An off year (like during the Schnellenberger & Blake regimes) will flush out those fair weather fans who surface whenever the team is having a banner year; these fans want to be associated with a 'winner;'  therefore they want to look good; when you're looking good and sexy--things happen.
> 
> Have you seen Darryl K. Royal Stadium in Austin, TX lately(?):
> 
> When Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium starts to look like this; _call 911..._


Comparing our station to a worse situation doesn’t do anything to make what’s wrong with our program better….!

Something that many good recruits like is a great home crowd like they see at other big time venues!
If the OU students and fans are not doing their jobs as fans it’s going to leave a lasting poor impression on some recruits and not help our recruiting. If we can recruit better players we can win at a higher level.

So anything we can do to improve the active participation rate of all fans including students, is a good thing for the program.

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## dankrutka

For all this talk, the student section is without question the rowdiest part of the stadium. I sat in the student section during the Notre Dame game and it was packed and pretty loud. And the empty seats are being greatly exaggerated in my opinion. The student section is full for most games. This season was the worst home schedule in years. I just think there should be a system for estimating student attendance and selling extra tickets to games where it might not be full. Maybe you can't do that. I have no problems with tickets being checked in and out of the stadium though. Anyway, I don't think a smaller student section is a good solution.

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## ou48A

> For all this talk, the student section is without question the rowdiest part of the stadium. I sat in the student section during the Notre Dame game and it was packed and pretty loud. And the empty seats are being greatly exaggerated in my opinion. The student section is full for most games. This season was the worst home schedule in years. I just think there should be a system for estimating student attendance and selling extra tickets to games where it might not be full. Maybe you can't do that. I have no problems with tickets being checked in and out of the stadium though. Anyway, I don't think a smaller student section is a good solution.


If the ticket market for students is made tighter and if tickets were awarded based on a points system then students are going to think twice about leaving early if it means worse seating locations or no tickets at all they will assign more value to the game experience.

 I have attended every home game under Stoops until the final snap of each game. I sit in a location where I have had an excellent view of the OU student section for over 30 years….There are always plenty of students leaving games early….often it’s well into the thousands!

Since students are required to show up so early, assigned seating would keep students out of the elements longer and let them fuel up with food and drink for a longer period of time. This alone would help many stay at games. At that age I was always starving after about 4-5 hours without food.

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## HOT ROD

not when, but* IF* "Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium"* EVER* starts to look empty like Darryl Royal Stadium in Awestin, call 911 and the Oklahoma National Guard.

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## ou48A

OU and its fans need to direct their attention to whatever it is that improves the football program.

Some of that is better preforming fans but some of it is also helping to build the phases of the stadium so that top recruits don’t see the press box that is a giant eye sore.

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## bombermwc

OU DID look like this in the mid 90's. Until Stoops came in, we were almost giving away tickets just to get butts in the seats.




> Although the student section is more compact and has a more recognized homogeneous group; it's more visible than the alumni sections.  Personally, I don't see it as a problem.  _Leave the damn students alone!_
> 
> An off year (like during the Schnellenberger & Blake regimes) will flush out those fair weather fans who surface whenever the team is having a banner year; these fans want to be associated with a 'winner;'  therefore they want to look good; when you're looking good and sexy--things happen.
> 
> Have you seen Darryl K. Royal Stadium in Austin, TX lately(?):
> 
> When Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium starts to look like this; _call 911..._

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## SoonerDave

> OU DID look like this in the mid 90's. Until Stoops came in, we were almost giving away tickets just to get butts in the seats.


I'll never forget going to one game back in that era - think it was just a year or two before I got married (not sure) - but I got to Norman maybe an hour before kickoff, and had the best parking ever, walked to the stadium and got a chairback (donor) seat in the upper deck on the 50 for either nothing or something like $5, and walked into a stadium that had maybe 40K people in it. The "announced" attendance was a joke. The endzones were nearly barren. It was heartbreaking. 

I thought to myself, my goodness, all the great games, great teams that had gone through that stadium, and it was now barely more than a glorified high school scrimmage. We were irrelevant in our own _state_, our own _conference_, let alone _nationally_. I honestly thought OU would *never* be good again, because, at that time, they were *so* thoroughly *bad*. 

I want to say that was at or near the time Steve Owens had been asked to come in and serve at least as the "figurehead" AD, and it was at that time I think he found out how bad the department was, how much debt it was in, and the story goes that Owens went back to the Pres and said something to the effect of, "hey, I'm a businessman, and I'm happy to serve my university, but this athletic department is a mess and you need a real *athletic director* to fix it." And that precipitated the hiring of Joe C, and I suspect most others following this thread know (most of) the rest. Yes, Stoops brought OU back to relevance on the field, but I don't know if Stoops happens without Joe C. Even Texas realizes the wrong AD can be a devastating mistake or a smashing catalyst for success.

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## Laramie

> Comparing our station to a worse situation doesn’t do anything to make what’s wrong with our program better….!
> 
> Something that many good recruits like is a great home crowd like they see at other big time venues!
> If the OU students and fans are not doing their jobs as fans it’s going to leave a lasting poor impression on some recruits and not help our recruiting. If we can recruit better players we can win at a higher level.
> 
> So anything we can do to improve the active participation rate of all fans including students, is a good thing for the program.


I have no problem using the University of Texas in Austin as a gauge to where we should be on many levels (academic & athletics).  UT is as reputable as any higher institution across the board in the country.   We've learned from UT's success & mistakes.

Barry Switzer warned that we don't need a 100,000-seat stadium (no more than 90,000).   We have seen what this has done with the cosmetic atmosphere of putting hips in the seats in Austin.

Just don't want to see empty seat pockets at GF Oklahoma Memorial Stadium that look like someone with a bad case Psoriasis that has penetrate the head.

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## ou48A

> I have no problem using the University of Texas in Austin as a gauge to where we should be on many levels (academic & athletics).  UT is as reputable as any higher institution across the board in the country.   We've learned from UT's success & mistakes.
> 
> Barry Switzer warned that we don't need a 100,000-seat stadium (no more than 90,000).   We have seen what this has done with the cosmetic atmosphere of putting hips in the seats in Austin.
> 
> Just don't want to see empty seat pockets at GF Oklahoma Memorial Stadium that look like someone with a bad case Psoriasis that has penetrate the head.


I would agree with you on academics but not on UT football in its current situation which is not in a good situation.
When it comes to football and that’s what this thread is about our gage at OU should be present day Alabama. 

The entire Sooner nation (fans) has a lot of hard work left undone that needs done before we can recruit enough of the right athletes to win a national title.

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## ou48A

I was told today that OU will have roughly 1000 more season tickets for sale next season because of the stadium expansion project and that they still have some left for sale in case anyone is interested.
Call the OU ticket office at 405-325- 2424

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## bombermwc

> I was told today that OU will have roughly 1000 more season tickets for sale next season because of the stadium expansion project and that they still have some left for sale in case anyone is interested.
> Call the OU ticket office at 405-325- 2424


This is where I start to have a problem. They're starting to sell these as new seats only to take them away when they start work on the west side. I know we're netting additional seats out of the eventual finished product, but we're a few years away from that. If you're someone on the waiting list, maybe you're happy that you get at least a few years in there before they get taken away? But you could also be even more angry that you get it for a few years and then have to get back on waiting. I'm not really sure what a fair way to handle that is without leaving empty sections for a while that COULD Be making money. Although one thought is, shove the visitors in the new sections and sell off their old seats instead. That way, if you have to reduce the number offered, it's not as big of a deal. Is there any pact or something in the NCAA/Big XII about having to have a certain number or % of seats available to visitors?

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## SoonerDave

> I was told today that OU will have roughly 1000 more season tickets for sale next season because of the stadium expansion project and that they still have some left for sale in case anyone is interested.
> Call the OU ticket office at 405-325- 2424


I think that fact alone tells you a  great deal about the relative softness of demand. You just came off a Big 12 title season, a run in the CFP, you're amid a stadium renovation, but you have to issue a _press release_ (well, not exactly, but you get the idea) that _some extra season tickets are unsold._

Also goes to debunk the ever expanding mythology of the Dreaded Season Ticket Waiting List. 

As bomber points out, however, I might be hesitant to jump in on these knowing the upcoming plans - might get them for a year, maybe two (?), then have them yanked or have a "mandatory" donation added. I'm just wondering where they'll be - in those corners of the new endzone where there aren't actual "club" seating (it appears), what would prospectively be the "new" Section 36 or (I think) section 50 (immediately adjacent to Section 1)?

Verrrry interesting.

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## ou48A

> This is where I start to have a problem. They're starting to sell these as new seats only to take them away when they start work on the west side.


There will be enough natural attrition to take care of any size reduction of season tickets + OU always has a number of individual game tickets that could be utilized as season tickets.

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## SoonerDave

Don't know if anyone is interested, but I took some pics today of the stadium construction and actually got IN the stadium. Posted the pics to an album on IMGUR, although I don't think I like the way their album thing works:

Stadium Construction - 2016-01-16 - Album on Imgur

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## ljbab728

> Don't know if anyone is interested, but I took some pics today of the stadium construction and actually got IN the stadium. Posted the pics to an album on IMGUR, although I don't think I like the way their album thing works:
> 
> Stadium Construction - 2016-01-16 - Album on Imgur


Those are some excellent pics.  Thanks.

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## dcsooner

> Those are some excellent pics.  Thanks.


+1

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## SOONER8693

> Don't know if anyone is interested, but I took some pics today of the stadium construction and actually got IN the stadium. Posted the pics to an album on IMGUR, although I don't think I like the way their album thing works:
> 
> Stadium Construction - 2016-01-16 - Album on Imgur


Wow, incredible pics. Thanks a bunch.

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## Laramie

OU making the final four won't pay dividends until next season's recruiting.   Hopefully, we can secure some of those SEC-Atlantic Conference corn bread & buttermilk fed linemen.

Our lines (offensive & defensive) should be better next season if they make any improvements.

We had the quarterback, receivers & running backs to win a national championship; however, our linemen were our Achilles heel.

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## Laramie

> Don't know if anyone is interested, but I took some pics today of the stadium construction and actually got IN the stadium. Posted the pics to an album on IMGUR, although I don't think I like the way their album thing works:
> 
> Stadium Construction - 2016-01-16 - Album on Imgur


Impressive pics!   Did you have any security problems getting inside to take those pics?

Just the new south end zone seating alone equals what we hope to accomplish with the Hall of Fame Stadium (softball) 2019 expansion  in OKC's Adventure District.

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## SoonerDave

> Impressive pics!   Did you have any security problems getting inside to take those pics?
> 
> Just the new south end zone seating alone equals what we hope to accomplish with the Hall of Fame Stadium (softball) 2019 expansion  in OKC's Adventure District.


Nope. No security issues. Only went through gates that were open, and other than the construction people, there was nobody else there. One pickup truck did drive by with a massive tank of BBQ sauce, however...smelled great  :Smile: 

I just obeyed the construction fences....the last time i went down there, one of the crew was very pleasant and saw I was taking pictures, and said, "hey, its going to look great in about six months!" I think they're taking a lot of pride in how important this projectx is for the program. As long as I dont get in anyone's way, they don't mind. And, in contrast, if anyone had come and told me to leave, I'd have left. No troublemaker here  :Smile:

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## Laramie

> The first phase is expected to be done by early August. Naifeh says construction is on schedule to this point, and while the progress may seem rapid, the infrastructure typically goes up quickly. Naifeh anticipates seating should be fine for the home opener, however.
> 
> "Substantial completion will be about 20 days prior to the initial kickoff," Naifeh said. "Substantial completion really does mean you could use the facility. So we're looking at trying to get it done and ready to go by the first part of August."



College Sports: Five things to know about Oklahoma football's stadium construction progress | SportsDay

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## Laramie

Live Stadium Construction Cam | Gaylord Family ? Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Construction crews have accelerated the pace...

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