# Everything Else > Sports >  Time to expand Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?

## earlywinegareth

http://huskersgameday.com/2011/04/13...on-renderings/ 

NU is increasing capacity to 91K...yeah so we're no longer in the same conference but I'm wondering if we need another expansion project to keep up with the competition for recruiting & revenue purposes.  I suspect Boren/Castiglione/Stoops are looking into it.

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## lasomeday

I say keep adding on until the wait list is 0!  OU games are a huge economic pull to central Oklahoma!  The more people that go to OU games the more people that will watch and support the team and Oklahoma in general.  

I am very impressed with OU sports fans (not OU football fans) they really support all the sports.  If you go to an OU softball or girls basketball game you will see just as many empty seats as you will an OU football game.

This coming from a cowboy!

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## BDK

It'll take another national title to get the donations rolling in, most likely.

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## jmarkross

> http://huskersgameday.com/2011/04/13...on-renderings/ 
> 
> NU is increasing capacity to 91K...yeah so we're no longer in the same conference but I'm wondering if we need another expansion project to keep up with the competition for recruiting & revenue purposes.  I suspect Boren/Castiglione/Stoops are looking into it.


That *poor cobbled-together abortion of a "stadium"* is always trying to be better than it is...I am sure they will add whatever form of bleachers they can get at Ace Hardware and screw it on anywhere they can....to impress the Big 10 (12?)

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## ou48A

As long as you can buy a ticket outside the stadium to about 95% of home games for $20 or under there is probably not enough demand for a major expansion.

Maybe OU could expand the SW corner and add 2 or 3 thousand seats. 
This would provide year round covered parking for the coaching and support staffs.

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## Laramie

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium needs to connect the upper deck seating to complete the horse-shoe in the north end of the stadium; they could easily add 18,000 seats and increase the seating capacity to 102,000.

Many of us who would like to purchase season tickets *without making a major donation to the university would* do so and support our Oklahoma Sooners.

Why are we waiting?  It's not going to get any cheaper to increase the stadium to exceed 100,000--*the time is now.*

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## dmoor82

Not to many if any programs are as tradition ritch as Sooner Football,but LOTS of stadium are much larger,atleast 15 or so!

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## onthestrip

I remeber hearing Joe C stating that they want the capacity to remain at a level where the stadium stays full yet its not impossible or too expensive to get a ticket, which they seem to have balanced right now. I think it would be a mistake to add 15,000 seats. Just because there are other stadiums that are bigger doesnt mean they are superior stadiums or have better football programs.

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## Roadhawg

> That *poor cobbled-together abortion of a "stadium"* is always trying to be better than it is...I am sure they will add whatever form of bleachers they can get at Ace Hardware and screw it on anywhere they can....to impress the Big 10 (12?)


Yeah that poor stadium has has an ongoing NCAA record of 311 consecutive sellouts, which began in 1962. They are planning by 2013 the seating will be 87,000+ and they currently have 'Nebraska's "HuskerVision" is one of the largest jumbo-screens in any college stadium in the country, measuring approximatively 118-feet wide by 34-feet high.'

So the Husker stadium isn't "trying" to be better, it already is.  :Smile:

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## MikeLucky

> Yeah that poor stadium has has an ongoing NCAA record of 311 consecutive sellouts, which began in 1962. They are planning by 2013 the seating will be 87,000+ and they currently have 'Nebraska's "HuskerVision" is one of the largest jumbo-screens in any college stadium in the country, measuring approximatively 118-feet wide by 34-feet high.'
> 
> So the Husker stadium isn't "trying" to be better, it already is.


This post made me laugh. lol

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## ou48A

> That *poor cobbled-together abortion of a "stadium"* is always trying to be better than it is...I am sure they will add whatever form of bleachers they can get at Ace Hardware and screw it on anywhere they can....to impress the Big 10 (12?)


 There are several stadiums in the B10 that have an erecter set look. From that stand point UNL will fit in.

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## ou48A

For OU to build a major expansion a major donor or donors would need to step up to the plate. 
Based on some of the projects that are on OU’s wish list that haven’t received  funding I’m not sure that OU has any willing  donors with the amount of cash necessary to make such a major expansion happen anytime soon. OU has already let Bonds on other athletic projects that would probably need to be paid off before any serious consideration could be given to move ahead on any major stadium expansions.

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## Roadhawg

> There are several stadiums in the B10 that have an erecter set look. From that stand point UNL will fit in.


LOL  yeah like Michigan , Ohio St, Penn St, etc....

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## jmarkross

> LOL  yeah like Michigan , Ohio St, Penn St, etc....


Or--*like the ones in Baton Rouge or Knoxville*--lotsa seats...*but a big rinky-dink bleacher array*...Owen Field is a big thing--with a building inside...whole different concept. 

And--_one needs to measure the actual footage of the seats in length_...been to the Rose Bowl a number of times--and--*those seats are so close together it is creepy to be there! Probably really seats about 60-70,000 if everyone had enough butt space to sit on!*

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## venture

I would think a new build LNC would take priority over expanding Memorial Stadium to 100k seats. Granted the OU basketball programs probably don't need much more additional seating, but it would allow additional concerts to be held there whenever the OKC Arena is booked. Who knows though. The Football program pays the bills for nearly all the athletics at OU, so it might not be a bad idea to push that through first.

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## ou48A

> LOL  yeah like Michigan , Ohio St, Penn St, etc....


Penn St is one such stadium that comes to mind. Iowa is another. 
The last i checked Northwestern’s is nothing special and neither is the Illinois stadium.

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## jmarkross

I am sure the eventual design will continuee the east side upper deck design all the way around the north side and west side, including demolishing and redesigning an integral pressbox. The south side will always be open--_as most stadiums are in the regions where it can be very warm in Sept./Oct. for wind to breeze into the place._ Sunken stadiums--like the Cotton Bowl--dramatically show the horror of a hot gameday...*'bout died there when I was dumb enough to get low seats for the OU-Texas game...*a cardiologist's dream!

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## ou48A

Joe C addressed the stadium expansion issue in a radio interview several months ago.
The current plan would involve the removal of the existing south end zone decking. The supporting structure below would remain and be added to in height where needed. There would be 2 decks in the south end zone according to Joe.C.
The decks would wrap around to fill both corners and would nearly connect with the existing stadium. While watch on TV it would be constructed in such a way that it would be very difficult to see where the old and new parts of the stadium meet.
Joe C indicated that they would like a new press box but he made it sound like it was third on the list of priorities. The student housing was first then the south end zone expansion.
Joe C. also said that if funding ever became available that they would like to replace the LNC and build a new arena just NW of the football stadium.

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## jmarkross

> Joe C addressed the stadium expansion issue in a radio interview several months ago.
> The current plan would involve the removal of the existing south end zone decking. The supporting structure below would remain and be added to in height where needed. There would be 2 decks in the south end zone according to Joe.C.
> The decks would wrap around to fill both corners and would nearly connect with the existing stadium. While watch on TV it would be constructed in such a way that it would be very difficult to see where the old and new parts of the stadium meet.
> Joe C indicated that they would like a new press box but he made it sound like it was third on the list of priorities. The student housing was first then the south end zone expansion.
> Joe C. also said that if funding ever became available that they would like to replace the LNC and build a new arena just NW of the football stadium.


I hope they don't go for *Nebraska's style and make Kyle Field II*...Football stadiums *ought to be higher along the field*--not on either end. Looks frumpy...IMHO

But--matters not to me--_I'll be long dead when that all happens...even if they start soon....Ha!_

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## Snowman

> ... if funding ever became available that they would like to replace the LNC and build a new arena just NW of the football stadium.


Didn't they have trouble filling it up this year? is it for more dining and retail similar to what the NBA is doing?

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## venture

> Didn't they have trouble filling it up this year? is it for more dining and retail similar to what the NBA is doing?


Probably going back to what I said. A new arena would help bring in additional concerts and such to Norman. LNC is used for other things instead of just the Basketball programs and would expect any new build (or expansion) would be more geared for that reason...not because of basketball attendance.

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## swilki

I thought one of the reasons always used for why they haven't expanded the stadium is that the south endzone's slope doesn't match that of the rest of the stadium, therefore it would be hard to make a true bowl.  Thant being said, I have always found that to be a stupid argument, surely there is something that could be done. It's gonna happen, it is just a matter of when and wins (aka one or two more national championships).

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## MikeLucky

> I thought one of the reasons always used for why they haven't expanded the stadium is that the south endzone's slope doesn't match that of the rest of the stadium, therefore it would be hard to make a true bowl.  Thant being said, I have always found that to be a stupid argument, surely there is something that could be done. It's gonna happen, it is just a matter of when and wins (aka one or two more national championships).


Actually it's because it would cost too much to add a bunch of crap seats...  they would never get the return out of them from the donor perspective...  that's why we will be much more likely to see suites added... and if they can happen to put regular seats on top of them, then that's an added bonus... (see east side upper deck for proof)

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## ou48A

As of a few months ago according to Joe C the next stadium expansion will be in the south end zone. Joe C said that the south end zone would have 2 decks and that suites will be included. 

The cost to construct seats at near ground level in the south corners is far cheaper than the cost of constructing large upper decks. Since Joe C says that OU would build in the South end zone I’m VERY sure that OU has studied where they would make the best rate of return on their dollars.
OU has twice sent me and others a questioner to gage how much demand there is for seats & suits. 
They also asked several other questions to gage interest on other items.

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## ou48A

LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE
A limited number of season tickets are still available for current Sooner Club members or those interested in joining the Sooner Club.

For more information contact the Sooner Club at (405) 325-8000 or (866) SOONER CLUB.

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## ou48A

Demand for tickets apparently isn’t nearly as great as many believe.
There is no need for a major OU stadium expansion.

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## rcjunkie

> Demand for tickets apparently isn’t nearly as great as many believe.
> There is no need for a major OU stadium expansion.


Wrong, there's over 10,000 on the season ticket waiting list

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## ou48A

> Wrong, there's over 10,000 on the season ticket waiting list


Wrong,,,,, 

10,000 who won’t pay anything above the cost of their season ticket does not justify a major expansion. 

Perhaps a small cheap expansion could be justified but certainly not a major expansion.

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## rcjunkie

> Wrong,,,,, 
> 
> 10,000 who won’t pay anything above the cost of their season ticket does not justify a major expansion. 
> 
> Perhaps a small cheap expansion could be justified but certainly not a major expansion.


It's not wrong, check for yourself, the waiting list for people requesting season tickets is over 10,000.

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## ou48A

> It's not wrong, check for yourself, the waiting list for people requesting season tickets is over 10,000.


I know the waiting list is something close to what you are saying but this by its self doesn’t justify a major expansion. 

If they had several thousand requests for premium seating then a major expansion might be justifiable. But people who can’t afford a donation to the Sooner Club probably should think twice about buying a season ticket. There is a high attrition rate after the first year from people who do not donate.

A cheap expansion in one or both corners of the South end zone that would add 2000 to 3000 seats and that would fit into any future expansion plans may be the only justifiable way to expand at this time.

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## rcjunkie

> I know the waiting list is something close to what you are saying but this by its self doesn’t justify a major expansion. 
> 
> If they had several thousand requests for premium seating then a major expansion might be justifiable. But people who can’t afford a donation to the Sooner Club probably should think twice about buying a season ticket. There is a high attrition rate after the first year from people who do not donate.
> 
> A cheap expansion in one or both corners of the South end zone that would add 2000 to 3000 seats and that would fit into any future expansion plans may be the only justifiable way to expand at this time.


I never said this justifies a major expansion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, but some have said the demand for tickets isn't there when it definately is.

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## ou48A

> I never said this justifies a major expansion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, but some have said the demand for tickets isn't there when it definately is.


But some have said that the demand justifies a significant expansion. 
When you can buy a decent ticket outside the stadium for $10 or $20 for nearly every game the true demand isn’t what some think it is.

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## Just the facts

I am not sure where you are buying $10 or $20 tickets but I haven't seen them.  Are those the ticket prices at the end of the first quarter?

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## jmarkross

> I am not sure where you are buying $10 or $20 tickets but I haven't seen them.  Are those the ticket prices at the end of the first quarter?


I remember when tickets were $4, and high school students could get end-zone tickets for $1--*or just wait for a crowd of guys to build and rush the chain link fence and all climb at once as the "guards" just laughed and let you go...*Owen Field has a thousand memories for me and I sure saw some *fabulous* games there in the 50's, 60's amd 70's...*scatter my ashes right there...*

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## ou48A

> I am not sure where you are buying $10 or $20 tickets but I haven't seen them.  Are those the ticket prices at the end of the first quarter?


I buy season tickets from OU but I know several fans who buy tickets outside the stadium to nearly every home game and rarely pay over $20 a ticket before the game kicks off.
No matter who OU is playing the toughest ticket is often the first home game of the year.
Most of the cheaper tickets seem to be found just north of the stadium or along Jenkins St near the stadium. The west side is not as good of location to find tickets.
During the season there are always several threads on various OU message boards about this topic

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## ljbab728

> I am not sure where you are buying $10 or $20 tickets but I haven't seen them.  Are those the ticket prices at the end of the first quarter?


I have, on occasion, had a extra ticket to sell when I go to a game.  Sometimes I couldn't sell it for any price unless I wanted to wait outside the stadium until after the game started which I would never do.

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## ou48A

Who would help OU pay for a major stadium expansion?

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## dankrutka

It is very easy to get cheap tickets outside of the stadium. My friends all do it for every home game and pay between $5 and $40, but most games a ticket is about $20.

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## kevinpate

it seems odd to me for tickets to roll out in any noticeable level at 20 and less.  why is something so desired also so devalued?  anyone?

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## ljbab728

> it seems odd to me for tickets to roll out in any noticeable level at 20 and less.  why is something so desired also so devalued?  anyone?


I think that, at least in part, it is connected to the fact that every game is on television.  Many people go to Norman on game days just to party.  If they can't get a cheap ticket they can watch the game on television at many venues.

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## Bunty

OU stadium won't have too much competiton from OSU's.  I've heard due to high ticket pricing they have yet to fill their new 60,000 seat stadium.

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## rcjunkie

> OU stadium won't have too much competiton from OSU's.  I've heard due to high ticket pricing they have yet to fill their new 60,000 seat stadium.


What ?, 
The fans that attend OSU football have nothing to do with the fans that attend OU football, so of course there's no competition.

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## SoonerDave

As a long-time Sooner fan, previous season ticket holder, and current get-them-at-the-gate ticket buyer, let me address/dispel some OU football ticket myths. 

_The waiting list is over 10,000!!_

The waiting list is one of the biggest urban myths surrounding OU football. Is there a list? Yes. Are there about 10,000 names on it? Last time I heard, yes. But what's reality? 

Reality is that some families have entered multiple names on the list over multiple years. Reality is that, over the years, when names get come up on the list, many decline the tickets because they've been on the list for years and don't want them anymore, or have other means of getting them. Some economic conditions change, some marital situations change, some family situations change, but the final reality is that list of 10,000 people doesn't represent 10,000 additional bodies waiting to go into the stadium. Others don't realize that getting season tickets doesn't guarantee (at all) getting Texas tickets, or that the tickets available are endzone.

Another part of the ticket list is that Sooner Club tickets (as already noted in this thread) are available if you're willing to donate to the Sooner Club. I haven't checked lately, but last I heard was that $200 ($100 per seat) would get you the option on a pair of home season tickets almost immediately. 

So, yeah, there's a list. But there's no way you can leverage that list into a rationalization to bump OMS' capacity by another 15K.

Next myth: Tickets are hard to come by.

My family used to have season tickets back in the 80's. My mom lost interest in attending, and they were lousy seats, so she had me try to sell them each gameday - and I discovered then that no one wanted them. After repeatedly getting lucky to sell them for $10, my mom turned in the tickets. Since that time, I've *never* been on any season ticket list, and I've *never* missed a home OU game for lack of a ticket. I can cherry pick the best seats and generally get a *pair* wherever I want for $30-$40 - and, yes, that included "big" games like Texas Tech in '08. Exceptions? One comes to mind - I did pay $70 for a single to the 2000 OU-Nebraska game.

I tell people this and they look at me like I'm looney, but I've been doing it now for close to 30 years...did it solo when I was single (really easy to do because scalpers hate to get stuck with singles), and now I get tickets this way for my son and me. And the difference I've saved over face value has more than helped me pick up tickets for Texas.

As far as stadium expansion goes, Joe C has stated within the last three years (as I recall) that press box renovation is the next item on the list. The OMS pressbox, a luxury, top-notch facility when it opened in 1974, is now one of the pits in the conference due to its age. The idea is to build an entirely new box with suites that will run the entire length of the west upper deck, but the cost will be inflated due to the logistical issues in not having a site for cranes - parking garage to the west, stadium interior to the east. Plans were apparently working toward that goal back when the economy crashed, and all the funds dried up. 

Joe C has also repeatedly stated that the best "investment" seats are for those "between the 20's" (his words). I don't see OU embarking on any project to bowl the corners or build a north endzone deck anytime soon, as those are precisely the seats that aren't seen as the best investment - especially when people can barely give away those tickets on game day. Its hard to convince a big time donor to invest a portion into an eight or nine-figure project less-than-premium seating.

All this expansion talk should be balanced against the master plan OU devised for the stadium some years ago, and most of which has been realized - the exterior redesign/brickwork, east expansion, scoreboards, and the like - and press box renovation is on that very list. So long as Joe C. is the OU AD, I think that will remain the next, smartest priority.

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## MikeLucky

> As a long-time Sooner fan, previous season ticket holder, and current get-them-at-the-gate ticket buyer, let me address/dispel some OU football ticket myths. 
> 
> _The waiting list is over 10,000!!_
> 
> The waiting list is one of the biggest urban myths surrounding OU football. Is there a list? Yes. Are there about 10,000 names on it? Last time I heard, yes. But what's reality? 
> 
> Reality is that some families have entered multiple names on the list over multiple years. Reality is that, over the years, when names get come up on the list, many decline the tickets because they've been on the list for years and don't want them anymore, or have other means of getting them. Some economic conditions change, some marital situations change, some family situations change, but the final reality is that list of 10,000 people doesn't represent 10,000 additional bodies waiting to go into the stadium. Others don't realize that getting season tickets doesn't guarantee (at all) getting Texas tickets, or that the tickets available are endzone.
> 
> Another part of the ticket list is that Sooner Club tickets (as already noted in this thread) are available if you're willing to donate to the Sooner Club. I haven't checked lately, but last I heard was that $200 ($100 per seat) would get you the option on a pair of home season tickets almost immediately. 
> ...


End. Of. Thread.

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## ou48A

> As a long-time Sooner fan, previous season ticket holder, and current get-them-at-the-gate ticket buyer, let me address/dispel some OU football ticket myths. 
> 
> _The waiting list is over 10,000!!_
> 
> The waiting list is one of the biggest urban myths surrounding OU football. Is there a list? Yes. Are there about 10,000 names on it? Last time I heard, yes. But what's reality? 
> 
> Reality is that some families have entered multiple names on the list over multiple years. Reality is that, over the years, when names get come up on the list, many decline the tickets because they've been on the list for years and don't want them anymore, or have other means of getting them. Some economic conditions change, some marital situations change, some family situations change, but the final reality is that list of 10,000 people doesn't represent 10,000 additional bodies waiting to go into the stadium. Others don't realize that getting season tickets doesn't guarantee (at all) getting Texas tickets, or that the tickets available are endzone.
> 
> Another part of the ticket list is that Sooner Club tickets (as already noted in this thread) are available if you're willing to donate to the Sooner Club. I haven't checked lately, but last I heard was that $200 ($100 per seat) would get you the option on a pair of home season tickets almost immediately. 
> ...


SoonerDave you make many good points that I agree with.

The latest information that I have heard from Joe C was given in a KREF radio interview just a few months ago. In that interview Joe C. said that OU would build a south end zone project before it built a new press box.
The press box would cost more because of the location of the garage but it’s still a doable project. 
IMHO A crane could be placed on top of the parking garage. Large cranes could be used at both ends of the stadium. Some material could be driven up the garage ramps to the top then hoisted with a crane to were its needed

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## SoonerDave

> SoonerDave you make many good points that I agree with.
> 
> The latest information that I have heard from Joe C was given in a KREF radio interview just a few months ago. In that interview Joe C. said that OU would build a south end zone project before it built a new press box.
> The press box would cost more because of the location of the garage but it’s still a doable project. 
> IMHO A crane could be placed on top of the parking garage. Large cranes could be used at both ends of the stadium. Some material could be driven up the garage ramps to the top then hoisted with a crane to were its needed


Hmm...just so I understand, you personally heard Joe C say this on KREF? If so, it sounds like Joe C. has changed his mind on stadium priorities, or perhaps someone has aimed some $$$ to the Athletic Department earmarked for a south endzone project. I heard an interview with him on the Animal where Al Eschbach asked him what was next for the football stadium, and he specifically stated the next stadium project would be the press box renovation. I don't even think a south endzone project is even in the stadium master plan, and that's been Joe C's guidance through all the stadium updates. 

I know there has been a lot of sentimental interest in bowling the corners, and the practical difficulties with such a project due to the fact that the existing south stands are not built at the same rake angle as the rest of the stadium - making such a project a technical and financial challenge -- all for less-than-optimal seating.

I know Joe C is not an advocate of additional endzone seating, so what he said on KREF is very, very surprising, as it contradicts what he had made as a pretty plain objective on three fronts - the desire to build seats between the 20's, the desire to balance seats with ticket demand, and that the press box project was part of the stadium master plan. 

I'm going to see if I can send Joe C an email and set us all straight. I figure the worst he can do is ignore me  :Smile: 


*EDIT:*  _I have sent an email to the Athletics Department at OU asking them to clarify this issue. I'll post here when and if they reply. Not meaning to doubt what you heard, OU48A, it's just that what was said contradicts so much of what he's said in the past about stadium upgrades...also, the press box crane issue clearly can be resolved, but doing so is more expensive than in what would be a more conventional construction venue._

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## earlywinegareth

I think it's likely they have architectural plans that give them them options of a massive expansion or a scaled-down one.  I think it's most likely that they'll tear down the old pressbox and build a structure spanning the entire west side that includes suites.  Closing in the south endzone with an upper deck would take megabucks!

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## ou48A

> Hmm...just so I understand, you personally heard Joe C say this on KREF? If so, it sounds like Joe C. has changed his mind on stadium priorities, or perhaps someone has aimed some $$$ to the Athletic Department earmarked for a south endzone project. I heard an interview with him on the Animal where Al Eschbach asked him what was next for the football stadium, and he specifically stated the next stadium project would be the press box renovation. I don't even think a south endzone project is even in the stadium master plan, and that's been Joe C's guidance through all the stadium updates. 
> 
> I know there has been a lot of sentimental interest in bowling the corners, and the practical difficulties with such a project due to the fact that the existing south stands are not built at the same rake angle as the rest of the stadium - making such a project a technical and financial challenge -- all for less-than-optimal seating.
> 
> I know Joe C is not an advocate of additional endzone seating, so what he said on KREF is very, very surprising, as it contradicts what he had made as a pretty plain objective on three fronts - the desire to build seats between the 20's, the desire to balance seats with ticket demand, and that the press box project was part of the stadium master plan. 
> 
> I'm going to see if I can send Joe C an email and set us all straight. I figure the worst he can do is ignore me


Joe C. is very good at responding to correspondence. Please let us know what he says.
You said that you heard him about 3 years ago. What I heard on KREF was about 6 months ago. Joe C indicated that neither would be built until funding was identified (donations).

About the south end zone project, the rake angel can be accounted for. Joe C explained that they would remove the existing stadium decking and leave the existing super structure in place. They would add to the super structure to meet the desired rake angel then put the deck and seats back on. They would build 2 levels of decks. While the sets in the corners are not the most desirable because they would require fewer materials they are by far the cheapest to build. These could be sold to visiting fans or discounted. I also know that there is a desire to have more covered parking for coaches and staff during non-game days. This could be accomplished with a south end zone project. I’m not sure how this would affect OU athletic projects but OU’s bond rating was dropped several months ago. This makes it more expensive to borrow money.   

Over the years I have heard various things said about planed OU projects only to see them changed both in time and scope. So it’s entirely possible that what either of us heard could be different from the current line of thinking. It’s also possible that Joe C was over ruled. It’s happened before.

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## SoonerDave

> Joe C. is very good at responding to correspondence. Please let us know what he says.


I certainly will!

Now, this is purely speculation on my part, but I've heard expansion talk stirring here and there, which makes me wonder if something is in the works, perhaps in the more serious planning stages. Obviously no time to do anything for this year, but perhaps next. If nothing else, an answer from Joe C would settle things.

Interesting discussion on how they would address the rake issue. That's the first time I've heard anything substantive about how they would approach it, (removal of the seats and decking, retain and modify superstructure, then restore seats and decking. That suggests to me that, at a minimum, more than just casual architectural discussions have been undertaken on the details of such a project.

Will relay what I hear from Joe C when/if he answers.

-David

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## Bunty

> What ?, 
> The fans that attend OSU football have nothing to do with the fans that attend OU football, so of course there's no competition.


As they say at OSU there's always next year.

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## ou48A

Toby Roland says that Joe C. will be on KREF 1400 AM at 8:30AM Tuesday.
Perhaps he will clarify some of the information on this thread.

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## SoonerDave

> Toby Roland says that Joe C. will be on KREF 1400 AM at 8:30AM Tuesday.
> Perhaps he will clarify some of the information on this thread.


I was not able to listen to that interview. Anyone get a chance to hear it? Anything of relevance about OMS?

I've not yet heard back from my email.

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## ou48A

> I was not able to listen to that interview. Anyone get a chance to hear it? Anything of relevance about OMS?
> 
> I've not yet heard back from my email.


I was able to hear most of it.
There was nothing specifically mentioned about any football stadium projects.
Joe.C talked about the new student housing project and about some of the various possibilities of a new OU TV network. 

He didn’t say this but he seemed to be suggesting that it would be about 13 months before OU could launch its version of a TV network.

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## ljbab728

> He didn’t say this but he seemed to be suggesting that it would be about 13 months before OU could launch its version of a TV network.


I think that is something that OU may need for competitive and financial reasons but, even as an avid OU fan, there probably isn't much I would watch.

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## ou48A

> I think that is something that OU may need for competitive and financial reasons but, even as an avid OU fan, there probably isn't much I would watch.


I hope the OU channel is able to highlight more than just OU sports. 

Regular programing on weather, energy, business, USA & world history to name a few, if delivered by a dynamic personality could help capture viewers who are not OU sports fans.

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## MikeLucky

I believe they are also going to show things like commencement and any events where there are notable speakers and whatnot...

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## Laramie

Improve and/or  expand--is there a demand?

Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium:


_After a review today by the University of Oklahoma Board Of Regents, the OU Athletics Department is set to begin a feasibility assessment for improvements at Gaylord Family  Oklahoma Memorial Stadium._--Feasibility Study Set For Memorial Stadium - Oklahoma Sooners

_Were initiating a comprehensive review of one of the most tradition-rich sporting venues in the country and our ability to attract and train the countrys top student-athletes and serve the best fans in college football, OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said in a news release.

The coming assessment will consider virtually every aspect of the stadiums features and operations, including team facilities, fan amenities, concessions and the press box.

Oklahoma developed its football stadium Master Plan in 1993, with early projects including the Barry Switzer Center, west-side suites and turf replacement, among others.

Funding for the 2013 Master Plan update is already available from the Athletics Department capital fund._--http://oklahoman.com/ou-regents-revi...rticle/3896848

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium expansion capacities:

1925 - 16,000
1929 - 32,000

1949 - 55,000

1957 - 61,826

1975 - 71,187

1980 - 75,004

2003 - 81,000 
2004 - 82,112

*We are currently among the top 20 largest football stadiums in the country; listed as the 19th largest:*

List of American football stadiums by capacity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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## venture



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## ou48A

FYI.... this designing company will be involved. 
 Take a look at some of their work

Work - POPULOUS

Populous - Drawing People Together 


It's likely that we will see something very impressive done

----------


## Laramie

> FYI.... this designing company will be involved. 
>  Take a look at some of their work
> 
> Work - POPULOUS
> 
> Populous - Drawing People Together 
> 
> It's likely that we will see something very impressive done


Populous has an outstanding portfolio.  

Institutional leaders have a good feel for the development in many of Oklahoma's universities and colleges.  Quality at OU has been impressive under Boren's leadership.

There' s money in the OU Athletics' capital fund and I'm sure there are donors who want to get something done.   Our last major stadium renovation was 2003.  The feasibility study will give us the signal to 'go' or 'no go' on what our market can handle.

Sooner football has enjoyed a string of sellouts; let's not lose perpective that records come and go from winning to losing streaks.  

*Sure tickets are available* for those of have to sit outside the stadium and wait. Loyal Sooner football faithfuls will always be there for this university and team regardless of the situation.  We know that there are *some* who wear the attire; where are they when the team loses?  As Grandma use to say, "Ain't nothing jumping but the peas in the pot; they wouldn't be jumping if the water wasn't hot."

OU48A, it is time for renovation and a modest expansion to reward the fans who are steadfast.  In my years of watching college football this is my observation about *the fair weather fans;* their bandwagon quickly becomes the turnip wagon.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Populous has an outstanding portfolio.  
> 
> Institutional leaders have a good feel for the development in many of Oklahoma's universities and colleges.  Quality at OU has been impressive under Boren's leadership.
> 
> There' s money in the OU Athletics' capital fund and I'm sure there are donors who want to get something done.   Our last major stadium renovation was 2003.  The feasibility study will give us the signal to 'go' or 'no go' on what our market can handle.
> 
> Sooner football has enjoyed a string of sellouts; let's not lose perpective that records come and go from winning to losing streaks.  
> 
> *Sure tickets are available* for those of have to sit outside the stadium and wait. Loyal Sooner football faithfuls will always be there for this university and team regardless of the situation.  We know that there are *some* who wear the attire; where are they when the team loses?  As Grandma use to say, "Ain't nothing jumping but the peas in the pot; they wouldn't be jumping if the water wasn't hot."
> ...


Hmm...i don't know if "modest expansions" are cost effective. I've heard some extreme notions to suggest that the current west deck (built circa 1974) be taken down and rebuilt to match the east side _plus_ add the new pressbox. To me, that would be _monumentally_ expensive, not increase (in fact, might even decrease) capacity. 

The only places to expand are north and south, and that's endzone. Don't think there's much value to be had with endzone seats. And I'm not sure who is going to be willing to subsidize a largely endzone-oriented expansion if endzone seats are all they are likely to be promised - meaning that, if they do, there's a good chance you'll see the folks who pay for such a theoretical expansion pushing out current folks in "seats between the 20's" right smack IN to that new (albeit theoretical) endzone. That'll go over REALLY well  :Smile: 

If they're bringing in the heavy hitter design folks to look at the entire stadium complex, who knows what might emerge. I'd fully expect 1) A new pressbox with suites, 2) an overhauled/restructured/bowled south endzone. Heck, I wouldn't mind if they upgraded the big S endzone video board to *full* hidef  :Smile:  (most folks don't realize it isn't). 

I'd love to see some additional amenities like escalator access to the upper decks and overhauled west-deck concession facilities. 

Always fun to see them planning upgrades to the stadium. Remember watching them add the west deck when I was a kid; added the oddball south endzone just before I started school down there, then added the east deck, brick facade, and extended perimeter about a decade ago. Next round of upgrades should be really great.

----------


## ou48A

> Populous has an outstanding portfolio.  
> 
> Institutional leaders have a good feel for the development in many of Oklahoma's universities and colleges.  Quality at OU has been impressive under Boren's leadership.
> 
> There' s money in the OU Athletics' capital fund and I'm sure there are donors who want to get something done.   Our last major stadium renovation was 2003.  The feasibility study will give us the signal to 'go' or 'no go' on what our market can handle.
> 
> Sooner football has enjoyed a string of sellouts; let's not lose perpective that records come and go from winning to losing streaks.  
> 
> *Sure tickets are available* for those of have to sit outside the stadium and wait. Loyal Sooner football faithfuls will always be there for this university and team regardless of the situation.  We know that there are *some* who wear the attire; where are they when the team loses?  As Grandma use to say, "Ain't nothing jumping but the peas in the pot; they wouldn't be jumping if the water wasn't hot."
> ...


Laramie you are so right about the fair weather bandwagon fans and their turnip wagon.

But when we have seen thousands of empty seats at other university's for decades at a time, for most games, and in small stadiums, we need to remember that they would only love to have our problems and our high expectations.

I would agree that its time for significant renovation's to reward loyal fans and that a small expansion is appropriate... 
A small expansion is likely with a new press box. 

When others who we are in competition with OU are doing a better job with what they have to work with OU  needs to maximize its brand better than it's being done. By making a statement with the stadium as many others have done, very effectively, it helps OU on that goal.

----------


## Laramie

> Hmm...i don't know if "modest expansions" are cost effective. I've heard some extreme notions to suggest that the current west deck (built circa 1974) be taken down and rebuilt to match the east side _plus_ add the new pressbox. To me, that would be _monumentally_ expensive, not increase (in fact, might even decrease) capacity. 
> 
> *The only places to expand are north and south, and that's endzone.* Don't think there's much value to be had with endzone seats. And I'm not sure who is going to be willing to subsidize a largely endzone-oriented expansion if endzone seats are all they are likely to be promised - meaning that, if they do, there's a good chance you'll see the folks who pay for such a theoretical expansion pushing out current folks in "seats between the 20's" right smack IN to that new (albeit theoretical) endzone. That'll go over REALLY well 
> 
> If they're bringing in the heavy hitter design folks to look at the entire stadium complex, who knows what might emerge. I'd fully expect 1) A new pressbox with suites, 2) an overhauled/restructured/bowled south endzone. Heck, I wouldn't mind if they upgraded the big S endzone video board to *full* hidef  (most folks don't realize it isn't). 
> 
> I'd love to see some additional amenities like escalator access to the upper decks and overhauled west-deck concession facilities. 
> 
> Always fun to see them planning upgrades to the stadium. Remember watching them add the west deck when I was a kid; added the oddball south endzone just before I started school down there, then added the east deck, brick facade, and extended perimeter about a decade ago. Next round of upgrades should be really great.



Oklahoma University's football program will invest in its base by building those upcoming young Sooner fans and making space available; these are the future season ticket holders & donors as the old guard fades into the sunset.   Texas A & M and Nebraska had to expand into those end zone areas; we increased seating capacity when we added the west side upper deck and removed those old green bleachers in the south end zone with a more permanent structure.

I understand the short-term economics of expanding and the big donors who support the program.

*Our biggest challenge is simple, our fan base has been spoiled.*






> Laramie you are so right about the fair weather bandwagon fans and their turnip wagon.
> 
> But when we have seen thousands of empty seats at other university's for decades at a time, for most games, and in small stadiums, we need to remember that they would only love to have our problems and our high expectations.
> 
> I would agree that its time for significant renovation's to reward loyal fans and that a small expansion is appropriate... 
> A small expansion is likely with a new press box. 
> 
> When others who we are in competition with OU are doing a better job with what they have to work with OU  needs to maximize its brand better than it's being done. By making a statement with the stadium as many others have done, very effectively, it helps OU on that goal.


There are always going to be episodes and sequels to up and down years within major college football.  You can kill your fan base by catering to the fair weather fans; they are the ones who sit in the stadium as though they were at a fashion fair.  The Who's who among the elite--those fashionable seasoned butterfiles who give you that snooty look when you're screaming.  

Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater is one of a handful of major stadiums in the United States with goals at the east and west ends.    Oklahoma State is building their fan base; although they sound like a rodeo crowd--they are loud and enthusiastic.

----------


## ou48A

> Oklahoma University's football program will invest in its base by building those upcoming young Sooner fans and making space available; these are the future season ticket holders & donors as the old guard fades into the sunset.   Texas A & M and Nebraska had to expand into those end zone areas; we increased seating capacity when we added the west side upper deck and removed those old green bleachers in the south end zone with a more permanent structure.
> 
> I understand the short-term economics of expanding and the big donors who support the program.
> 
> *Our biggest challenge is simple, our fan base has been spoiled.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very good post^
But just remember, we don't want to hire any OSU graduates to do any of our brick laying on our stadium.
LOL

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## SoonerDave

But current expansion plans for OMS must be tempered by something Oklahoma has *never* previous;y faced: Competition. 

Many of those "up and coming" young Sooner fans are _also_ OKC Thunder fans. And some of those fans are also the empty seats in the student section. 

The disposable income factor will be something OU must consider in this wave of upgrades in determining how much financing might be available and how many tickets they are likely to sell as a result. That's what makes this round of updates more difficult - modest expansion may be the smartest from a ticket sales perspective, but not from a cost-per-seat perspective. Very difficult balance. Nebraska doesn't have that problem. Texas doesn't have that problem as they have virtually limitless resources. 

That's why it seems to me that a minimal capacity increase coupled with a grand new pressbox + suite arrangement is the most likely outcome of the next round of updates....put simply, suites === revenue.

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## Jeepnokc

Just got back from OU/Tech game where they announced it was their 91st consecutive sold out game.  I understand that doesn't mean every seat was taken but that does mean that every seat was bought.  Plenty of tickets for sale on the street.

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## mugofbeer

Maybe they should just put a retractable roof over it.

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## Laramie

> Just got back from OU/Tech game where they announced it was their 91st consecutive sold out game.  I understand that doesn't mean every seat was taken but that does mean that every seat was bought.  *Plenty of tickets for sale on the street.*


Who is to know what's authentic on the streets today?  Several people got duped buying Thunder playoff tickets on the streets; you're putting yourself at risk of becoming some kind of crime statistic.

*Scammers Selling Fake Thunder Playoff Tickets* http://www.news9.com/story/18521495/...layoff-tickets

IMHO the University of Oklahoma needs to concerned itself with building its fan base with some kind of modest expansion.   Are there 10,000 potential ticket buyers on a waiting list?  If so, there are probably another 5,000 who didn't put themselves on that list.

The heck with a 91st consecutive sellout.  Are we going to win a prize, trophy or economic recognition for consecutive sellouts?

A 100,000-seat Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is our next direction; something to accommodate fans wanting to obtain tickets without putting themselves at possible risks.

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## kevinpate

is there any survey, anywhere, to support roughly a 25% increase in seating capacity?

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## dankrutka

My friends and I have bought tickets outside the stadium pretty much every game for years without any problems. 

OU does not need to add seats, certainly not to 100,000. Continue to improve the stadium, but the stadium size seems perfect right now. As long as $94 tickets are sold on the street for $20-30 no expansion is needed. Expanding prematurely could result in empty seats and tickets with little value.

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## Laramie

> is there any survey, anywhere, to support roughly a 25% increase in seating capacity?


Not to my knowledge.




> My friends and I have bought tickets outside the stadium pretty much every game for years without any problems. 
> 
> OU does not need to add seats, certainly not to 100,000. Continue to improve the stadium, but the stadium size seems perfect right now. As long as $94 tickets are sold on the street for $20-30 no expansion is needed. Expanding prematurely could result in empty seats and tickets with little value.


Glad to hear that you are able to purchase tickets on the streets with no problems.  Once you're encountered a bad experience like myself, then you become more aware of people attempting to scam and you become more cautious.

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## betts

> Just got back from OU/Tech game where they announced it was their 91st consecutive sold out game.  I understand that doesn't mean every seat was taken but that does mean that every seat was bought.  Plenty of tickets for sale on the street.


I'm pretty sure virtually every seat is sold to season ticket holders.  Those being sold on the street are usually resales.  I don't know what it's like now, but a few years ago I was told there were 10,000+ people on the waiting list for season tickets.  When they report a sellout it's tickets sold, not bodies in seats.  Same holds true for the Thunder, although their wait list is smaller.

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## ou48A

Never buy tickets from a guy with a fist full of tickets.
Lots of people do buy OU tickets successfully with deep discounts and have done so successfully for years.
 Rarely is finding a cheap ticket very much of a problem for most people.

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## ou48A

Joe C and Stoops have indicated that when OU rebuilds its press box that it would include a small stadium expansion. Joe C said that this would add approximately 1,500 new seats with the current plans. Obviously these plans could change. 

But at this time and until the demand warrants I'm not in favor of any expansion beyond the press box expansion... Without the parking and transportation issues being successfully  addressed its unlikely that the demand would ever increases by enough to ever warrant a large expansion.

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## ou48A

Something I would like to see OU do,,, and a lot more stadiums are starting to do this …..
Add a heating system to the fields surface.... 
It would do a lot to keep the grass growing, looking good, unfrozen and make it a safer playing surface... 
This would be something that OU could sale to its recruits.

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## Snowman

I would have only expected a light capacity bump if any, since what makes real money is premium seats/suits and you literally can not build any seats closer to the action. In addition to get it in the range of 100,000 will mean adding a lot of cheap seats that cost a lot to build, compare that to some premium seats bring in more per seat than some entire sections do. I think they even stated at one point they do not ever expect to close the gaps in the bowl because the expected revenue bump would not likely be worth the costs (though that could change if they chose to bump the student section to the new corners and sell the current student section to donors).

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## dankrutka

> Joe C and Stoops have indicated that when OU rebuilds its press box that it would include a small stadium expansion. Joe C said that this would add approximately 1,500 new seats with the current plans. Obviously these plans could change. 
> 
> But at this time and until the demand warrants I'm not in favor of any expansion beyond the press box expansion... Without the parking and transportation issues being successfully  addressed its unlikely that the demand would ever increases by enough to ever warrant a large expansion.


Do you have a link to them saying this? Thanks.

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## Laramie

> I would have only expected a light capacity bump if any, since what makes real money is premium seats/suits and you literally can not build any seats closer to the action. In addition to get it in the range of 100,000 *will mean adding a lot of cheap seats that cost a lot to build, compare that to some premium seats bring in more per seat than some entire sections do.* I think they even stated at one point they do not ever expect to close the gaps in the bowl because the expected revenue bump would not likely be worth the costs (though that could change if they chose to bump the student section to the new corners and sell the current student section to donors).


I agree Snowman:

At some point *OU will need to evaluate the feasibility of adding to the north and/or south end zone seating.*  Sure it's going to cost millions, probably some where in the neighborhood of $50 - $75 millions to add 10,000 - 15,000 seats.   Ten to fifteen years from now it is going to cost three times that amount to expand.  Ticket prices are going to go up anyway; if you wait, the fewer seats you have available--the more it's going to cost.  Why do you think the Thunder wanted to down-size the Chesapeake Energy Arena from 19,135 to 18,203?  I'll give you three reasons:  

1.  More comfort for premium court side ticket holders.  
2.  To create a demand for tickets   
3.  Create more space for NBA requirements for televising.  

Greatest financial impact you'll receive for collegiate and major professional football and basketball events will come from TV revenue, product licensing, parking fees, concession stands, sponsors in the arena/stadium, and ticket sales. 

*Texas A & M and Nebraska both did end zone seating expansion:*



*Kyle Field, College Station (82,589)*
Expansion, 2014:  Kyle Field (construction will start after the 2013 season and is expected to be completed for the 2015 season) the stadium capacity will increase from 82,589 to 102,500



*Memorial Stadium, Lincoln (87,091)*
Expansion, 2014:  The addition of 38 skybox suites pushes the stadium's total to more than 100, and capacity increased from about 86,000 to almost 92,000.

Read More: Nebraska stadium addition pushes capacity past 90,000 - College Football - SI.com

College Station-Bryan, TX  MSA...............228,660
Lincoln, NE  MSA....................................302,157
Oklahoma City-Norman, OK  MSA..........1,252,987

Source:  List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia *2010 figures.*

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## kevinpate

> My friends and I have bought tickets outside the stadium pretty much every game for years without any problems. 
> 
> OU does not need to add seats, certainly not to 100,000. Continue to improve the stadium, but the stadium size seems perfect right now. As long as $94 tickets are sold on the street for $20-30 no expansion is needed. Expanding prematurely could result in empty seats and tickets with little value.


When tickets are selling for 22-25 cents on the dollar on game day, there's a valid argument the stadium already has more seats than it has demand.

----------


## Snowman

> College Station-Bryan, TX  MSA...............228,660
> Lincoln, NE  MSA....................................302,157
> Oklahoma City-Norman, OK  MSA..........1,252,987


I think the MSAs here can be a little misleading, I would be shocked it more people did not come in from Omaha than from Lincoln. Plus parts of Houston's suburbs are less than an hour drive from College Station, Austin is about an hour and a half from it, so they probably pick up some of the alumni from there and the cities north east of College Station too.

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## OKVision4U

> When tickets are selling for 22-25 cents on the dollar on game day, there's a valid argument the stadium already has more seats than it has demand.


No, this is not accurate.  The reason the price drops is becuase the game has started, not the demand prior to kickoff.  We need to keep up w/ the Big boys in this region.  Tex A&M / UT / and us.  We don't have all their money, but we can't get LEFT BEHIND either.

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## SoonerDave

> No, this is not accurate.  *The reason the price drops is becuase the game has started, not the demand prior to kickoff.*  We need to keep up w/ the Big boys in this region.  Tex A&M / UT / and us.  We don't have all their money, but we can't get LEFT BEHIND either.


Sorry, OKVision, but this is just not accurate. 

I've been going to OU home games for four decades, and over the last three of those decades, I've *never* had season tickets, and I've *always* been able to buy outside the stadium *well before kickoff* for a *fraction* of face value. Lots of people don't/refuse to believe this. I "tutored" my barber on how to do it, and he was very skeptical, but the last time I got a haircut the first thing he told me was "omigosh, you were right about OU tickets!! I couldn't believe how good the seats were/how cheap they were" (paraphrasing, but words to that effect). 

I can think of two instances in those thirty years where I've paid face for more an OU home ticket: 2007 Miami, where a friend of mine came in from out of town, and I needed four together - paid face three days before the game; and 2000 OU-Nebraska - paid $70 for a single.

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## OKVision4U

Do we want to fight for 2nd tier recruits w/ OSU / T Tech / Baylor / ....?  We have to UP OUR GAME boys.  Boren knows this.  This is why he put another look into this subject.

----------


## OKVision4U

> Sorry, OKVision, but this is just not accurate. 
> 
> I've been going to OU home games for four decades, and over the last three of those decades, I've *never* had season tickets, and I've *always* been able to buy outside the stadium *well before kickoff* for a *fraction* of face value. Lots of people don't/refuse to believe this. I "tutored" my barber on how to do it, and he was very skeptical, but the last time I got a haircut the first thing he told me was "omigosh, you were right about OU tickets!! I couldn't believe how good the seats were/how cheap they were" (paraphrasing, but words to that effect). 
> 
> 
> I can think of two instances in those thirty years where I've paid face for more an OU home ticket: 2007 Miami, where a friend of mine came in from out of town, and I needed four together - paid face three days before the game; and 2000 OU-Nebraska - paid $70 for a single.


I think you are mixing 2 different issues here.  Demand for tickets / Season Tickets ...year end year out.  Is growing.  Demand for the OU Brand is still in-effect.  It is not shrinking in any way.

Pricing of tickets on game days is a totally different subject.  Face value for Nebraska vs. N. Tenn Sta.   This is a different $$$ dynamic.

----------


## SoonerDave

> When tickets are selling for 22-25 cents on the dollar on game day, there's a valid argument the stadium already has more seats than it has demand.


Bingo. This is precisely why my mom gave up her season tickets back in the 80's; they were horrible south endzone seats that I couldn't give away when I had my own student tickets. The light finally went on - it was kind of goofy to spend _full price_ on tickets when _significantly_ better seats could be had _for much less_ and for relatively little effort on gameday. 

The current sellout streak, I think, has also been supplanted by some generous sponsors willing to buy up last-minute unsold tickets just for the sake of preserving the "sellout" streak. Think it was Tulsa this year where a good chunk of the visitor section in the south endzone was empty - not a few random sections, but a clear, rectangular block of seats, and I knew there were tickets for sale at the ticket booths (perhaps returned by Tulsa? Not sure). Anyway, those seats were unoccupied into the first quarter, yet the game was a "sellout," officially. 

Also remember the 2003 season opener, and I was down there looking for tickets, and two guys with official OU game credentials asked me how many I needed, and I told him "two, for my son and me." He said, "okay," reached into this big glassine envelope that probably had a stack of 100 or more tickets in it, and he handed two off the top to me - _absolutely free._ I inferred it was a block of tickets a sponsor bought and distributed and wrote off as a promotional expense or contribution. 

Point of all this is to dispel any notion that there's some huge unsatisfied demand out there begging an expansion. The only way, IMHO, you get someone to join in is if you promise them _good_ seating from the _existing_ ticket base, and displace those folks into the new, inevitably worse seats. I can't fathom someone saying "here's a wad of six- or seven-figure dough so you can get a promise to sit in our shiny new endzone."

Right now, when that third-tier east-side upper deck is half filled, or the student section is only partially occupied, it looks really bad on TV. FWIW.

----------


## SoonerDave

> I think you are mixing 2 different issues here.  Demand for tickets / Season Tickets ...year end year out.  Is growing.  Demand for the OU Brand is still in-effect.  It is not shrinking in any way.
> 
> Pricing of tickets on game days is a totally different subject.  Face value for Nebraska vs. N. Tenn Sta.   This is a different $$$ dynamic.


Not really. 

The demand wasn't growing this year, as I received _multiple_ emails telling me how OU had a surprising number of _declined_ season ticket renewals, and would I be interested in getting them. You don't send out a mass email like that for 50 or 100 season tickets. If you've got this "growing demand", you don't have to _advertise_ to sell tickets. Further, its been true for some time now that an "in-kind" donation to the Sooner Club of about $100 per seat (someone that's a member can correct me) will get you season tickets _right now._

So we/I (as Sooner fans) have to (as much as it might be hard to do so) separate our head from our heart and realize demand isn't quite as great as we want to believe, and that comes down to hard dollars and cents reality. And that, in turn, has to factor in to how they plan any subsequent stadium expansions and renovations. The great thing in all this, however, is that Joe C is one of if not _the_ premier athletic directors in the country, and I couldn't think of a better guy to be in charge of the next round of upgrades. He surely won't do anything to OU's detriment.

----------


## onthestrip

> Do we want to fight for 2nd tier recruits w/ OSU / T Tech / Baylor / ....?  We have to UP OUR GAME boys.  Boren knows this.  This is why he put another look into this subject.


I dont think recruits care whether you have an 82,000 seat stadium or a 100,000 seat stadium. Sure they just want a filled, loud stadium but they are going to care more about the quality of training facilities, locker rooms, and living spaces. If this was the case then OSU wouldnt be able to recruit very well with only a 60,000 seat stadium, but that doesnt appear to be the case. Adding 15,000 seats or even upgrading the concourse levels really wont matter much to players...since they dont use those thngs.

The only thing that should matter in a stadium enlargement is whether it has a good ROI from new ticket sales or increased ticket prices. It appears many OU fans want a stadium expansion just because a handful of other schools have bigger ones. Its as if some think you arent a powerhouse without a 100k seat stadium, which isnt the case at all.

----------


## adaniel

> I think the MSAs here can be a little misleading, I would be shocked it more people did not come in from Omaha than from Lincoln. Plus parts of Houston's suburbs are less than an hour drive from College Station, Austin is about an hour and a half from it, so they probably pick up some of the alumni from there and the cities north east of College Station too.


Although it too is a stretch, I would look at state size. The only "big time" football programs in states with less than 4 million people are OU, Oregon, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Nebraska. Only Nebraska has a capacity greater than OU's, the rest have no more than 75K seats. Nebraska is a special case because there are no competing D1 college or professional sports in the state. And even still, there seems to be some consternation about whether NU bit off more than they can chew. Is Memorial Stadium Expansion Saturating the Husker Football Market? - Corn Nation

IMO I think any expansion beyond 2-3000 seats would probably wreak havoc on the ticket market, and would probably end sellouts in down years. I remember going to some games in 2009, when we were truly down, and the "sellouts" consisted of big chunks of empty benches in some of the upper sections. We would probably get more bang for our buck in adding suites, improving facilities, etc. to dazzle recruits.

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## ou48A

> Do you have a link to them saying this? Thanks.


Bob stoops said this to reporters and it was in the news papers.
Joe C indicated this on the radio and I have had personal conversations with people who are in the know about this.

----------


## bluedogok

> I think the MSAs here can be a little misleading, I would be shocked it more people did not come in from Omaha than from Lincoln. Plus parts of Houston's suburbs are less than an hour drive from College Station, Austin is about an hour and a half from it, so they probably pick up some of the alumni from there and the cities north east of College Station too.


Yep, MSA population means absolutely nothing when it comes to football, pro or college. I know people who live in Omaha who go to every Husker game and they have some family members from western Nebraska who travel to every game. Just the people in the area of my father's season tickets were not from OKC, the row in front was from the Tulsa area, the one next to his lived in Springdale, Arkansas. There are people who travel from Little Rock or Memphis to Arkansas home games in Fayetteville. UT games are a prime example, the majority of people there are from DFW or Houston and a large number from San Antonio and rural areas. Probably the biggest draw for A&M games is from Houston or DFW. Even in the NFL there are a great many who travel to the games, as we were flying to Denver last night from OKC there were a good number of people on our flight with OU gear on and a bunch of them in Will Rogers. After landing here in Denver after the Broncos game the airport was crawling with people in Broncos gear (and a few in Redskins gear) heading to flights out of Denver. I remember an article a few years back (talking about the flex schedule Sunday night games) that stated something like 40% of Broncos season ticket holders are outside of the Denver metro area and a game getting flexed to Sunday night really screws up the plans they had in place with flights and hotels. The Broncos are definitely a regional team out here drawing people from all the neighboring states.

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## ou48A

OU keeps track on the locations of where they sell season football tickets. 
About 12 years ago about 4000 season tickets were sold to people living in the DFW area.

There are thousand of OU fans that travel in to OU games from out of state to most home OU games. I personally known or have meet people with season tickets who come to almost all home games from Wichita, Dodge City, Amarillo, Midland /Odessa TX. Denver Kansas City, DFW. Some of these people fly in each week and a few come in private planes. 
I lived out of state 6 years and drove as far as 350 miles one way with that crappy 55 mph speed limit.

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## OKVision4U

> I dont think recruits care whether you have an 82,000 seat stadium or a 100,000 seat stadium. Sure they just want a filled, loud stadium but they are going to care more about the quality of training facilities, locker rooms, and living spaces. If this was the case then OSU wouldnt be able to recruit very well with only a 60,000 seat stadium, but that doesnt appear to be the case. Adding 15,000 seats or even upgrading the concourse levels really wont matter much to players...since they dont use those thngs.
> 
> The only thing that should matter in a stadium enlargement is whether it has a good ROI from new ticket sales or increased ticket prices. It appears many OU fans want a stadium expansion just because a handful of other schools have bigger ones. Its as if some think you arent a powerhouse without a 100k seat stadium, which isnt the case at all.


Onthestrip, The entire reason Mr. Pickens spent over a 100 Mil was to WOW the recruit.  Bring them into the conversation w/ OU & level the playing field of recruiting.  ...and it worked.

The bottom line to continuing our elite program (OU) is we have to maintain that edge in one way or the other.  We have the history of Championships.  That is why they even come here in the first place.  The Heisman Park is to Wow them into seeing themselves w/ a statue some day.  It is all done to "Wow" a recruit.   But, we can't sit back and just "Hope" they decide to sign our LOI.  

Let's make Bob's recruiting job a little easier, let's equal our history w/ a stadium that Wow's the recruit too.  or, we can start missing out on a few to Tech / Baylor / TCU / Texas A&M / OSU each year.  In todays 85 scholly's, it may be a stadium that helps keep the balance of power in Norman.

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## Laramie

> Yep, *MSA population means absolutely nothing when it comes to football, pro or college.* I know people who live in Omaha who go to every Husker game and they have some family members from western Nebraska who travel to every game. Just the people in the area of my father's season tickets were not from OKC, the row in front was from the Tulsa area, the one next to his lived in Springdale, Arkansas. There are people who travel from Little Rock or Memphis to Arkansas home games in Fayetteville. UT games are a prime example, the majority of people there are from DFW or Houston and a large number from San Antonio and rural areas. Probably the biggest draw for A&M games is from Houston or DFW. Even in the NFL there are a great many who travel to the games, as we were flying to Denver last night from OKC there were a good number of people on our flight with OU gear on and a bunch of them in Will Rogers. After landing here in Denver after the Broncos game the airport was crawling with people in Broncos gear (and a few in Redskins gear) heading to flights out of Denver. I remember an article a few years back (talking about the flex schedule Sunday night games) that stated something like 40% of Broncos season ticket holders are outside of the Denver metro area and a game getting flexed to Sunday night really screws up the plans they had in place with flights and hotels. The Broncos are definitely a regional team out here drawing people from all the neighboring states.


The last figures I recall (late 1960s) was that the NFL requires that a market has at least 1.5 million within a 150-mile radius.  The 150 mile radius was the time it took the *average worker in Los Angeles to get to work*. * I laughed too; just couldn't understand those requirements or the logic.*

*Getting back on topic:*

My reasoning for using the MSA market was to state that there is a market here which OU could take full advantage; yet you have Tulsa where there is another MSA of 1 million.  Austin is mostly UT territory; however I give credit that there are a ton of alums from A & M in the emerging Austin area as well as Houston.

OU has a large group of alums in  Houston, Los Angeles & Fort Worth-Dallas.

If we don't keep up with the Joneses; we will become a tier II college football team.  *What 'merits' are there in having consecutive sellouts when your stadium could accommodate more and be in a position to groom younger professionals and fans for the future?*

Alabama has around 4,822,023 with two power house competitive major universities:

Currently studying expansion: Is Auburn falling behind in the stadium arms race or managing its money wisely? (Scarbinsky) | al.com

"We won't pursue* an expansion of the stadium until it makes sense for us financially over the long term.* We think the wiser stewardship of our resources is to make what we already have better. That's my top priority for the stadium at this time."

*Let's hope our feasibility of Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium will look at the financial aspects; because Alabama has knocked Auburn off the top of the Summit--where does that put the University of Oklahoma?*

*Auburn, Jordan Hare Stadium: Capacity 87,451* (2004-present):



*Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium, Capacity 101,821* 



Comes on guys, I pasted some prints *pro & con*on the wall.

That cute 'kitten' #58 my good friend (venture79) posted gave his life.  Put some skin in the game...

Oklahoma 2010 population:  3,814,820

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## dankrutka

> No, this is not accurate.  The reason the price drops is becuase the game has started, not the demand prior to kickoff.  We need to keep up w/ the Big boys in this region.  Tex A&M / UT / and us.  We don't have all their money, but we can't get LEFT BEHIND either.


I have bought tickets between $0 and $40 to every game the last 2 years (except Notre Dame last year). I almost always get them for $20, but this week was given 2 free ones. I never have bought tickets any later than an hour before kickoff.

You're not going to get "LEFT BEHIND" by building more seating that's not needed. Florida State seems to be doing okay with their small stadium. A full, energetic stadium is more important than a bigger one.

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## dankrutka

> Bob stoops said this to reporters and it was in the news papers.
> Joe C indicated this on the radio and I have had personal conversations with people who are in the know about this.


I've never heard this and I can't find it anywhere online. Let me know if you are able to provide a link verifying this.

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## ou48A

> I've never heard this and I can't find it anywhere online. Let me know if you are able to provide a link verifying this.


I am not even going to try.... I remember it. :Wink:

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## Laramie

> onthestrip, the entire reason mr. Pickens spent over a 100 mil was to wow the recruit.  Bring them into the conversation w/ ou & level the playing field of recruiting.  ...and it worked.
> 
> *The bottom line to continuing our elite program (ou) is we have to maintain that edge in one way or the other.*  We have the history of championships.  That is why they even come here in the first place.  The heisman park is to wow them into seeing themselves w/ a statue some day.  It is all done to "wow" a recruit.   But, we can't sit back and just "hope" they decide to sign our loi.  
> 
> *Let's make bob's recruiting job a little easier, let's equal our history w/ a stadium that wow's the recruit too.*  Or, we can start missing out on a few to tech / baylor / tcu / texas a&m / osu each year.  In todays 85 scholly's, it may be a stadium that helps keep the balance of power in norman.


Recruits are impressed with facilities; especially in a place like Oklahoma where they are probably not expecting that CATHEDRAL of a stadium.  They want to get away from home and carve their own niche.  Our practice facilities, dorms and other facilities are impressive.  Let's keep our stadium among the 'monsters,'  renew that old adage of Owen Field being a 'snake pit.'


*Amem!*

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## OKVision4U

> I have bought tickets between $0 and $40 to every game the last 2 years (except Notre Dame last year). I almost always get them for $20, but this week was given 2 free ones. I never have bought tickets any later than an hour before kickoff.
> 
> You're not going to get "LEFT BEHIND" by building more seating that's not needed. Florida State seems to be doing okay with their small stadium. A full, energetic stadium is more important than a bigger one.


We are not competing w/ Florida State.   We will cherry pick Florida for a couple of recruits, but not an everyday situation of competition.  Yes, we must have a full stadium w/ energy, but it can / must be more than the status quo of today.

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## ou48A

For OU this is much more about increasing the quality of the experience for fans, players, recruits and the media, while doing it in a way that still preserves for future major expansions.

With upper decks in both end zones OU could probably top out somewhere near 110000 to 115000 people.... But that's not going to happen anytime in the foreseeable future.

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## Pete

> Joe C and Stoops have indicated that when OU rebuilds its press box that it would include a small stadium expansion. Joe C said that this would add approximately 1,500 new seats with the current plans. Obviously these plans could change. 
> 
> But at this time and until the demand warrants I'm not in favor of any expansion beyond the press box expansion... Without the parking and transportation issues being successfully  addressed its unlikely that the demand would ever increases by enough to ever warrant a large expansion.


I believe the plan has always been to make the new press box the entire width of the west upper deck and add a bunch of suites in the process.

This would generate the most revenue but not all a lot of capacity.

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## OKVision4U

> I believe the plan has always been to make the new press box the entire width of the west upper deck and add a bunch of suites in the process.
> 
> This would generate the most revenue but not all a lot of capacity.


... I like suites.  A new press box will be great.  We should have that, but not just that.

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## BrettM2

> ... I like suites.  A new press box will be great.  We should have that, but not just that.


You should take the CASH you are going to build that condo-tower and put it toward the stadium.  That may prompt OU to do exactly what you want, when you want it.

Just because you (and a couple of other posters) think the time is NOW does not make it so.  I have no connection to OU (went to OSU for grad work) but, from where I'm sitting, the OU leadership has done a damn fine job of making their school prosper.  I'm going to trust their judgment over an anonymous poster.

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## ou48A

> I believe the plan has always been to make the new press box the entire width of the west upper deck and add a bunch of suites in the process.
> 
> This would generate the most revenue but not all a lot of capacity.


 That is the way I have understood it too.
 However I wounder how much some of the previous plans might get tweaked with this new review?
1500 is the amount of the expansion that Joe C  said

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## ou48A

Take a look at this Michigan half time video.... 
It would nice to have the lights like they have and a laser show too. If we could point enough lights skyward during a night game with a red coloring it would create a red sky that would look cool and it might be even be intimidating to opponents.

"Beyonce" - September 7, 2013 - The Michigan Marching Band - YouTube

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## bluedogok

> Austin is mostly UT territory; however I give credit that there are a ton of alums from A & M in the emerging Austin area as well as Houston.


Austin is definitely changing much to the chagrin of the UT alumni. They still make up the majority of representation but it isn't what it once was there 20 years ago. There are a bunch of people from all over there, I knew more people with no UT connection than with. Seems to be a lot of SEC and Big 10 people there as well.

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## OKVision4U

> You should take the CASH you are going to build that condo-tower and put it toward the stadium.  That may prompt OU to do exactly what you want, when you want it.
> 
> Just because you (and a couple of other posters) think the time is NOW does not make it so.  I have no connection to OU (went to OSU for grad work) but, from where I'm sitting, the OU leadership has done a damn fine job of making their school prosper.  I'm going to trust their judgment over an anonymous poster.


....No, I'm still gonna build that tower.  

Since you went to OSU, you may be a little out of the loop in Norman.  Boren does listen to the "people" w/ a voice and take it into consideration, that's what he has done historically.  I have no idea of the details he is looking for, but they are looking for input at this time.  

If the South Endzone could be a very impressive FANZONE w/ restaurant & game experiences would be cool too.

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## SoonerDave

> ....No, I'm still gonna build that tower.  
> 
> Since you went to OSU, you may be a little out of the loop in Norman.  Boren does listen to the "people" w/ a voice and take it into consideration, that's what he has done historically.  I have no idea of the details he is looking for, but they are looking for input at this time.  
> 
> *If the South Endzone could be a very impressive FANZONE w/ restaurant & game experiences would be cool too*.


Not if they don't generate revenue. You can't just build statues. You've got to build something that _makes money._ You gain not _one single seat_ of additional demand _merely_ for the fact you "have cool video games in the S. Endzone." If your a lousy NFL franchise begging for seats, okay, maybe I'll go along with the idea that a video game spot might draw in a few dozen more folks, but surely for an entity with the insatiable demand that OU has doesn't need to resort to those kinds of gimmicks, does it?

Doesn't anyone just go to ballgames anymore?

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## OKVision4U

> Not if they don't generate revenue. You can't just build statues. You've got to build something that _makes money._ You gain not _one single seat_ of additional demand _merely_ for the fact you "have cool video games in the S. Endzone." If your a lousy NFL franchise begging for seats, okay, maybe I'll go along with the idea that a video game spot might draw in a few dozen more folks, but surely for an entity with the insatiable demand that OU has doesn't need to resort to those kinds of gimmicks, does it?
> 
> Doesn't anyone just go to ballgames anymore?


I do just that.  I watch every single play.  But, that just me.  I enjoy the entertainment value that the Gameday experience brings w/ it.  

Others have said that we can't have 100K capacity for 100 different reasons that I may / or may not agree with, I'm for 100K.  But, if we are not going to increase capacity , but the overall experience, then lets make this place a is a Beast to Play in / The Coolest on TV / & Incredibly Fan friendly.  Hense, Fanzone on the South end w/ all the WOW for recruits.  Give them an exclusive lounge for the gameday experience.  I want the Best Steak in Oklahoma there to order & make that place smell like a Ruth Chris. 

If we don't add too many new seats, then lets have the entire South Endzone a FanZone w/ different levels of additional suites for (less expensive renting for parties , etc ) and fill it w/ Last Minute Ticket Options, so if you find that you can't make on gameday, place your seats in this system to get used by others that may want to take their sons / daughters to a game for less money and still feeding that heart for OU.  ...so new fans can enjoy watching the ponies pull that schooner as hard as they can.    ( NOT cheesy, just the Best ).



Let's make it the loudest in college football.

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## SoonerDave

> I do just that.  I watch every single play.  But, that just me.  I enjoy the entertainment value that the Gameday experience brings w/ it.  
> 
> Others have said that we can't have 100K capacity for 100 different reasons that I may / or may not agree with, I'm for 100K.


I'm all for supporting _whatever capacity the demographics and market will allow._ If that's 100K, great, but not 100K _merely for the sake of saying we have 100K._ When you _don't_ get 100K there, the empty seats stick out like a sore thumb and make that gameday experience just a little...strange. And those recruits are saying, "man, this is a cool place, but look at those empty seats way up there..."

Point is you can't just throw money and chairs at the place. Every penny spent has to be spent intelligently, not merely because Texas or OSU or (whomever) is doing it. LIke I said before, I can't think of anyone better suited than Joe C. to oversee it.

Heck, I'd just like to see 'em make the big video board in the south endzone taller and go full HD  :Smile:

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## OKVision4U

> I'm all for supporting _whatever capacity the demographics and market will allow._ If that's 100K, great, but not 100K _merely for the sake of saying we have 100K._ When you _don't_ get 100K there, the empty seats stick out like a sore thumb and make that gameday experience just a little...strange. And those recruits are saying, "man, this is a cool place, but look at those empty seats way up there..."
> 
> Point is you can't just throw money and chairs at the place. Every penny spent has to be spent intelligently, not merely because Texas or OSU or (whomever) is doing it. LIke I said before, I can't think of anyone better suited than Joe C. to oversee it.
> 
> Heck, I'd just like to see 'em make the big video board in the south endzone taller and go full HD


a couple of losses early in the season has a greater impact on the ( butts in seats factor ) than market demographics.  Winning has always been a cure-all for attendance.

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## OKVision4U

> I'm all for supporting _whatever capacity the demographics and market will allow._ If that's 100K, great, but not 100K _merely for the sake of saying we have 100K._ When you _don't_ get 100K there, the empty seats stick out like a sore thumb and make that gameday experience just a little...strange. And those recruits are saying, "man, this is a cool place, but look at those empty seats way up there..."
> 
> Point is you can't just throw money and chairs at the place. Every penny spent has to be spent intelligently, not merely because Texas or OSU or (whomever) is doing it. LIke I said before, I can't think of anyone better suited than Joe C. to oversee it.
> 
> Heck, I'd just like to see 'em make the big video board in the south endzone taller and go full HD


This has been a college football elite Facilities Arms race for 30 years.  Do you think Texas / Texas A&M / OSU / Baylor / Tech are going to "slow down" on their recruiting effort?  They are increasing their effort & it is having an affect on the 3/4 star athletes here in the Big 12 region.  It's not a question of Do we want to spend it on Stadium Upgrades? ...it is required to spend that money, if you want to stay in the front of the Big 12 championship race and not the back of the pack.

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## dankrutka

> This has been a college football elite Facilities Arms race for 30 years.  Do you think Texas / Texas A&M / OSU / Baylor / Tech are going to "slow down" on their recruiting effort?  They are increasing their effort & it is having an affect on the 3/4 star athletes here in the Big 12 region.  It's not a question of Do we want to spend it on Stadium Upgrades? ...it is required to spend that money, if you want to stay in the front of the Big 12 championship race and not the back of the pack.


Sure, but upgrades does not mean recklessly building beyond demand. I agree that OU needs to continue making improvements, but those improvements have to be wise investments. I'm glad you mentioned Baylor... they're building a great, new stadium that will definitely attract recruits. What's the capacity going to be? 45,000. They're building in line with the market demand, which is what every school should do.

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## OKVision4U

We don't have to upgrade at all.  We could just freeze all spending on the stadium and hope we continue to win.  Hope, Hope, Hope.   ...Hope that Baylor doesn't get another RG3.  Hope that Texas finally figures out their coaching issues by spending millions and getting another Nick Saban.  We could hope that Texas A&M doesn't continue to pull away all the interest w/ their new stadium in 2015.  ...we could hope to continue our winning tradition while Mike Gundy gets his next stadium upgrade from Mr. Pickens.  ...hope to win in 5 years if don't do anything....

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## adaniel

Why does it have to be either/or? A massive stadium capacity increase is not needed. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise. If the goal is to get recruits I can think of several others things that could be added. 

And I like enthusiastic go-getters, but you could stand to tone it down about 5 notches.

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## SoonerDave

> We don't have to upgrade at all.  We could just freeze all spending on the stadium and hope we continue to win.  Hope, Hope, Hope.   ...Hope that Baylor doesn't get another RG3.  Hope that Texas finally figures out their coaching issues by spending millions and getting another Nick Saban.  We could hope that Texas A&M doesn't continue to pull away all the interest w/ their new stadium in 2015.  ...we could hope to continue our winning tradition while Mike Gundy gets his next stadium upgrade from Mr. Pickens.  ...*hope to win in 5 years if don't do anything*....


Huh?? The only options are to expand to 100K+ now or OU still stop winning football games because the exclusive, implicit alternative is to do _nothing?_ That doesn't even make sense. I really don't think you mean that. 

No one here is suggesting we do _nothing._ We are suggesting that we can't just build up to 100K+ _just because someone else does._ That's all. And given the fact that tickets are readily available on virtually every game day for typically well below face value, that waiting lists for tickets could be overcome with relatively modest donations to the Sooner Club work together to suggest that demand isn't as strong as some would like to believe, and if there's any question about the strength of demand for seating, it necessarily implies the need for proper due diligence on how much expansion, if any, is appropriate.

If Joe C comes out tomorrow and says "We're expanding OMS to 100K in two years," great. I will have to believe he's done that due diligence to make the expansion work. But I'm not at all as confident we can support expansion-by-endzones the way some other folks have. We know we need to generate revenue, and that surely means suites, and a 40-year-old press facility is begging replacement. I have a hard time seeing any major upgrade path that doesn't include both of these as a top priority. Bowling in the south corners is intriguing, perhaps technically impractical if not impossible and logistically too expensive, but provides better seats IMHO than just stacking up folks in an endzone. I just don't want to see a plan that entails tearing up the current west deck and rebuilding it just to match the east side, which (again IMHO) spends way too much money for very little benefit. 

We'll see how it goes.

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## dankrutka

> We don't have to upgrade at all.  We could just freeze all spending on the stadium and hope we continue to win.  Hope, Hope, Hope.   ...Hope that Baylor doesn't get another RG3.  Hope that Texas finally figures out their coaching issues by spending millions and getting another Nick Saban.  We could hope that Texas A&M doesn't continue to pull away all the interest w/ their new stadium in 2015.  ...we could hope to continue our winning tradition while Mike Gundy gets his next stadium upgrade from Mr. Pickens.  ...hope to win in 5 years if don't do anything....


Did you read anyone else's comments? It doesn't seem like it.

And, why do you keep implying OU's doing nothing? OU just finished new athletic/student dorms that are among the best in the nation and definitely a recruiting tool. Anyway, moving on...

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## OKVision4U

> Why does it have to be either/or? A massive stadium capacity increase is not needed. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise. If the goal is to get recruits I can think of several others things that could be added. 
> 
> And I like enthusiastic go-getters, but you could stand to tone it down about 5 notches.


...I didn't say Either / OR.   daniel, "no evidence to suggest otherwise" ?  Have you been following ANY college football?  ....Texas A&M / OSU / Baylor / Texas / Tech have all made MAJOR re-investments to their stadium.   And aDaniel, the goal my friend is Always to get recruits.  ( quote Barry S..." it's the Jimmy's & the Joe's, not the X's and O's" ).    The press-box should changed out and brought into the 21st century.  

Our stadium was voted 33 out of 50 for places to see in college football. The primary reason so "low", was the stadium did not match the history of OU and small in capacity.  Yes, I would like to have 100K, but that may not be the most critical point.

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## OKVision4U

> I'm all for supporting _whatever capacity the demographics and market will allow._ If that's 100K, great, but not 100K _merely for the sake of saying we have 100K._ When you _don't_ get 100K there, the empty seats stick out like a sore thumb and make that gameday experience just a little...strange. And those recruits are saying, "man, this is a cool place, but look at those empty seats way up there..."
> 
> Point is you can't just throw money and chairs at the place. Every penny spent has to be spent intelligently, not merely because Texas or OSU or (whomever) is doing it. LIke I said before, I can't think of anyone better suited than Joe C. to oversee it.
> 
> Heck, I'd just like to see 'em make the big video board in the south endzone taller and go full HD


Dave, there may be something you are over / under looking, is that OU is NOT the typical university.  If you are going to say that "demograhics / market size comps" should be the only criteria for stadium capacity, then you would be correct.  IF you are New Mexico State.  IF, you are the Northern Idaho Bulldogs.   

OU is an Elite program and has been since 1949 1/2.  This is not by accident.  We have had to "keep up w/ the jones" for almost a century now.  This is not just recruits either, the program funds ALL programs at this fine university.  So, we cant afford to be "just another" program out there.  This Monster has to be fed.  So, YES, we have to build / expand just because the others do.  ( that is the game we are in ).

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## SoonerDave

> ..*.I didn't say Either / OR. *


It sure sounded like you did to me. You repeatedly beat the hammer for the arms-race-based expansion, then when folks offered suggestions that an arbitrary expansion may not be a good idea, you then replied with "We don't have to upgrade at all."

I interpreted your comments precisely the same way adaniel and dankrutka did, as either we expand and join the arms race and blindly build just to hit a number, or OU is doomed to football obscurity and irrelevance. 

If you review your earlier comments honestly, I think you'll understand what we're talking about. Did you literally _say_ "either/or"? No. But that implication was clear in the other comments.

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## OKVision4U

> It sure sounded like you did to me. You repeatedly beat the hammer for the arms-race-based expansion, then when folks offered suggestions that an arbitrary expansion may not be a good idea, you then replied with "We don't have to upgrade at all."
> 
> I interpreted your comments precisely the same way adaniel and dankrutka did, as either we expand and join the arms race and blindly build just to hit a number, or OU is doomed to football obscurity and irrelevance. 
> 
> If you review your earlier comments honestly, I think you'll understand what we're talking about. Did you literally _say_ "either/or"? No. But that implication was clear in the other comments.


Dave, some were saying "that the dollar should be spent wisely... code for le'ts not do too much right now".  I'm not calling it "OU is doomed to failure" if we don't expand.  But I will promise this, if we don't continue to keep our edge, then we will find ourselves in a very comfortable 8-4 / 9-3 regular season each year.  This slippery slope is when we "loose out" on a few keys recruits in each class.  Just a couple of difference makers.  This is the (average) that happens more quickly than you think.  Kids are more trendy, and they want to go to the "HOT" spot for football.

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## Laramie

Increasing seating capacity by expanding end zone seating has been done in many college stadiums.  Although it doesn't produce *immediate* financial returns--it is an investment for building your future fan base.  There will be fans who begin their Sooner football experience with whatever seating is available.

We need to address  stadium expansion because we are turning off those people who want seats and can't get them.  I realize there are those of you who can purchase tickets outside the stadium right before kick-off or immediately after the game starts without problems.   There are those of us *who have had bad experiences and have been duped attempting to purchase tickets before game time.*  Sure, you can buy one ticket here and there and get separated from the person who wants to share that football experience with you.

What's more important?   1.  Available seating to sustain the fan base...   2.  Sustain the 91 consecutive sellouts...

OU, among the most fabled football programs in the country will need to decide where do we go from here?

There are financial risks involved with expansion; those risks will determine whether we maintain the status quo or continue to remain among the elite programs in college football.

Memorial Stadium, Lincoln The stadium holds an ongoing NCAA record of *330 consecutive sellouts*, which began in 1962...  ...on September 14, 2013, a Memorial Stadium record crowd of 91,471 watched Nebraska get beaten by UCLA.--Memorial Stadium, Lincoln - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia_

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## ou48A

Any expansion that would occur would likely be on the small side but one way to increase a few season tickets to the public would be to reduce the number of tickets to students.... Sec 26 is rarely full. Many students arrive late and leave early for all games, including the very close games.

Assigned student seating, price reductions and keeping track of personal student attendance might be worth considering.

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## SoonerDave

> We need to address stadium expansion because* we are turning off those people who want seats and can't get them*. I realize there are those of you who can *purchase tickets outside the stadium right before kick-off* or immediately after the game starts without problems. There are those of us who have had bad experiences and have been duped attempting to purchase tickets before game time. Sure, you can buy one ticket here and there and get separated from the person who wants to share that football experience with you.


No offense, Laramie, but 1)  getting tickets just isn't that difficult. I've been getting tickets on game day every home game for close to thirty years. If someone doesn't get tickets, its because they don't want them; and 2) I don't wait until "just before kickoff." I arrive at most home games at least two or three HOURS before kickoff to enjoy the day, and I pick-and-choose until I find the seats I want at the price I want. And I've *never* been separated from whomever I went with or had to "split seats."

I think this notion of limited ticket availability is an urban legend that really needs dispelling.

----------


## ou48A

> Dave, some were saying "that the dollar should be spent wisely... code for le'ts not do too much right now".  I'm not calling it "OU is doomed to failure" if we don't expand.  But I will promise this, if we don't continue to keep our edge, then we will find ourselves in a very comfortable 8-4 / 9-3 regular season each year.  This slippery slope is when we "loose out" on a few keys recruits in each class.  Just a couple of difference makers.  This is the (average) that happens more quickly than you think.  Kids are more trendy, and they want to go to the "HOT" spot for football.



Each dollar should be spent wisely, but that has nothing to do with doing whats right.
I have seen OU spend good money and in decent amounts only to tear out the work that they had done just a few years later. 
I hate that.

But this doesn’t mean that OU shouldn’t build what's right or what's needed.

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## ou48A

I won't vouch for the accuracy of this.. but KREF talk show host Hale indicated today that OU would need to conduct a fund raising campaign for it's football and basketball facility's and that OU would need a total of  $200 million dollars in new donations.

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## SoonerDave

> I won't vouch for the accuracy of this.. but KREF talk show host Hale indicated today that OU would need to conduct a fund raising campaign for it's football and basketball facility's and that OU would need a total of  $200 million dollars in new donations.


Hmmm...lots of wiggle room in that...

That is, did he mean "They know they've got $X to spend, but also know the projects to come are probably going to cost $X+200M?", or "The renovations for OMS and LNC are going to cost $200M"? 

And considering the design/architectural firm only started work on stadium assessment/master plan review in the last couple of weeks, I'm not sure how they'd have any concrete figures yet on which to base a fund raising campaign. That is, if they're not even sure what they're going to do, you don't really know how much it will cost. I realize this is never going to happen, but LNC needs to be replaced as a basketball venue, IMHO...but I won't start that here, this is the OMS thread  :Smile: 

Just glad to see things are being assessed with an eye to the future.

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## ou48A

> Hmmm...lots of wiggle room in that...
> 
> That is, did he mean "They know they've got $X to spend, but also know the projects to come are probably going to cost $X+200M?", or "The renovations for OMS and LNC are going to cost $200M"? 
> 
> And considering the design/architectural firm only started work on stadium assessment/master plan review in the last couple of weeks, I'm not sure how they'd have any concrete figures yet on which to base a fund raising campaign. That is, if they're not even sure what they're going to do, you don't really know how much it will cost. I realize this is never going to happen, but LNC needs to be replaced as a basketball venue, IMHO...but I won't start that here, this is the OMS thread 
> 
> Just glad to see things are being assessed with an eye to the future.


He made it sound like it was going to be a $200 million dollar fund raising campaign and the 200 million would be spent on renovating both facilitys.

OU might have a reasonable idea about what they are going to do based  off of previous assessments adjusted for inflation... ? OU may already know they would need to issue bonds to fund part of these projects. OU probably already has major pledges that have been quietly lined up that will be announced in the future to maximize publicity.

But I'm like you when it comes to the LNC... 
I would much rather OU save the money and build a new arena just NE of the football stadium.

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## dankrutka

The most logical place to build a new basketball arena in my opinion is just south of the football stadium at Lindsey and Jenkins where the practice fields are. Practice fields could move over to the other side of Jenkins if the parking lot was replaced with a parking garage.

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## HangryHippo

> The most logical place to build a new basketball arena in my opinion is just south of the football stadium at Lindsey and Jenkins where the practice fields are. Practice fields could move over to the other side of Jenkins if the parking lot was replaced with a parking garage.


Are you suggesting something similar to what OSU has with their combo football/basketball setup?

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## traxx

I don't understand why we're wasting our time on this when OU doesn't even have a proper quiditch pitch.

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## ou48A

> The most logical place to build a new basketball arena in my opinion is just south of the football stadium at Lindsey and Jenkins where the practice fields are. Practice fields could move over to the other side of Jenkins if the parking lot was replaced with a parking garage.


OU spent lots of money redoing its practice fields just a few years ago.  
No head OU football coach would ever want them moved for logistical reasons.
The closer any new OU arena is to the new OU commuter rail station the better.

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## ou48A

> I don't understand why we're wasting our time on this when OU doesn't even have a proper quiditch pitch.


OU has a decent enough pitch though!

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## HangryHippo

> OU spent lots of money redoing its practice fields just a few years ago.  
> No head OU football coach would ever want them moved for logistical reasons.
> The closer any new OU arena is to the new OU commuter rail station the better.


I would love for the practice fields to be moved.  Would help the aesthetics of that area tremendously in my opinion.

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## dankrutka

> Are you suggesting something similar to what OSU has with their combo football/basketball setup?


Yes. Not exactly like it. I'm not sure what's architecturally doable with the Switzer center, but something of the sort. 

And, I'm sure the football coaches wouldn't want their practice fields moved, but that's prime time real estate that will eventually be used for something besides practice fields. Re-locating fields across the street would still be very convenient. Also, it's not like this is something happening in the next 5 years...

----------


## traxx

> I would love for the practice fields to be moved.  Would help the aesthetics of that area tremendously in my opinion.


The only aesthetics I care about are another couple of NCs up on the score board.

The practice fields are fine where they are.

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## HangryHippo

> The only aesthetics I care about are another couple of NCs up on the score board.
> 
> The practice fields are fine where they are.


They're not, but okay.  I agree 100% about the national titles.  MOAR!

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## ou48A

> I would love for the practice fields to be moved.  Would help the aesthetics of that area tremendously in my opinion.


I have never really thought about that area being aesthetically poor.

I have always thought of it as a place where special things happened and big dreams came true.
What would you want built on this sacred plot of Sooner land?

----------


## Snowman

> The most logical place to build a new basketball arena in my opinion is just south of the football stadium at Lindsey and Jenkins where the practice fields are. Practice fields could move over to the other side of Jenkins if the parking lot was replaced with a parking garage.





> OU spent lots of money redoing its practice fields just a few years ago.  
> No head OU football coach would ever want them moved for logistical reasons.
> The closer any new OU arena is to the new OU commuter rail station the better.


Also, didn't they do a renovation on Lloyd Noble arena just a few years ago? I could see the dorms just south of Lindsey being torn down to build an arena before they do it one the practice feilds

----------


## ou48A

> Also, didn't they do a renovation on Lloyd Noble arena just a few years ago? I could see the dorms just south of Lindsey being torn down to build an arena before they do it one the practice feilds


OU spent million's at the LNC for new coaches offices, 2 new practice/ training facility and new locker rooms for both men and women.
There are several locations that a much better than the practice fields for a new arena, including your suggestion. I prefer the area just NE of the football stadium but the parking lot north of the track and field facility would be good too. These location's would have come in very handy for large numbers of fans during the lightning delay at the Tech game.

----------


## SoonerDave

> OU spent million's at the LNC for new coaches offices, 2 new practice/ training facility and new locker rooms for both men and women.
> There are several locations that a much better than the practice fields for a new arena, including your suggestion. I prefer the area just NE of the football stadium but the parking lot north of the track and field facility would be good too. These location's would have come in very handy for large numbers of fans during the lightning delay at the Tech game.


One of the LNC renovations included lowering the floor and the creation of a few more rows of seats to bring the crowd "closer" to the game. The cavernous feel of LNC is its biggest liability, and frankly I don't think that structure can ever truly overcome that liability. It was designed, as I recall, back in an era when OU bkb was barely a blip on the radar (early/mid 70's), so considerations to that end just weren't a high priority. It supported a court, put in scoreboards from the same manufacturer as had done the boards for OMS during the STEP upgrade in '74, and called it good. I think had they known that OU bkb would get a (somewhat) bigger following over the  years, they'd probably have given that configuration more consideration. Just my opinion, of course..

My trick knee tells me that the regents would be hard pressed to support a new, dedicated arena just for basketball. That's because that, while basketball is more popular than it was in the, say, 70's or so, its hard to see (at least right now) a time when OU would ever consistently pack in 18-20K for hoops. Granted, you could use it for things like wrestling, but its hardly at a hallmark of popularity right now, either, so it just seems to me a full new arena isn't very likely. Could surely be wrong - and heck, probably am - but just kinda reading the tea leaves right now makes it hard to see a new arena. Would be a great project, to be sure, but I'm just not sure I see it getting a lot of support.

----------


## Snowman

> One of the LNC renovations included lowering the floor and the creation of a few more rows of seats to bring the crowd "closer" to the game. The cavernous feel of LNC is its biggest liability, and frankly I don't think that structure can ever truly overcome that liability. It was designed, as I recall, back in an era when OU bkb was barely a blip on the radar (early/mid 70's), so considerations to that end just weren't a high priority. It supported a court, put in scoreboards from the same manufacturer as had done the boards for OMS during the STEP upgrade in '74, and called it good. I think had they known that OU bkb would get a (somewhat) bigger following over the  years, they'd probably have given that configuration more consideration. Just my opinion, of course..
> 
> My trick knee tells me that the regents would be hard pressed to support a new, dedicated arena just for basketball. That's because that, while basketball is more popular than it was in the, say, 70's or so, its hard to see (at least right now) a time when OU would ever consistently pack in 18-20K for hoops. Granted, you could use it for things like wrestling, but its hardly at a hallmark of popularity right now, either, so it just seems to me a full new arena isn't very likely. Could surely be wrong - and heck, probably am - but just kinda reading the tea leaves right now makes it hard to see a new arena. Would be a great project, to be sure, but I'm just not sure I see it getting a lot of support.


I doubt they would use a larger arena for wrestling, outside of maybe a tournament. They still use the McCasland Field House now

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## HangryHippo

> I have never really thought about that area being aesthetically poor.
> 
> I have always thought of it as a place where special things happened and big dreams came true.
> What would you want built on this sacred plot of Sooner land?


My personal preference would be for the Switzer Center to rebuild close to Lindsey St (maybe even at the corner of Lindsey and Asp, but at the least fronting Lindsey).  Then, the stadium is free to expand/redo the south endzone in whatever way at whatever time and I think that could give Lindsey St. a better appeal.

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## ou48A

> One of the LNC renovations included lowering the floor and the creation of a few more rows of seats to bring the crowd "closer" to the game. The cavernous feel of LNC is its biggest liability, and frankly I don't think that structure can ever truly overcome that liability. It was designed, as I recall, back in an era when OU bkb was barely a blip on the radar (early/mid 70's), so considerations to that end just weren't a high priority. It supported a court, put in scoreboards from the same manufacturer as had done the boards for OMS during the STEP upgrade in '74, and called it good. I think had they known that OU bkb would get a (somewhat) bigger following over the  years, they'd probably have given that configuration more consideration. Just my opinion, of course..
> 
> My trick knee tells me that the regents would be hard pressed to support a new, dedicated arena just for basketball. That's because that, while basketball is more popular than it was in the, say, 70's or so, its hard to see (at least right now) a time when OU would ever consistently pack in 18-20K for hoops. Granted, you could use it for things like wrestling, but its hardly at a hallmark of popularity right now, either, so it just seems to me a full new arena isn't very likely. Could surely be wrong - and heck, probably am - but just kinda reading the tea leaves right now makes it hard to see a new arena. Would be a great project, to be sure, but I'm just not sure I see it getting a lot of support.



I also believe that the cavernous feel of the LNC is its biggest liability. But to a degree this can be over come by reshaping the inside of the structure. The current seating is is like a bowl. If you bring the east and west sides of the bowl in and closer to the court you can create a more rectangular shaped seating area... This would mean pouring a large amount of concrete over the existing seating area. This would cost lots of money and reduce the seating capacity.
With that said I still feel a new arena would be a better option but as your trick knee (LOL) says a new arena isn't very likely..... 

An oil man help build the LNC, we can hope that a new oil man or several, will step up to the plate again just as they have time and again for nearly 100 years across the entire campus. Unlike the school to the north, OU has more than one big possibility.

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## ou48A

> My personal preference would be for the Switzer Center to rebuild close to Lindsey St (maybe even at the corner of Lindsey and Asp, but at the least fronting Lindsey).  Then, the stadium is free to expand/redo the south endzone in whatever way at whatever time and I think that could give Lindsey St. a better appeal.


I have heard talk that OU was considering moving the Switzer center to a renovated Bub Wilkinson dorm or to one of the other 2 athletic dorms that have been vacated.... 
The furthest south dorm sits fronting Lindsey.... perhaps this location would be the  best and cheapest location to help improve the aesthetics of that area and do what you would like? 
The vacated Switzer center would be used for an expanded weight/ training area and more office space which is said to be needed.
I'm sure there is plenty of room as it is now to expand the south end zone to it's maximum capacity.
But it would be nice to have a better walking path on the south end.

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## HangryHippo

> I have heard talk that OU was considering moving the Switzer center to a renovated Bub Wilkinson dorm or to one of the other 2 athletic dorms that have been vacated.... 
> The furthest south dorm sits fronting Lindsey.... perhaps this location would be the  best and cheapest location to help improve the aesthetics of that area and do what you would like? 
> The vacated Switzer center would be used for an expanded weight and training area and more office space which is said to be needed.
> I'm sure there is plenty of room as it is now to expand the south end zone to it maximum capacity.
> But it would be nice to have a better walking path on the south end.


This would be another great option honestly.  I didn't know it was plausible since I thought I had read/heard that condos or some sort of housing was going to be built where the vacant dorms are.  Perhaps the economy killed that plan?  Anyway, what you suggest would work well, but the main goal being that I think we could have a tremendous setup right there in lieu of just the practice fields.  Really make it a magnificent entry into the stadium area.

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## ou48A

> This would be another great option honestly.  I didn't know it was plausible since I thought I had read/heard that condos or some sort of housing was going to be built where the vacant dorms are.  Perhaps the economy killed that plan?  Anyway, what you suggest would work well, but the main goal being that I think we could have a tremendous setup right there in lieu of just the practice fields.  Really make it a magnificent entry into the stadium area.


The condos that I remember were going to be built south of the Duck Pond...but those plans fell though.
I tried talking my wife into buying one, but she didn't go for it.

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## SoonerDave

> I have heard talk that OU was considering moving the Switzer center to a renovated Bub Wilkinson dorm or to one of the other 2 athletic dorms that have been vacated.... 
> The furthest south dorm sits fronting Lindsey.... perhaps this location would be the  best and cheapest location to help improve the aesthetics of that area and do what you would like? 
> The vacated Switzer center would be used for an expanded weight/ training area and more office space which is said to be needed.
> I'm sure there is plenty of room as it is now to expand the south end zone to it's maximum capacity.
> But it would be nice to have a better walking path on the south end.


Man, that Wilkinson house is (relatively speaking) kinda old and I can't imagine they'd want to move the Switzer center there. Stranger things, I suppose....

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## ou48A

> Man, that Wilkinson house is (relatively speaking) kinda old and I can't imagine they'd want to move the Switzer center there. Stranger things, I suppose....


Structurally its really not that old. 
My guess is that OU would gut it out and reconfigure it into whatever they want.  
It might be possible to gut and reconfigure the other 2 dorms too? 
If not they would probably be torn down?
I would bet OU will include these things in the new assessment study they are doing.

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## Snowman

> I have heard talk that OU was considering moving the Switzer center to a renovated Bub Wilkinson dorm or to one of the other 2 athletic dorms that have been vacated.... 
> The furthest south dorm sits fronting Lindsey.... perhaps this location would be the  best and cheapest location to help improve the aesthetics of that area and do what you would like? 
> The vacated Switzer center would be used for an expanded weight/ training area and more office space which is said to be needed.
> I'm sure there is plenty of room as it is now to expand the south end zone to it's maximum capacity.
> But it would be nice to have a better walking path on the south end.


Given the location it seems hard for it not to be something in the athletic department (most likely football, though track, a program wide gym (since it is right next to the athletic dorm) or offices could get a part) but those buildings it seems hard to believe step one is not leveling the existing structures. Though the Switzer center is located as well as possible to serve the outdoor fields and the stadium, even if they expanded the current end zone section up, they could still keep the practice facilities at the lowest level.

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## BoulderSooner

The plan was for the bud to be torn down. And for that corner to have a park amphitheater and more sooner statues   Including one of the selmon brothers 

Don't know if that is still the plan

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## SoonerDave

> Structurally its really not that old. 
> My guess is that OU would gut it out and reconfigure it into whatever they want.  
> It might be possible to gut and reconfigure the other 2 dorms too? 
> If not they would probably be torn down?
> I would bet OU will include these things in the new assessment study they are doing.


It was built in 1978, meaning that even if you refurbed it, by the time it was all said and done you'd probably be looking at a 40-year-old structure that was designed as a dorm - meaning gutting and customizing could get awfully expensive awfully quickly. 

Dunno. Just have to wait and see, I s'pose.

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## HangryHippo

> The plan was for the bud to be torn down. And for that corner to have a park amphitheater and more sooner statues   Including one of the selmon brothers 
> 
> Don't know if that is still the plan


Do you have a link to where you read or saw this?  The only article I saw that spoke about the plans for the Bud said that they were going to be renovated and turned into offices for athletic (primarily football) staff.

I personally think they ought to be razed and something grander built there, but that's likely a pipe dream.

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## ou48A

> The plan was for the bud to be torn down. And for that corner to have a park amphitheater and more sooner statues   Including one of the selmon brothers 
> 
> Don't know if that is still the plan


I had hear that too at one point, but since then somebody told they would like to save it if they can for other possible uses and that moving the Switzer center was a consideration. 
I'm sure they will study the issue and determin what's best?

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## ou48A

> It was built in 1978, meaning that even if you refurbed it, by the time it was all said and done you'd probably be looking at a 40-year-old structure that was designed as a dorm - meaning gutting and customizing could get awfully expensive awfully quickly. 
> 
> Dunno. Just have to wait and see, I s'pose.



If you saw the  reconstruction of OU's architectural building they tore the existing structure down to the supporting reenforced concrete support columns...... These cost ton's of money and if they could be saved  on the Bud they could save a very expensive part of the cost on a new building. They would then go back in and add things like new heat and air, pluming, wiring and all the rest. They could even add on to the building. It would be like a brand new building.

But the new study will likely determine its future... so you’re right “Just have to wait and see, I s'pose”

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## ou48A

> It was built in 1978, meaning that even if you refurbed it, by the time it was all said and done you'd probably be looking at a 40-year-old structure


I guess perceptions change as time advances things and as we age.
But as a student I visited the Bud on several occasions in 1979 -1980.
It seemed like a palace to me at the time, with a certain amount of craziness among a few of its residents.LOL

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## ou48A

Somebody who I know extremely well spoke with somebody that we have all heard of yesterday and when asked about the future of the "Bud" they said that it will most likely be turned into office space and the Switzer center would stay in its current location.

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## kevinpate

A former employer used to lease space from OU in the old Cross Dorms.  At one time or another we had space in Cross D for 3 houses first floor, two second and 1 plus on third floor. Later in Cross b we also had floors 1-3 in three houses and two houses on floor 4.  Some of the space was extensively renovated, and some was limited to paint, carpet and add in some window units, and some places well the carpet never really came to pass.  All of it was functional though.  

If Bud is built even half as well as the old Cross dorms, it'll still be there a for a good long while.  That may be a big if though.

I miss the days at Cross sometimes.  More so the people than the digs, but yeah, sometimes the digs as well.

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## ou48A

Yesterday, OU basketball coach Lon Kruger was on the radio and was asked about the possibility of a major renovation of the LNC or the possibility of building an entirely new basketball arena... 
Lon indicated that OU was still studding both possibility's....

 I was glad to hear that a new arena is still a possibility. 
My guess is that it will all depend on how much money can be raised?

PS: Krugers OU's basketball team looks improved.

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## ou48A

Among other things OU will be making its stadium much more high tech savvy... 
There will be some similarity's to this.

Welcome to the Most Tech-Savvy Stadium in America: Video - Bloomberg

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## Laramie

> Yesterday, OU basketball coach Lon Kruger was on the radio and was asked about the possibility of a major renovation of the LNC or the possibility of building an entirely new basketball arena... 
> Lon indicated that OU was still studding both possibility's....
> 
> I was glad to hear that a new arena is still a possibility. 
> My guess is that it will all depend on how much money can be raised?
> 
> PS: Krugers OU's basketball team looks improved.


I felt that when they built Lloyd Noble Center they were trying to get on par with schools like Notre Dame & Houston and build something that didn't detract from OKC's Myriad Convention Center (14,009). 

OU's Lloyd Noble Center (12,000) constructed 1973-75.



Notre Dame's Edmund P. Joyce Center (9,149) downsized from 11,418 constructed 1966-68.



Houston's Hofheinz Pavilion (8,918) downsized from 10,660 constructed 1967-69.

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## HangryHippo

Honestly, the only real problem I have with Lloyd Noble is that I find it ugly as sin.

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## ou48A

OU is trying to determine how much demand there is for various types of seating for its football stadium. My self and others received another survey from the OU athletic department today. Judging from the questions OU is definitely considering a major south end expansion which sounds like it could take the stadiums capacity to some where near 95,000 and add many new suits.

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## OKVision4U

Yes, ...it looks like I may be very close to this subject.  100K /  South End with Suites / Overall upgades in seats / plus the pressbox.    ...and that Ruth Chris Steakhouse too.  ...the Billy Sims BBQ as well. ...that Fanzone Experience.    Boomer.

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## Laramie

*OU has its eye on renovation and expansion?*
"Joe Castiglione said during a radio interview that a new stadium master plan was in development that included expanding the south end zone and the press box, but no other detail was given.

Oklahomas Memorial Stadium has a rich history of tradition and success that started when the  first game was played there on Oct. 20,1923. The field inside the stadium is named Owen Field after Bennie Owen, the head coach at the time, who helped raise the money for the first stadium and later became a charter member of the National Football Hall of Fame.  Official capacity  for Memorial Stadium is set at 82,112, with record attendance of 86,031, set during the 2012 home game played against Notre Dame.

A lot of the speculation centers on the expansion possibilities and it seems the sky is the limit.  How about an upper deck in the north end zone potentially adding between 7,000 and 9,000 seats?  Would closing off the ends of the stadium and making a horseshoe, be a real possibility?  This horseshoeing of the endzones has been hotly debated and a strong source of speculation for some time.  Will OU be compelled to start pushing for expansion now that Texas and Texas A&M are increasing their seating capacities. Could expansion take seating capacity to over 90,000?  How much funding would it take?  The questions and possibilities could go on forever."

Is Memorial Stadium Expansion Up Next For OU? |

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## CuatrodeMayo

> Yesterday, OU basketball coach Lon Kruger was on the radio and was asked about the possibility of a major renovation of the LNC or the possibility of building an entirely new basketball arena... 
> Lon indicated that OU was still studding both possibility's....
> 
>  I was glad to hear that a new arena is still a possibility. 
> My guess is that it will all depend on how much money can be raised?
> 
> PS: Krugers OU's basketball team looks improved.


A new arena is not extremely likely at this point.

But from what I've seen of the proposed renovation master plan, Sooner fans are going to be very happy.

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## Bunty

> Honestly, the only real problem I have with Lloyd Noble is that I find it ugly as sin.


Oh, well, Pickens Stadium counters such ugliness in Oklahoma.

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## ou48A

This is a good article on the topic and shows why OU needs to make major upgrades.

You might need to copy past the link and then goggle it?
SoonerScoop.com - Sooner Staff Needs Help


SoonerScoop.com - Sooner Staff Needs Help

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## OKCretro

Lloyd noble needs to be torn down and a new arena needs to be built ASAP.  
Problem is several years ago OU and the AD went cheap and just put band-aides on several things instead of a whole remodel.
the seats are two far away from the court and the slope is too gradual...

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## ou48A

> Lloyd noble needs to be torn down and a new arena needs to be built ASAP.  
> Problem is several years ago OU and the AD went cheap and just put band-aides on several things instead of a whole remodel.
> the seats are two far away from the court and the slope is too gradual...


I would agree that a new OU arena would be best but its believed by most to be unlikely at this point.

The LNC renovation plan that I heard would move the LNC seats much closer to the court by re-pouring the concrete along the side lines and reshaping what is now a bowl into an oval shape. Anything less is a waste of time and money IMO.
This would however reduce the seating capacity and still leave several problems.

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## bluedogok

I was told there were water table issues that kept them from depressing the floor even more than the elevation that it is at now.

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## ou48A

> I was told there were water table issues that kept them from depressing the floor even more than the elevation that it is at now.


I have heard that too for many years... but with more money that can be engineered and taken care of, if it's a concern. But I don't think they are going to lower the LNC floor.

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## venture

I say take the floor really low, put in a pool and a retractable floor and then start a water polo team.  :Wink:

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## OKCretro

I keep hearing a recruit/players family lounge for the open part of the stadium on the southeast corner (where the flag poles are).  and suites on the other side.

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## ou48A

Teddy Lehman and Dusty D both indicated today that the OU weight room needs major upgrades to help recruiting..
IMHO the football weight room needs to be priority one!

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## SoonerDave

> I have heard that too for many years... but with more money that can be engineered and taken care of, if it's a concern. But I don't think they are going to lower the LNC floor.


Water table issues can (almost) always be fixed given enough money, but that's kinda the point...often times the expense just can't be justified.

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## SoonerDave

> I keep hearing a recruit/players family lounge for the open part of the stadium on the southeast corner (where the flag poles are).  and suites on the other side.


Man, if I were a high-roller (and I'm decidedly not), I'd be hard pressed to fork over serious coin for a suite _in the corner of the endzone._ Maybe I'm just too much of a sideline snob  :Smile: 

Surely the press box reno will include some major suite setups. 

Maybe they'll even go full HD on the south end-zone scoreboard  :Smile:

----------


## SoonerDave

> I keep hearing a recruit/players family lounge for the open part of the stadium on the southeast corner (where the flag poles are).  and suites on the other side.


Man, if I were a high-roller (and I'm decidedly not), I'd be hard pressed to fork over serious coin for a suite _in the corner of the endzone._ Maybe I'm just too much of a sideline snob  :Smile: 

Surely the press box reno will include some major suite setups. 

Maybe they'll even go full HD on the south end-zone videoboard, or maybe put up a twin in the N. endzone  :Smile:

----------


## ou48A

> Man, if I were a high-roller (and I'm decidedly not), I'd be hard pressed to fork over serious coin for a suite _in the corner of the endzone._ Maybe I'm just too much of a* sideline snob* 
> 
> Surely the press box reno will include some major suite setups. 
> 
> Maybe they'll even go full HD on the south end-zone videoboard, or maybe put up a twin in the N. endzone


At OU the best seats for viewing the development of a football play are in the center of the end-zone about 50 rows up..... Unlike some end zone seat in some stadiums you are still close to the field..
I know of several football coaches who love this angle of view.
 :Embarrassment:

----------


## ou48A

Stoops was on WWLS today and indicated there is a possibility that a new press box project may extend from the west side and wrap around to span the south end zone.
OU football may get new office and reception space.
They are looking at  the possibility of moving OU's learning center from the north end-zone to  the Bud

----------


## SoonerDave

> Stoops was on WWLS today and indicated there is a possibility that a new press box project may extend from the west side and wrap around to span the south end zone.
> OU football may get new office and reception space.
> They are looking at  the possibility of moving OU's learning center from the north end-zone to  the Bud


Press box wrapping the west/south sides?? That would imply something to level the top of the south deck with the west deck...hmmm....interesting. Wonder if they're going to take a page from the Jerry Jones playbook and ship the press over to the corner of the endzone a la JerryWorld and release the existing space to suites. That would be interesting.

Also suggests at least the possibility they're going to move the S. EZ videoboard. Or do something with it. Also verrrry interesting.

----------


## OKVision4U

> Yes, ...it looks like I may be very close to this subject.  100K /  South End with Suites / Overall upgades in seats / plus the pressbox.    ...and that Ruth Chris Steakhouse too.  ...the Billy Sims BBQ as well. ...that Fanzone Experience.    Boomer.


This was not news to me.  lol.

----------


## SoonerDave

> At OU the best seats for viewing the development of a football play are in the center of the end-zone about 50 rows up..... Unlike some end zone seat in some stadiums you are still close to the field..
> I know of several football coaches who love this angle of view.


I might disagree with you on that a bit...there's very little you can't see from a 50-yard-line seat on either of the upper decks. You can see routes unfold, holes open, you name it......I *love* sitting up there.

----------


## Laramie

Great find, ou48

_"Oklahoma has, in spite of all of Stoops' success, and all of the upgrades that were made upon his arrival, again fallen behind the eight-ball in the never ending 'facilities war'. 

Sure, every program has nice facilities, places that would be upgrades over anything a top prospect has seen at his high school. But what about a comparison against the kind of programs that Oklahoma is expected to compete with on the recruiting trails?"_ 

Our football venue is slowly succumbing to obsolesces among the Top 25 collegiate football stadiums .   Howard Schnellenberger referred to Owen Field as a _'Grand old lady...'_

Ranking the Nation's Top 25 College Football Stadiums | AthlonSports.com 

*University of Oklahoma currently sits at number 18.*
Recruits want to be a part of success; especially aligning themselves with a program as storied as that of our Oklahoma Sooners.   It's time to spruce up the 'Grand Old Lady."  Expansion and renovation needs to take place.  



*Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium*
New press box facilities and a modest expansion of  6,000-8,000 by closing the south end zone corners should  bring seating capacity to around 90,000.  Let's hope the news arrives around Christmas.

The release of Drunkenbuerger; it's time to put a new face on Howard Schnellenberger's 'Grand Old Lady...'   

“You don't want more than 90,000 people here,” Switzer said. “We're a small state and you want them to fight for those tickets and it be a premium for them to come to Oklahoma games.”--OU football: Upgrades to Gaylord Family ? Oklahoma Memorial Stadium might be in the works | News OK

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## OKVision4U

A new face-lift on the stadium will help all the other recruits make up their minds too.  Boomer.

----------


## ou48A

Joe C. is scheduled to be on KREF at 1:17 PM Thursday 


Joe C. will supposedly be asked about some of the new OU athletic facility's?

----------


## Just the facts

> Ranking the Nation's Top 25 College Football Stadiums | AthlonSports.com


I don't get these rankings at all.  Maybe if they had provided some kind of criteria it would have helped (or maybe I just missed them).  If they are going just by architecture and natural beauty Franklin Field (University of Pennsylvania) and California Memorial Stadium (Cal) should be at the top of the list.

----------


## ou48A

> I don't get these rankings at all.  Maybe if they had provided some kind of criteria it would have helped (or maybe I just missed them).  If they are going just by architecture and natural beauty Franklin Field (University of Pennsylvania) and California Memorial Stadium (Cal) should be at the top of the list.


Most of the time the rankings like these have almost nothing to do with the architectural attractiveness of a stadium... It's all most always about the atmosphere in and around the stadium that's created by the home fans and the intimidation factor that some stadiums with their fans have more of than others.

It would be wise IMO if OU try’s to enhance its own intimidating atmosphere with any new stadium  construction.

----------


## ou48A

Joe C. was on KREF this afternoon and indicated the following:

Joe C indicates they will have an announcement ASAP, after all studies are complete
They have looked at all options including the outlandish.
They want to provide the best college atmosphere possible for all athletes and make it a great experience for fans.

The weight room will be expanded. He made it sound like it would be in the south end zone. The South end-zone will under go a major reconfiguration and see a significant seating change...... and be bowled in to the extent possible. 

Expanding the stadium into the practice fields is not desirable according to Joe C.
Sounds like many seats will have chair backs.
Total stadium capacity will not be altered in a significant way.
They have a goal of providing state of the art electronic experience for fans that will be designed to be upgraded as new devices are developed.

A new press box with suits sounds highly likely.
It will be the largest athletic fund raising campaign in OU history. It will be very big deal.

Joe C indicated that their was not a lot of data that supports a major football stadium expansion. He indicated that the states population needs to grow before they would likely make a major expansion.

The LNC sounds like it will see a very significant re-do.

----------


## ou48A

Joe C says this will involve *hundreds of millions of dollars.*

Note: This comes on top of about 185 million dollars worth of OU football stadium improvements since Joe. C has been at OU.......
So it's not like they are starting from scratch.

----------


## ou48A

Joe C. indicated these projects will change the face of what things look like for 50 years!

----------


## Plutonic Panda

that sounds like that will be awesome!

----------


## OKCretro

disappointed to hear about LNC. We need a new arena period.  Need suites and the seats are too spread apart.  Should play in the small arena for a year while we tear down and rebuild LNC.

----------


## Pete

^

When they invested millions in the practice courts at LNC I knew it would be staying.

However, they can easily reshape it to a pure basketball venue vs. a multi-purpose, round bowl.


Excited to learn more.  When Joe C speaks publicly, you know it's going to happen.

No ego or flash, just quietly among the very best -- if not *the* best -- AD's anywhere.

----------


## ou48A

> disappointed to hear about LNC. We need a new arena period.  Need suites and the seats are too spread apart.  Should play in the small arena for a year while we tear down and rebuild LNC.


Joe C indicated the LNC capacity will probably decrease in all likelihood.

Several months ago somebody at OU told me they would likely bring the seats on the sides closer to the court and enhance premium seating. 
I'm pretty sure that if there were enough fan demand that OU would be willing to build a new arena.... 
but its just not justified at this point.

----------


## ou48A

As I said, Joe C said the projects would involve hundreds of millions but the number I hear being kicked around for all projects is 400 million +. I suppose this could change though because the studies are not complete and more donations could be made.
I'm pretty sure this will make the OU football facility among the very best for both players and fans....
 It sounds like  the electronic stuff they will be doing for fans will be very unique.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> Joe C indicated the LNC capacity will probably decrease in all likelihood.
> 
> Several months ago somebody at OU told me they would likely bring the seats on the sides closer to the court and enhance premium seating. 
> I'm pretty sure that if there were enough fan demand that OU would be willing to build a new arena.... 
> but its just not justified at this point.


Capacity will go down in the Linc because of the addition of suites and club level seating

----------


## OKCretro

They could easily build a new arena on the south, west or east of the practice facility and could have a connector. 

Lots of space, just parking lots and a grass field

----------


## ou48A

This is a transcript of the interview Joe C. gave on KREF about the thoughts and plans for Memorial Stadium & Lloyd Noble Center renovations.


OU Director Of Athletics, Joe Castiglione, Discusses Stadium/Arena Renovation Plans | The Football Brainiacs

----------


## SoonerDave

Probably a 50/50 split of what I expected versus what wasn't expected.

I am not at all surprised there is no desire to expand the stadium's seating capacity. 

I am surprised there is a focus on bowling the south endzone. Really didn't think that one would hit.

It surely reads to me that a tandem south endzone overhaul/weight room expansion tells me that the current SEZ structure could be significantly altered - surely that's what he was referring to when he was talking about "piecemeal" previous expansions. The SEZ looks like it was designed and built on another planet compared to the rest of OMS...

----------


## traxx

Who is this Joe C. you guys are talking about?



Seriously though, glad to hear that we're not expanding seating capacity. I think all these teams that are in an arms race to have 100K+ seating will be sorry. Even the traditional powerhouse teams are having some trouble putting butts in seats. With HDTV making the at home watching experience so great, this will continue to be a problem.

I would've liked for another arena to be built but can understand why they wanna keep the LNC. If they redesign it to be a basketball arena instead of a multipurpose arean, that'll be good. All these changes sound promising.

----------


## BoulderSooner

He did not say OU is not expanding.       Expect a 5 to 10k increase in seats

----------


## ou48A

> He did not say OU is not expanding.       Expect a 5 to 10k increase in seats




I trust and respect your opinion. :Smile: 
But I get the feeling that you know something that you are not telling us.
Care to elaborate? :Wink: 
Thanks

----------


## ou48A

A local sports writer told me yesterday that OU “might” have some type of stadium announcement at it's next Board of Regents meeting next month?

Also, OU  apparently wants to maximize the number of suits in the stadium.

----------


## SoonerDave

I think the thrust of what Joe C said was that upgrading and enhancing the stadium was the focus, but seat expansion for it's own sake was not an objective. If the stadium capacity increased _as a result of_ the other changes, so be it, but expansion of the stadium seating capacity was not, as I heard it, a _primary_ objective of the upcoming upgrades.

I think Joe C is learning a valuable lesson from the folks in Nebraska who are apparently already lamenting their recent seating expansion, and also looking at how the secondary ticket market for home games is typically very soft. If other schools have already learned that adding seats isn't a wise idea, its great we've got an AD smart enough to not repeat the mistake. 

Think the renovations are exciting, always fun to see OMS brought more up-to-date.

----------


## Pete

In modern times, it's all about suites and I'm sure that will be the main focus.

I know they'll be adding some at Loyd Noble as well.

The money those things generate is pretty astounding.

----------


## ljbab728

> Also, OU  apparently wants to maximize the number of *suits* in the stadium.


Well, I'm not going to start wearing a suit to the games.   :Smile:

----------


## mugofbeer

> Well, I'm not going to start wearing a suit to the games.


Why not? My dad always wore his jacket and tie to the games until the 90s

----------


## ljbab728

> Why not? My dad always wore his jacket and tie to the games until the 90s


Well, I'm sure I have worn a sport coat to games before.  I specifically remember one I wore to the "game of the century" against Nebraska.  But never a suit.

----------


## OKVision4U

> I think the thrust of what Joe C said was that upgrading and enhancing the stadium was the focus, but seat expansion for it's own sake was not an objective. If the stadium capacity increased _as a result of_ the other changes, so be it, but expansion of the stadium seating capacity was not, as I heard it, a _primary_ objective of the upcoming upgrades.
> 
> I think Joe C is learning a valuable lesson from the folks in Nebraska who are apparently already lamenting their recent seating expansion, and also looking at how the secondary ticket market for home games is typically very soft. If other schools have already learned that adding seats isn't a wise idea, its great we've got an AD smart enough to not repeat the mistake. 
> 
> Think the renovations are exciting, always fun to see OMS brought more up-to-date.


RE: Nebraska, I bet there were other factors that played "bigger" roles than just "too much inventory".  Winning at an elite level, is what their fanbase is accustomed to.  Big Ten conference was not as attractive to fans as they were advertised.  The fans lost out in the OU / Neb rivalry game.   ...the Husker fans are very close to OU fans, we get spoiled to winning the NC and average doesn't taste that good.   

Its not too many seats, it's all the other factors that are far more visible now.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Its not too many seats, it's all the other factors that are far more visible now.


The folks who _actually_ study this stuff from a business perspective disagree with you.

Attendance plateau changes colleges? view - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global

----------


## OKVision4U

> The folks who _actually_ study this stuff from a business perspective disagree with you.
> 
> Attendance plateau changes colleges? view - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global


No SD, that is what we call ( CYA ) in the BIG business world.  ...but nice try.

...from* IlikeBraumsproductsbutIdon'thave4hourstowaitinline  whilethe12yearoldlearnshowtocountchangewitha$5.00b  illona$4.75orderIhaveoptionsnow!*

----------


## onthestrip

Must be nice to have a sports thread where rival school posters don't have to take it over with their unwanted opinions.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Well, I'm sure I have worn a sport coat to games before.  I specifically remember one I wore to the "game of the century" against Nebraska.  But never a suit.


LOL I think I grew up just after the tie-wearing era ended. I can't even fathom of wearing a tie to a football game, let alone a complete _suit._ I mean, a _suit?!?_ Wow.

----------


## Pete

Suit, tie and HAT were standard attire at games for decades.

Really hard to believe but also pretty cool.

----------


## ou48A

Getting dressed up for games is still fairly common in the deep south, at most of the major football playing schools. You can still see some of it on TV.

On my trip to Tuscaloosa in 2003 many students had a date. Most guys wore a tie while the very hot looking girls wore cocktail dresses. 
The members of various Greek houses stood on their front lawns and sung the various school songs at length before they walked to the stadium with chants along the way.
 I  have never seen anything close to that much heartfelt passion in Norman from OU students.

Most OU fans could not walk 10 feet with out being welcomed  and offered food and drink.
Their campus atmosphere that day was what I wish all of college football could be.


PS: The extreme heat and cold that we see in the Big 12 makes dressing like they do a little tougher.
+Its nice to be 3-1-1 all time against Alabama.

----------


## ou48A

Pending the Regents approval OU will be upgrading its weight room with new equipment, renovating  the coaches offices and it's athletic academic center
http://www.ou.edu/regents/official_a...inalAgenda.pdf

----------


## ou48A

Take this for what its worth.....?  Hale on KREF just said that OU would be conducting a 500 million dollar fund raising campaign for its athlete facility's with most of going for football stadium improvements.
If this is true....? I find that to be a very surprisingly high amount of money.

----------


## dankrutka

Their have already been rumors out there that a $300 million upgrade was on the way for the football stadium.

----------


## dankrutka

> Getting dressed up for games is still fairly common in the deep south, at most of the major football playing schools. You can still see some of it on TV.
> 
> On my trip to Tuscaloosa in 2003 many students had a date. Most guys wore a tie while the very hot looking girls wore cocktail dresses. 
> The members of various Greek houses stood on their front lawns and sung the various school songs at length before they walked to the stadium with chants along the way.
>  I  have never seen anything close to that much heartfelt passion in Norman from OU students.
> 
> Most OU fans could not walk 10 feet with out being welcomed  and offered food and drink.
> Their campus atmosphere that day was what I wish all of college football could be.
> 
> ...


I went to Tuscaloosa in 2003 also (and really enjoyed it) and I'm glad OU is not like southern schools. Do I want OU students dressing up in ties and singing songs to go to a football game? Not really. I find it kind of weird. I love tradition, but people can also be a little too fanatic about it (see Texas A&M). I'm good with OU's balance. Also, OU fans are very welcoming. We're not the south, and I'm good with that.

----------


## ou48A

> I went to Tuscaloosa in 2003 also (and really enjoyed it) and I'm glad OU is not like southern schools. Do I want OU students dressing up in ties and singing songs to go to a football game? Not really. I find it kind of weird. I love tradition, but people can also be a little too fanatic about it (see Texas A&M). I'm good with OU's balance. Also, OU fans are very welcoming. We're not the south, and I'm good with that.


That's their tradition and their passion....
They would likely find what we do or don't do “ kinda of weird”  and I have heard  some fans from other teams express that what we do is “kinda of weird.”

I would agree that most OU fans are more than welcoming but I have heard fans from other teams some times say they feel “kinda of weird” about how warm we great them.
Balance is all in the eye of the beholder!

But a good many OU students could clearly and without question be better fans at the games.

----------


## ou48A

> Their have already been rumors out there that a $300 million upgrade was on the way for the football stadium.



Yes but the rumors about the amount of money involved keep escalating. With today’s 500 MILLION being the largest that I have heard of. 
Joe C him self said it would be hundreds of millions in total.

----------


## Laramie

> Yes but the rumors about the amount of money involved keep escalating. With today’s 500 MILLION being the largest that I have heard of. 
> Joe C him self said it would be hundreds of millions in total.


Yes the price keeps escalating.  It's probably safe to say that the renovation and modest expansion of 'Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will probably settle in the $500 million range which will include improvements on the press box side of the stadium and enclosing the south end zone seating.  

I'm predicting that you're probably looking at a stadium that will eventually seat somewhere around 90,000 with seats added to close the south end zone and some pretty elite suites on the press box side as that area is due for some needed upgrades.

This could include a retrofit of the press box side upper deck with suites, new upper deck seating and press box facilities.   

Has anyone seen anything in print about future renovations at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ou48A

Dean Blevins KWTV OKC reports on OU Stadium expansion+

South End Zone will be bowled in after the existing season and existing suites will be upgraded with new suites added in the South End Zone as well. A new press box will run the length of the west side upper deck. *Seating capacity will be more than 90,000.*

Blevins also said that construction will begin after the last OU home game this. Work will be done around the clock
Blevins also just reported that this expansion & renovation would be approved at the next Board of Regents meeting. Cost is $350-$400 million. This will include a weight room, training, and locker room facilities would be totally remodeled and upgraded. 


This is all going to be VERY state of the art.

----------


## Pete

Holy cats!

Another $300 to $400 million??  That's a ton of money considering they've spent $125 million just on the stadium over the last 10 years (doesn't include practice facility, Headington Hall, etc.).

To put that into perspective, OSU spent $260 million for their entire stadium project.

----------


## ljbab728

Here is a link to the story.

EXCLUSIVE: OU Set To Announce Football Stadium Expansion - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

----------


## ou48A

> Holy cats!
> 
> Another $300 to $400 million??  That's a ton of money considering they've spent $125 million just on the stadium over the last 10 years (doesn't include practice facility, Headington Hall, etc.).
> 
> To put that into perspective, OSU spent $260 million for their entire stadium project.


Actually I think the total figure for all OU football stadium improvements under Joe C prior to this has been somewhere close to $180 million.....?

I hope OU has some big donors.
An OU official who I talked to this weekend at length, told me that OU would kick off a formal fund raising campaign this June or July.

----------


## ou48A

By comparison Baylor is building an entire new stadium from scratch for about 250 million.
Regents Approve Construction of Baylor Stadium - Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site - BaylorBears.com.

----------


## ou48A

A nice thing for OU is that if the demand is ever there for future expansion a north end zone upper deck could put OU's stadium well beyond the 100,000 mark.

----------


## Pete

If they are going to spend another $300+million it would have to include something like completely replacing the west upper deck.  The entire east structure including the club level and suites was only $50 million.

----------


## Snowman

> By comparison Baylor is building an entire new stadium from scratch for about 250 million.
> Regents Approve Construction of Baylor Stadium - Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site - BaylorBears.com.


Reminds me of references to stadiums as an island in a sea of parking lots, from two sides it will look a bit like an actual island, with it being built on the other side of the river from everything else on campus it pretty much is too.

----------


## SoonerDave

No question in my mind that the lion's share of the expansion cost will be due to the new pressbox construction. You've got demo of the existing structure plus entirely new construction that will span the entire west deck. There's also the question of how they plan to handle the rake difference between the sidelines and the south endzone, which could imply some structural changes to the current s. endzone structure. 

Aside from the press box and the eye candy of having a bowled-in stadium, I think the lion's share of this $300M expansion is going under the hood. Heck, you could conceivably put in semi-permanent temporary bleacher structures ala the Cotton Bowl to fill in the corners on the cheap if you wanted. 

Will be great fun to watch it all unfold, see how the details in reality match up with the report.

----------


## Laramie

Great news about the stadium expansion.  This should move me up on that waiting list of 15,000.  

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## warreng88

It funny, Dean Blevins tweeted, "Latest info on renovations at OU's Memorial Stadium that I brought you first last night. #OU #sooners #moreseating." First? Really? Pretty sure we were talking about this a couple of months ago...

----------


## Pete

I'm beginning to think this is all getting confused..

Last February, Joe Castiglione was interviewed saying they had just commenced a study to look at the long-term stadium plan, as well as virtually all the other athletic facilities.

Every May the Board of Regents meets to review and update their list of capital projects, both in progress and proposed.  As of last May, there were only minor athletic facilities on the list (like the OU Boathouse).

Now, their 2014 meeting is approaching (May 8th or 9th) and Dean puts out this cryptic information.  To date, there hasn't even been a fundraising plan announced...  Last time OU did something like this there was a huge PR campaign and the whole thing lasted several years.

I suspect they are going to the Regents with a conceptual plan and then will kick off the fundraising.

And I'm sure a big chunk of the $300+ million will be used for other athletic facilities, like a major re-do of Loyd Noble.

----------


## SoonerDave

> I'm beginning to think this is all getting confused..
> 
> Last February, Joe Castiglione was interviewed saying they had just commenced a study to look at the long-term stadium plan, as well as virtually all the other athletic facilities.
> 
> Every May the Board of Regents meets to review and update their list of capital projects, both in progress and proposed.  As of last May, there were only minor athletic facilities on the list (like the OU Boathouse).
> 
> Now, their 2014 meeting is approaching (May 8th or 9th) and Dean puts out this cryptic information.  To date, there hasn't even been a fundraising plan announced...  Last time OU did something like this there was a huge PR campaign and the whole thing lasted several years.
> 
> I suspect they are going to the Regents with a conceptual plan and then will kick off the fundraising.
> ...


I dunno, Pete. The peculiar logistics of the kind of work they're supposedly going to do to OMS (particularly in terms of the west press box) will make that project _much_ more expensive than just an expansion. Back in '03, when they built the new east decks, they had virtually zero demo to do - there was nothing there except Jenkins Avenue that they just had to move east a bit. Not so with the pressbox; one of the reasons that project got delayed as much as it has (even beyond the financial meltdown) is because of the logistical difficulties and consequent expense of doing all the demolition of the existing pressbox plus all the construction on the new superstructure for its replacement. If its true that it will span the entire west deck, and I've heard nothing different about that amid the various forms of speculation, then that's a pretty big structural change to the west side as well. The presence of the parking garage makes the project much more complicated logistically, combined with the fact you've got to be careful how much heavy equipment you can put _inside_ the stadium without damaging the playing surface.

And as I noted before, they may also be undertaking some similar structural changes to the south endzone. They've got to deal with the rake differences _somehow_ (and there are numerous notions how that will be accomplished), but no matter which one you take it's not a simple as a straight-up build, I don't believe. The most extreme notion I heard was to RAZE the south endzone structure and rebuild the entire thing from scratch - but then you've got to dismantle and store that mammoth scoreboard _before_ you can do that.

Mind you, I don't have any special insight on any of this, just some speculation based on watching the place get amended several times since I was a kid. All this is to say that the kind of expansion being discussed could easily get really expensive really quickly simply by virtue of the unique logistics around the stadium as it sits right now, making it unique among other comparable projects like OSU's stadium reno or Baylor's new facility build. 

Now, if this ends up being a Dean Blevins red herring, and its all a re-hash of info we've heard before, then who knows what will happen. I personally think the general plans have been in place for some time, and the Joe C. announcement you mention is simply the "public face" of the, ahem, "process" to explore how the stadium could be rebuilt, when in reality that's long-since been decided. I suspect the regents know exactly what's going to happen, and already have much of the funding "unofficially" in place. I remember Joe C talking about the press box project when the economy melted down, and the prospective donors dried up, and he was adamant that "We would not undertake a project that wouldn't be fiscally sound," and I think that was an implicit concession to the idea that their funding sources simply dried up as the economy tanked.

----------


## Urbanized

Also you would have to deal with the Switzer Center and team offices/workout facilities, which represent tens of millions in existing infrastructure. The disruption would be extreme. I've never understood the issue with the rake anyway. You can continue/bowl the ends from either the O.G. stadium or the south end zone without actually CONNECTING to the other. You might have small pie-wedged gaps left to preserve sight lines, but it will essentially be a bowled stadium.

I'm not crazy about expansion though. Even with the addition of the outdoor concourse area last time the stadium expanded, the additional bodies made it almost impassable at times underneath the stadium and on ramps, and it definitely made it more difficult to get anything approaching face on a regular basis when reselling. I'm not looking to scalp, but I would like to recapture face value when I have extras, as I do nearly every game. Another expansion and I'd probably just as well lay the extras on the ground outside the stadium.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Also you would have to deal with the Switzer Center and team offices/workout facilities, which represent tens of millions in existing infrastructure. The disruption would be extreme. I've never understood the issue with the rake anyway. You can continue/bowl the ends from either the O.G. stadium or the south end zone without actually CONNECTING to the other. You might have small pie-wedged gaps left to preserve sight lines, but it will essentially be a bowled stadium.
> 
> I'm not crazy about expansion though. Even with the addition of the outdoor concourse area last time the stadium expanded, the additional bodies made it almost impassable at times underneath the stadium and on ramps, and it definitely made it more difficult to get anything approaching face on a regular basis when reselling. I'm not looking to scalp, but I would like to recapture face value when I have extras, as I do nearly every game.* Another expansion and I'd probably just as well lay the extras on the ground outside the stadium*.


That's why I think there was no emphasis on expansion except that which was essentially incidental to whatever changes they made. That is, the old STEP program that built the west deck in 1974 was _specifically_ to enlarge the stadium by about 10K seats, but the renovations _this time_ are to add new internal team amenities that I believe will _incidentally_ lead to more seating. Expanding in that vein isn't their primary objective. 

And selling tickets on game day has been a losing proposition down there for close to thirty years or more. When my mom lost interest in going to the games, she used to try to have me sell her tickets, but I could never get anything for them, and I had better student seats (they were reserved back then), so she let them go. I've never had OU season tickets since then, and have always had my choice of tix outside the stadium on game day and paid over face _one time_ - Nebraska 2000.

----------


## adaniel

An increase in capacity of 6K is definitely on the high end of what can be absorbed by the current market, but probably doable in the long run. The record for a crowd (I think) was 89K for the 2012 OU-Notre Dame game, which is still above the proposed new capacity. 

I do worry about when we play the Iowa States and North Texases. Even now there are vast swaths of empty seats even though they are official sellouts.

----------


## SoonerDave

> An increase in capacity of 6K is definitely on the high end of what can be absorbed by the current market, but probably doable in the long run. The record for a crowd (I think) was 89K for the 2012 OU-Notre Dame game, which is still above the proposed new capacity. 
> 
> I do worry about when we play the Iowa States and North Texases. Even now there are vast swaths of empty seats even though they are official sellouts.


Yeah I think we've obviously had some generous supporters that have bought up excess tickets to keep that "sellout" streak alive, especially when there are huge _chunks_ of empty seats (student section in particular) in the stadium. That November Iowa State game a couple of years back that was played in conditions not too departed from the Antarctic was clearly one of those games...and I remember back in 03 as my son and I looked for tickets around the stadium for the season opener, two guys with official OU nametag/ID badges came along, one carrying a big glassine envelope _filled_ with tickets asked me "Hey, looking for tickets? How many do you need," and I said "two.." and he stuck two tickets in my hand. He started to walk off, and I asked him "hey, wait, how much?" and he said "free, enjoy the game." Couldn't believe that one  :Smile: 

I'm guessing they have a short-list of donors/sponsors who can be contacted to buy up blocks of unsold tickets so many minutes/hours before a game so as to avoid any risk of losing the sellout streak. I also think the ebbing student enthusiasm has started to "stick in the craw" of some ticketholders that they should start reducing student ticket allotments if they're not going to use them.

----------


## kevin lee

I'm trying to figure out how a $300 million dollar project is only going to take 9 months to finish?

----------


## BG918

> I'm trying to figure out how a $300 million dollar project is only going to take 9 months to finish?


They could maybe do the press box and suites, but no way they do the south end zone and interior upgrades in that timeframe.  This is more like a 2-3 year project if it is indeed $350-400 million.

----------


## Pete

It took 2 full years just to add the east upper deck for $50 million.

----------


## Just the facts

> By comparison Baylor is building an entire new stadium from scratch for about 250 million.
> Regents Approve Construction of Baylor Stadium - Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site - BaylorBears.com.


I suggested OU just build a new stadium across the street for a fraction of the cost of expansion and you would of thought I was suggesting we throw kittens through a wood chipper.

----------


## Just the facts

> I'm trying to figure out how a $300 million dollar project is only going to take 9 months to finish?


The higher price is the result of the faster pace.

----------


## Rover

> I'm trying to figure out how a $300 million dollar project is only going to take 9 months to finish?


Texas aggies are doing a $450 million one in the off season.  It can be done.

----------


## Money Shot

I wish they would construct a 6 story parking garage in the track parking lot with some of that 300 million.

----------


## traxx

> No question in my mind that the lion's share of the expansion cost will be due to the new pressbox construction. You've got demo of the existing structure plus entirely new construction that will span the entire west deck. There's also the question of how they plan to handle the rake difference between the sidelines and the south endzone, which could imply some structural changes to the current s. endzone structure. 
> 
> Aside from the press box and the eye candy of having a bowled-in stadium, I think the lion's share of this $300M expansion is going under the hood. Heck, you could conceivably put in semi-permanent temporary bleacher structures ala the Cotton Bowl to fill in the corners on the cheap if you wanted. 
> 
> Will be great fun to watch it all unfold, see how the details in reality match up with the report.


Agree.

People bringing up that Baylor is building a stadium from scratch for less doesn't take into account that it is more difficult to add on and retrofit a 90+ year old stadium than to build a new one. They've known they've needed to upgrade the pressbox for some time now. The reason they've put it off is because of the logistical nightmare that it's going to be. When they put the new parking structure in place, they made it much more difficult to get equipment, cranes and trucks in there to re-do the pressbox.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Agree.
> 
> People bringing up that Baylor is building a stadium from scratch for less doesn't take into account that it is more difficult to add on and retrofit a 90+ year old stadium than to build a new one. They've known they've needed to upgrade the pressbox for some time now. The reason they've put it off is because of the logistical nightmare that it's going to be. *When they put the new parking structure in place, they made it much more difficult to get equipment, cranes and trucks in there to re-do the pressbox*.


Bingo. What kills me is that they built that parking garage _knowing full well_  that they were going to _have_ to do something significant to the pressbox in just a few years. It's not like that project was a sudden surprise to everyone at OU - I've heard stories for some time (years) that it's become a bit of a lipstick-on-a-pig place, which is sad, because when it opened up I recall it being considered one of the best press facilities in the country....forty years ago  :Smile:

----------


## SoonerDave

> I suggested OU just build a new stadium across the street for a fraction of the cost of expansion and you would of thought I was suggesting we throw kittens through a wood chipper.


Bit of an apples-to-pudding comparison. Baylor is building a 45K seat facility, whereas OU has already invested enough to host just over 86K, and the rumored upgrades will push that up to 88-90K. OMS, as it sits, doesn't have an "across the street" to visit - facilities - many very new - exist in all directions. And then there's the question/cost of what you do with the existing place - to say nothing of the fact you've sunk $125M in the last ten years to bring it up to top-tier current standards, which would be wasted.

----------


## bluedogok

Baylor is also a "green field" build, nothing existing to work around and add complexity or compromises.

----------


## Pete

All true, but adding that entire east deck with suites and club level was only $50 million.

They had plenty of room to work, but still...  It was only $50 million.

I've said all along that the $300-$400 million number is for all athletic facilities, including a complete rebuild of Loyd Noble and virtually every other sport getting a piece of the pie.

I bet the stadium improvements end up being more like $150-$200.  They've already spent $125 million on the stadium over the last 10 years.

----------


## dankrutka

First, Dean Blevins, not surprisingly, is inaccurately reporting speculation as breaking news. Clearly, a number of what he's reporting as facts are wrong. The most obvious one being that this is definitely not happening next before the 2015 opener.

I would think that the $300 million tag would include demolishing (maybe not completely) the west upper deck and press box, replacing both, bowling in the south end zone, and then re-doing a lot of other stuff. That's just speculation though.

----------


## Laramie

The demand, waiting list for season tickets probably increased a few thousand--especially after the Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.  

*Stadium renovations, upgrades & expansion:*
Dean Blevins' talking points:

Oklahoma Sooners Football | $350M+ Stadium Expansion Confirmed - Crimson And Cream Machine

There are plans to do a modest expansion (increase from 82,000 to 88,000) along with a facilities upgrade which includes the press box.

Following the 2014-15 collegiate football season is when this work is scheduled to begin.  We are long overdue for some facility upgrades if we want to continue to compete for recruits.  Bowling the stadium with 6,000 south end zone seats will get us to 88,000--this should increase the noise level.  We have enthusiastic fans with the fashion show & fair weather mentality--this is the result of being 'spoiled' over the years. 


*Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium's mock up look into the future?*

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## venture

So where exactly are the press boxes and suites in that mock up (I understand it is fake)?  :Smile:

----------


## Laramie

> So where exactly are the press boxes and suites in that mock up (I understand it is fake)?


Asked myself the same question, venture?  Could the press box be under the top upper deck on the west side?  Bryant Denny Stadium in Alabama has them hidden somewhere in this figure below. 



Source:  Memorial Stadium Mock Up | Oklahoma Sooners $300M New Fantasy Home? - Crimson And Cream Machine

----------


## SoonerDave

> First, Dean Blevins, not surprisingly, is inaccurately reporting speculation as breaking news. Clearly, a number of what he's reporting as facts are wrong. The most obvious one being that this is definitely not happening next before the 2015 opener.
> 
> I would think that the $300 million tag would include demolishing (maybe not completely) the west upper deck and press box, replacing both, bowling in the south end zone, and then re-doing a lot of other stuff. That's just speculation though.


If the figure really is $300 _just_ for the football stadium work, then I'd be inclined to agree with the possibility of it being a complete west-deck rebuild. That said, however, I can't see them taking that kind of risk, and here's why. If you are going to demo the west deck, you then have to make a decision: Unless you are _dead-certain-confident_ that the _entire new deck/pressbox_ will be 100% ready to go, COA, the works _on the first game day next year,_ you're going to lose _ten thousand seat occupants per game_ until it is. That's 10,000 folks _not_ buying hot dogs, _not_ buying drinks, _not_ buying T-shirts, and if their seats weren't available for that season, _not_ buying tickets. And that's further neglecting the fact that the first several rows of the west deck are chairback donor seats, combined with the fact you've got a line of suites at the foot of the pressbox that wouldn't be rented out. 

All that to me points to a _huge_ financial risk if you gamble that you can get the entire west deck/pressbox demolished and rebuilt in _nine months_. Worse, still, is what do you do if everything is _almost_ ready on Day One, but find out that those same 10,000 people won't have seats until the _next_ home game because, who knows, the plumbing inspection didn't pass, or (insert favorite issue here). That's 10,000 grumpy folks. 

Now, theoretically, most anything's possible (within reason) if you throw enough  money at it. And guess what - here's the $350 M pricetag that _seems_ rather large compared to the $125M that bought us a double-deck east side, new brickwork/perimeter, and new concessions nearly throughout. But if you're letting a contract for that much work with the _absolutely firm drop-dead date_ of Kickoff 2015 (which to me seems nigh unto impossible for that scale of work), you won't sign on unless you're getting a serious pound of flesh in consideration. That all suggests to me that they're not going to raze the west deck, just the pressbox. The only way it makes sense otherwise is if the new "Master PLan" involves a 10-year or 20-year notion of unifying the west and east decks across the north, with an attendant capacity increase _well_ over 100K, but I'm not at all sure TPTB are comfortable about creating _that_ much supply given current demand.

I've even heard rumblings about the idea of razing the south stands and making the bowl a continuous structure to simplify its union with the existing stadium, but even then, you've got a huge project ahead. 

I just wish they'd come clean and announce the thing. I personally think we're going to discover most of what Deano reported is accurate, but Joe C won't confirm it until all the Regents and the prospective donors have been duly notified "in advance."

----------


## Snowman

> If the figure really is $300 _just_ for the football stadium work, then I'd be inclined to agree with the possibility of it being a complete west-deck rebuild. That said, however, I can't see them taking that kind of risk, and here's why. If you are going to demo the west deck, you then have to make a decision: Unless you are _dead-certain-confident_ that the _entire new deck/pressbox_ will be 100% ready to go, COA, the works _on the first game day next year,_ you're going to lose _ten thousand seat occupants per game_ until it is. That's 10,000 folks _not_ buying hot dogs, _not_ buying drinks, _not_ buying T-shirts, and if their seats weren't available for that season, _not_ buying tickets. And that's further neglecting the fact that the first several rows of the west deck are chairback donor seats, combined with the fact you've got a line of suites at the foot of the pressbox that wouldn't be rented out. 
> 
> All that to me points to a _huge_ financial risk if you gamble that you can get the entire west deck/pressbox demolished and rebuilt in _nine months_. Worse, still, is what do you do if everything is _almost_ ready on Day One, but find out that those same 10,000 people won't have seats until the _next_ home game because, who knows, the plumbing inspection didn't pass, or (insert favorite issue here). That's 10,000 grumpy folks. 
> 
> Now, theoretically, most anything's possible (within reason) if you throw enough  money at it. And guess what - here's the $350 M pricetag that _seems_ rather large compared to the $125M that bought us a double-deck east side, new brickwork/perimeter, and new concessions nearly throughout. But if you're letting a contract for that much work with the _absolutely firm drop-dead date_ of Kickoff 2015 (which to me seems nigh unto impossible for that scale of work), you won't sign on unless you're getting a serious pound of flesh in consideration. That all suggests to me that they're not going to raze the west deck, just the pressbox. The only way it makes sense otherwise is if the new "Master PLan" involves a 10-year or 20-year notion of unifying the west and east decks across the north, with an attendant capacity increase _well_ over 100K, but I'm not at all sure TPTB are comfortable about creating _that_ much supply given current demand.
> 
> I've even heard rumblings about the idea of razing the south stands and making the bowl a continuous structure to simplify its union with the existing stadium, but even then, you've got a huge project ahead. 
> 
> I just wish they'd come clean and announce the thing. I personally think we're going to discover most of what Deano reported is accurate, but Joe C won't confirm it until all the Regents and the prospective donors have been duly notified "in advance."


It is hard to trust the $350 figure, when anything that would require that much work seems impossible to do without impacting availability of seating for at least one season if not more.

----------


## SoonerDave

> It is hard to trust the $350 figure, when anything that would require that much work seems impossible to do without impacting availability of seating for at least one season if not more.


Agree completely. I'm looking at what TAMU is doing and am amazed at the scope of the work and apparent schedule.

----------


## Pete

No way are they going to spend more than $300 million just on the stadium.

First of all, the things they are considering would not be nearly that expensive.

Secondly, as a part of any fundraising and facilities improvement campaign they would include pretty much all the other sports.  They have been studying all the athletic facilities, not just the stadium (although there is a stadium-specific initiative through Populus).

Third, they would not embark on trying to raise hundreds of millions for athletics without trying to raise at least as much for academics.  On the capital projects list is hundreds of millions just for structures, let alone scholarships, endowments, etc.


The last big campaign raised just over a billion.  Less than $200 million went to athletics with the stadium getting $125 million.

This time around it will probably be about the same, with perhaps more allocated to the stadium (like $200-$250 million).

----------


## BoulderSooner

Have been told by I couple of people I trust that the football portion will be over 300 mil. (Not all going to the stadium )

----------


## Pete

> Have been told by I couple of people I trust that the football portion will be over 300 mil. (Not all going to the stadium )


Was one of them Dean Blevins??   :Smile: 

Just hard to imagine how they would spend that much.  OSU did their entire stadium re-do with the locker rooms and weight facility for $260 million, and they were starting with almost nothing.

And, we just spent $125 million.

----------


## ou48A

It's been reported for a few months now by KREF that the total amount for OU athletics will be about $500 million and that at least $300 million will be football related only. This is coming from people who talk to key OU officials with regularity.

A&M is spending more than this just on their stadium... Michigan just spent something like 200 million on its football stadium. I believe OSU has spent something like  270 million in total in recent years on its football program facility's. 
With the very high rate of inflation for construction materials the figures being kicked around for OU are not unreasonable amounts, considering what the rumored projects are.

OU's football stadium is almost 90 years old.... 
There are parts of it that are in very serious need of modernization.

----------


## BoulderSooner

100 of that 125 was spend over a decade ago.  The rest is going on 5 years       I expect the west side to be completely re done

----------


## SoonerDave

> Was one of them Dean Blevins??  
> 
> Just hard to imagine how they would spend that much.  OSU did their entire stadium re-do with the locker rooms and weight facility for $260 million, and they were starting with almost nothing.
> 
> And, we just spent $125 million.


Complete upper west side demo would ramp the cost up really, really fast, I bet. Can't believe they'd really do that.

----------


## OKVision4U

> The demand, waiting list for season tickets probably increased a few thousand--especially after the Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.  
> 
> *Stadium renovations, upgrades & expansion:*
> Dean Blevins' talking points:
> 
> Oklahoma Sooners Football | $350M+ Stadium Expansion Confirmed - Crimson And Cream Machine
> 
> There are plans to do a modest expansion (increase from 82,000 to 88,000) along with a facilities upgrade which includes the press box.
> 
> ...


This is exactly what I was recommending.  I'm looking forward to the Ruth Chris Steak House and the Billy Sims BBQ in the new Fanzone too.

----------


## Pete

> 100 of that 125 was spend over a decade ago.  The rest is going on 5 years       I expect the west side to be completely re done


I hope that's true and they make it a mirror of the east side, just with a pressbox.

If they are planning to spend $300 mil on football, $500 mil total on athletics, I bet they are planning a huge academic push as well.

It's the right time to do it as the economy and oil & gas business are booming, and people are feeling good about the direction of the money sports (football & basketball).

----------


## ou48A

Across the board so many of OU's doantions are OIL & NG based.

With Oil and NG being a boom and bust industry, times are good now, but if OU waits too long they risk the bust side of the industry.

Its happened before at OU with the Sarkeys Energy Center building that was conceived during a boom but built in the bust....
 It lead to significant funding problems.

OU officials should have learned this lesson and should know they need to strike while the iron is hot, as in ASAP. 

OU should start its public fundraising tomorrow, even if there are still things that haven't been fully decided.

----------


## Cid

I realize the graphic is a fantasy.

That said, upping the capacity by only 6,000 while "bowling in" the south end zone means that all they are doing is spanning lower bowl portion.  That means the bowl would be the lower sections only, with the structures of the upper decks and press box unextended.

----------


## ou48A

Among other things reported on KREF is that OU might put chair back seating in all or in parts of the stadium.
 This would lower the number of seats available without some type of expansion.

At least that  400 pound guy on my row wouldn't  be able to take up 3 seats!

----------


## Snowman

> I realize the graphic is a fantasy.
> 
> That said, upping the capacity by only 6,000 while "bowling in" the south end zone means that all they are doing is spanning lower bowl portion.  That means the bowl would be the lower sections only, with the structures of the upper decks and press box unextended.


I am not sure about college but in pros they do not count suits & press boxes in the attendance figures, though that distinction with suits is due to how the pros do revenue sharing so their might not be any reason not to include that in the count.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> I realize the graphic is a fantasy.
> 
> That said, upping the capacity by only 6,000 while "bowling in" the south end zone means that all they are doing is spanning lower bowl portion.  That means the bowl would be the lower sections only, with the structures of the upper decks and press box unextended.


The add will be over 8k seat bringing official cappiciaty to over 90k

----------


## Plutonic Panda

It would be nice if they just rebuilt it across the street attached to a parking garage and try and ramp up a mid-rise residential tower where the stadium currently is.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Among other things reported on KREF is that OU might put chair back seating in all or in parts of the stadium.
>  This would lower the number of seats available without some type of expansion.
> 
> At least that  400 pound guy on my row wouldn't  be able to take up 3 seats!


Now they'd better tread pretty darned carefully if they do that. Those bench-oriented rows don't exactly have tons of front-to-back leg room for taller guys that DON'T weight 400 lbs. Put in those chairbacks and you'll cut that room even further. Now I could see how they might opt to put in chairbacks in certain areas - think the seating in the existing west upper deck is slightly steeper meaning the closer chairs wouldn't be quite as confining.

Like I said, they just  need to get on with publishing the info and getting past all the speculation.

----------


## SoonerDave

> The add will be over 8k seat bringing official cappiciaty to over 90k


Boulder, a revised story on News9 said the final capacity (at least from what Deano is reporting  :Smile:  ) will be right at 88K, so the actual seat delta will only be about 6K. Given that the max crowd at OMS was the ND game in 2012 at 86K, that would bring the "unofficial" capacity up to around 92K.

----------


## BoulderSooner

I will stand by 90k

----------


## Cid

> I will stand by 90k


I don't think 88k vs 90k (increase of 6k or 8k) makes much difference in what the actual changes are going to be.  That is less than a 10% increase in capacity.  Imagine the stadium as it is now.  Take a 10% slice of the seating.  Now figure out how much that adds in new structure to the stadium.  It isn't much.  Probably just enough to fill in the lower bowl and that's about it.

----------


## OKCDrummer77

This is something I've been wondering,  having only been to a handful of games: why is the capacity "only" 82,112 if actual attendance is 84-85K?  Where do the additional 2-3K fans go?  Since the stadium is obviously capable of holding over 86K people,  I'm left wondering where the 82,112 number comes from. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

----------


## ou48A

Update On Oklahoma Football Stadium Expansion - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

......NORMAN, Oklahoma - The University of Oklahoma is moving ahead with its plans to renovate Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. As we first reported, the most noticeable of many changes will be a south end zone that will be completely bowled in. Other phases of construction will produce new and upgrade some existing facilities as the completion of the long-talked-about bowl is but one aspect of a project that is expected to begin after the 2014 season and cost in the neighborhood of $350 million dollars.

.....One high-ranking person with direct knowledge put it this way: "*It's coming. And it's gonna be big time*. It's just a matter of dotting the i's and crossing the t's and getting the politics out of the way."

While tedious and lengthy discussions will no doubt take place, no less than seven sources have confirmed that getting official approval will be nothing more than a formality.

----------


## Pete

^

Thanks for sharing that.


But... It still doesn't tell us anything.  In fact it contradicts what Blevins previously reported regarding the Regents approving a specific set of improvements.  Now he's saying it just a plan, and something about not having enough people to approve that.  That last part makes zero sense as 1)there is nothing about this on the Regents' agenda and 2)they wouldn't be meeting without a quorum because they can't approve anything or conduct official business.

He also makes reference to phases which contradicts the idea this would all be done in one off-season (which never made sense to me).

----------


## ou48A

Dean may not be the best source for information but right now besides KREF he is about the only place where this is discussed by the local sports media... A big part of that comes from a poor marketing campaign from OU and I think that’s a mistake.

Even though Dean contradicts him self from his previous announcement I take it that this latest release is more accurate than his first?

I think it makes more sense to do these projects in phases but this contradicts what I was personally told by an OU official just a few days ago when I was told that it would all be done in one off season.

----------


## Pete

I simply don't think Dean knows much more than you or I or anyone who has listened to Joe Castiglione and paid much attention to what is going on.

In fact, he knows a lot less when it comes to understanding how the OU Board of Regents work.


He still hasn't really told us anything...  They are in the planning phase of big stadium upgrades, but he's not sure exactly what they are or when they'll happen.  But it will be expensive!

----------


## SoonerDave

> This is something I've been wondering,  having only been to a handful of games: why is the capacity "only" 82,112 if actual attendance is 84-85K?  Where do the additional 2-3K fans go?  Since the stadium is obviously capable of holding over 86K people,  I'm left wondering where the 82,112 number comes from. 
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk


There's an "architectural" or "rated" capacity or official, fire marshall purposes, then there's the "overflow" crowd that comes in for the amenities in the lounge areas on the east and west sides. I'm not even sure a ticket for those areas necessarily corresponds to a hard physical seat. That number obviously varies from game to game, hence the oddball attendance numbers.

----------


## SoonerDave

> ^
> 
> Thanks for sharing that.
> 
> 
> But... It still doesn't tell us anything.  In fact it contradicts what Blevins previously reported regarding the Regents approving a specific set of improvements.  Now he's saying it just a plan, and something about not having enough people to approve that.  That last part makes zero sense as 1)there is nothing about this on the Regents' agenda and 2)they wouldn't be meeting without a quorum because they can't approve anything or conduct official business.
> 
> He also makes reference to phases which contradicts the idea this would all be done in one off-season (which never made sense to me).


Think Deano's story is a carefully worded backtrack from his "EXCLUSIVE - THEY'RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE!!!" proclamation from the other day.

----------


## Pete

Anyway, I really look forward to seeing the plans for the stadium, Loyd Noble and beyond.

Sounds like they are gearing up for a huge fund-raising effort which would no doubt have a big academic component as well.

----------


## ou48A

https://twitter.com/john_shinn

John Shinn ‏@john_shinn   2h  
#OU President David Boren: "I think people can begin to get excited about potential changes to the stadium in the future."

----------


## SoonerDave

> https://twitter.com/john_shinn
> 
> John Shinn ‏@john_shinn   2h  
> #OU President David Boren: "I think people can begin to get excited about potential changes to the stadium* in the future*."


Unless he's been talking to ol' Doc Brown, it'd be pretty hard to do changes in the past.

----------


## Laramie

In the link below:  These plans don't show any indication that the west upper deck is going to be demolished.  The press box will probably be rebuilt underneath the west side upper deck; bowling in the south end zone--an increase of 6,000 seats.

*Facing south end zone*East side upper deck   West side upper deck
"There is a plan to build a new press box that would deliver a modern and expansive facility stretching below the west side upper deck."

Update On Oklahoma Football Stadium Expansion - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## jn1780

Seems extremely difficult to rebuild the pressbox *Below* the upperdeck.  

I would have to think construction would take place in phases with a bowl expansion the first and easiest phase.

----------


## ou48A

Click for full article

http://www.normantranscript.com/head...Regents-agenda

 Boren said stadium could be on next Regents agenda 

 By John Shinn The Norman Transcript The Norman Transcript Fri May 09, 2014, 01:57 AM CDT 
 NORMAN — There were no agenda items pertaining to Owen Field at the University of Oklahoma’s Board of Regents meeting at Oklahoma Memorial Union on Thursday. However, that is likely to change when the group reconvenes next month.

----------


## Pete

^

Sounds like we'll get a look at the full plans in a couple of months.

Will be really interesting to see what they've come up with.

----------


## ou48A

@Eddie_Rado 31m
 Castiglione: "I'm not here tonight to make an announcement on LNC or football stadium but we are on the threshold of announcing those plans"

 @Eddie_Rado 31m
 Castiglione says facility improvement will: 1.) improve the experience for college student-athletes 2.) improve experience for you the fan

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## ou48A

"Joe Castiglione about football stadium upgrades before Tuesday’s Sooner Caravan event even began"

OU football: Joe Castiglione treads lightly in discussing football stadium renovations during Sooner Caravan event | News OK

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## ou48A

OU Football Stadium*Expansion - Home - Boyd Street Magazine
June 12, 2014 at 3:40PM 
Rumors Swirling about Multi-Million Dollar Renovations
News broke earlier this May that Dean Blevins confirmed that a new project for the expansion of the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium was in the works and would be approved and announced at a future Board of Regents meeting.

Plans were projected to be anywhere between $350-400 million. The project would see an expansion of the seating on the south end of the stadium, as well as upgrades to the training facilities and weight room and updated suites and press box.  The project is rumored to begin after the last home game against OSU on Dec. 6, 2014, with the grand opening hopefully taking place in time for the home opener against Akron the year following.  The bowl being created in the south end zone should create anywhere from 8,000-10,000 more seats, and with the waiting list for season tickets growing each year, the OU Athletic Department is sure to fill every single one up.

I was able to get an insider view into the Populous architectural renderings for the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium expansion project. Populous is responsible for such sports venues as Sun Life Stadium for the Miami Dolphins in 1987, which was the first venue to feature club seating, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which won the American Institute of Architects National Honor Awards for both urban design and architecture, just to name a couple. Their work is tremendous, and their list of achievements is honestly too long for this article.

I received a packet from a trusted source who had access to the stadium expansion project. That packet contained four proposed exteriors for the south end expansion of the stadium. In each, the bowl on the south end is closed up, and an entrance to the stadium has been added that spills out into an oval driveway that connects to Lindsey Street. The new entrance and roundabout, lets call it, effectively eats up some of the practice field located on the corner of Jenkins and Lindsey, but all of the architectural renderings feature two practice fields running north and south to the west of the new south entrance.

The bowl addition looks to be the same height as the north end, with the current south end zone section remaining essentially the same, rising up above the entrance. The four proposals were broken up into two basic groups: two renderings featuring water fountains in the south entrance, along with extensive brick and rock features, and two renderings without fountains, featuring exteriors made up mostly of windows.

The proposal that my source described as having the most potential to pass the upcoming vote featured the roundabout coming off of Lindsey Street, just before Jenkins, that winds in a circle around a massive water fountain out front. On both sides of the south entrance, trees line the sidewalks as a natural barrier to the practice fields on the left, and the green space on the right. Moving north from the fountain is an outdoor entranceway much like the north entrance, with a big concrete gathering area, featuring another smaller water feature. The entrance itself is similar to the stone and brickwork currently on the stadium, and features large glass windows and doors. The bowl sections to the left and right appear to feature suites with large panes of glass and contain a similar amount of seating as the north end zone.

OU boasts one of the best home crowds in all of college football, and diehards are looking for ways to get season tickets. If this Populous deal goes through, they just might get their shot. Consider adding your name to the waiting list before the announcement becomes official!

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## BoulderSooner

Like

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## ou48A

I generally like the sounds of it…. 
We should soon have our answers to the much discussed and anticipated OU football stadium, LNC changes…. + more
The OU BOR meets early next week… but their agenda will be posted somewhere on line late this week?

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## venture

Well Boren said he wanted a roundabout at Jenkins and Lindsey, sounds like it was something that was expected to be incorporated into the stadium renovation plans so he put it out there when they were talking about the Lindsey St plans. Look forward to the renderings.

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## warreng88

> I received a packet from a trusted source who had access to the stadium expansion project. That packet contained four proposed exteriors for the south end expansion of the stadium. *In each, the bowl on the south end is closed up, and an entrance to the stadium has been added that spills out into an oval driveway that connects to Lindsey Street. The new entrance and roundabout, let’s call it, effectively eats up some of the practice field located on the corner of Jenkins and Lindsey, but all of the architectural renderings feature two practice fields running north and south to the west of the new south entrance.*


This part confuses me a little. It says it effectively eats up "some" of the practice field but if it goes straight south in the middle of the south side of the stadium, it effectively eats up at least half of the practice field. 




> The bowl addition looks to be the same height as the north end, with the current south end zone section remaining essentially the same, rising up above the entrance. The four proposals were broken up into two basic groups: two renderings featuring water fountains in the south entrance, along with extensive brick and rock features, and two renderings without fountains, featuring exteriors made up mostly of windows.


If they are going to bowl it in and it will be the same height as the north side, wouldn't that eat up a lot of the practice fields on the corner of Lindsey and Asp too?




> The proposal that my source described as having the most potential to pass the upcoming vote featured the roundabout coming off of Lindsey Street, just before Jenkins, that winds in a circle around a massive water fountain out front. On both sides of the south entrance, trees line the sidewalks as a natural barrier to the practice fields on the left, and the green space on the right. Moving north from the fountain is an outdoor entranceway much like the north entrance, with a big concrete gathering area, featuring another smaller water feature. The entrance itself is similar to the stone and brickwork currently on the stadium, and features large glass windows and doors. The bowl sections to the left and right appear to feature suites with large panes of glass and contain a similar amount of seating as the north end zone.


Will this entrance be built around the Switzer Center or will that be effectively relocated? Maybe the entrance just leads up to the building and then around it? I guess we will have to wait on the renderings.

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## HangryHippo

> Will this entrance be built around the Switzer Center or will that be effectively relocated? Maybe the entrance just leads up to the building and then around it? I guess we will have to wait on the renderings.


I always thought the best plan for the south end zone would include relocating the Switzer Center across Jenkins to the corner where the old athletic dorms are located.  You could use it as the base for a larger development on that site or it would even do well by itself there.

Also, I really think OU should relocate the practice fields away from right around the stadium along with the track and field facilities and the Everest indoor.  I think it was a mistake to build/renovate those facilities there.  I think it would have been smarter to build them on the south side of campus near the rest of the athletic fields and facilities and have it as a sort of athletic village at the south end of campus.  I understand it would be a longer trek for football and track, but it would be easier to attend for visitors if it was near the LNC and that opens up a lot of prime land right next to campus for higher use.

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## ljbab728

This seems to conflict with other reports of an increase in capacity of 8,00 to 10,000 more seats but I guess we will find out fairly soon.

OU stadium renovations on the Board of Regents agenda next week | News OK




> Renovations aren’t expected to stretch the capacity of the stadium much beyond its current capacity of 82,112. The plan is likely to include new suites on the stadium’s west side, a new press box and additional chairback seating.

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## ou48A

Lots of ideas have been considered according to Joe C…..Including a large stadium expansion. 

I don’t think OU has really known what it wanted until very recently... The study’s and fan surveys that were done helped OU develop a plan but the plans are probably still subject to some change?
It’s probably not going to be until the September 17/18 BOR meetings in Claremore before we officially find out many of the details?

“The specific projects will require additional approval by the board.”
“The board will likely be asked in its September meeting to approve a recommendation for a construction management firm.”

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## Pete

They want to start at the end of this season, so I suspect they have several variations on some specific concepts and the only thing left to do is to make some decisions about what precise path to take.

Then, the architecture firm will finish up the final design drawings and get things out to bid so they can start in December.

So, whether we see it or not for a while, they must have a pretty clear idea about what they are going to do.

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## David

$350-400 million for the proposed renovations? Am I the only person who looks at that number, looks at what it is going to be used for, and wonders about all the other things you could do with a sack of money that size?

We're letting OG&E tear down the Stage Center because nobody with the appropriately deep pockets was willing to step up and drop not even a tenth of that amount to save it. It boggles my mind just a little.

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## Pete

^

Yeah, it's a bit messed up in terms of priorities.  I understand the need to have certain facilities like weight rooms and practice fields but so much of this goes far beyond that.

But it's the system in which OU and OSU have to compete against everyone else.  They are all trying to cater to a bunch of 17 year-old recruits and they love the flashy over-the-top stuff.

However, at least the athletic department at OU is self-funded.  Yes, the millions they raise could go to academics instead but the truth is that academic donations go up dramatically when the sports teams do well, so I try not to worry too much about this stuff.

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## ou48A

YEP................Great football and profitable oil = a lot more money for OU's academics and causes.

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## Pete

Also, in the Boren era they've always done a good job of balancing the athletic and academic fundraising.

They just wrapped up a big academic campaign (over a billion in capital improvements and the endowment is now well north of a billion) so now they will turn to the athletics for a couple of years.

I bet you anything that will be followed by huge push for academic programs.

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## Laramie

> Also, in the Boren era they've always done a good job of balancing the athletic and academic fundraising.
> 
> They just wrapped up a big academic campaign (over a billion in capital improvements and the endowment is now well north of a billion) so now they will turn to the athletics for a couple of years.
> 
> I bet you anything that will be followed by huge push for academic programs.


*Academic progress will make us attractive for any conference.*

Much will hinge on the team's performance in 2014-15 because this influences your donors, strengthens your season ticket base and prompts up quality recruits.  In 2013-14 we operated at 103% of capacity (A-84,800/C-82,112) with 10,000 on the waiting list.   There are probably several alternative plans on the shelf.

Who knows, could we eventually see a 100,000-seat stadium before 2020?  A two phrase stadium renovation-expansion where the south end zone is enclosed in 2015 and the upper deck connect from south or north as a part of a second phrase in 2016. 

  
Phase I 2015, south end connect_Phase II  2016-18, upper deck connect

* "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

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## traxx

As I've said before in this thread, I think a 100K stadium would be a BIG mistake. There's other 100+K stadiums that are currently having trouble filling their seats. Michigan being one. The waiting list we like to brag about is actually a waiting list of people who don't wanna donate. If you pony up the money, you move to the front of the season ticket holder waiting list. I think bowling in the south EZ is as much as we need to do as far as adding seats. You always want more demand than you can handle. You have to have some people who can't get in. But if you go down to Norman on a Saturday in the fall, you should be able to find tickets pretty easily and a lot of times it'll be below face value.

As far as academics are concerned, OU is one of the few football programs that operates in the black. Some of the money that our athletics deparmtent makes goes back into the university in places other than athletics. And some of that goes to help fund academics.

As you'll notice here: USA Today | Sports | COLLEGE

Texas, tOSU, OU, LSU and Nebbish are the only schools that operate in the black with no subsidy.

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## dankrutka

> As I've said before in this thread, I think a 100K stadium would be a BIG mistake. There's other 100+K stadiums that are currently having trouble filling their seats. Michigan being one. The waiting list we like to brag about is actually a waiting list of people who don't wanna donate. If you pony up the money, you move to the front of the season ticket holder waiting list. I think bowling in the south EZ is as much as we need to do as far as adding seats. You always want more demand than you can handle. You have to have some people who can't get in. But if you go down to Norman on a Saturday in the fall, you should be able to find tickets pretty easily and a lot of times it'll be below face value.


I agree 100%. I wouldn't mind a small - maybe 4,000-8,000 seat - expansion, but not much more. I get $80-90 face value tickets to almost every game on the street for between $0 (yes, I've been handed free tickets numerous times) and $30. I pay $20 for a ticket most games. The only recent game that I paid more than $30 for a ticket was the Notre Dame game in 2012. I actually paid just over face value for a couple (just under $200). A full stadium is definitely better than a big stadium with empty seats. And I think the waiting list is definitely inflated. I'm really looking forward to the renovations. It sounds like they have the right idea.

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## ou48A

I was at the OU athletic ticket office a few weeks ago where I saw a sign indicating that OU had season tickets for sale with a donation…. Join the Sooner club for $100 a year and you have your tickets in hand from OU…But it’s very easy to score a ticket for well under face value at OU for about 99% of all home games…. 

All you need is to be paying attention.
As much as it would be nice to have a 100,000+ seat stadium that’s just not going to happen for many years for a combination of several reasons and Joe C has indicated as much.

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## SOONER8693

> YEP................Great football and profitable oil = a lot more money for OU's academics and causes.


Preach it brother.

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## David

> As I've said before in this thread, I think a 100K stadium would be a BIG mistake. There's other 100+K stadiums that are currently having trouble filling their seats. Michigan being one. The waiting list we like to brag about is actually a waiting list of people who don't wanna donate. If you pony up the money, you move to the front of the season ticket holder waiting list. I think bowling in the south EZ is as much as we need to do as far as adding seats. You always want more demand than you can handle. You have to have some people who can't get in. But if you go down to Norman on a Saturday in the fall, you should be able to find tickets pretty easily and a lot of times it'll be below face value.
> 
> As far as academics are concerned, OU is one of the few football programs that operates in the black. Some of the money that our athletics deparmtent makes goes back into the university in places other than athletics. And some of that goes to help fund academics.
> 
> As you'll notice here: USA Today | Sports | COLLEGE
> 
> Texas, tOSU, OU, LSU and Nebbish are the only schools that operate in the black with no subsidy.


I had to look at that chart and bust out a calculator for a bit before I really understood it, but even then I kind of have more questions.

Why does Michigan, a school with total revenue of $143,514,125, total expenses of $131,018,311, and a subsidy $255,832 even need the school funds for their program? And what do they do with the 12 million profit over their expenses? If more than the subsidy goes back into academics, then I would have to argue how the chart is presenting the data.

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## SoonerDave

> $350-400 million for the proposed renovations? Am I the only person who looks at that number, looks at what it is going to be used for, and wonders about all the other things you could do with a sack of money that size?
> 
> We're letting OG&E tear down the Stage Center because nobody with the appropriately deep pockets was willing to step up and drop not even a tenth of that amount to save it. It boggles my mind just a little.


Well, because in the course of one season you've got more people going through OMS than I'd wager have been through Stage Center _in its entire existence._

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## SoonerDave

> This seems to conflict with other reports of an increase in capacity of 8,00 to 10,000 more seats but I guess we will find out fairly soon.
> 
> OU stadium renovations on the Board of Regents agenda next week | News OK


The one thing I *never* expected was a large increase in capacity. You've got places right now that have gone up to 100K, but are starting to look at the cost/reward and thinking more in terms of internal amenities, eg training facilities, meeting rooms, you name it. With people staying home more and more to watch their games on their Big Screens, there's an emerging hesitation to jump to the next big increment. I'd be surprised if we saw even a 5K increase, if that much.

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## SoonerDave

> I agree 100%. I wouldn't mind a small - maybe 4,000-8,000 seat - expansion, but not much more. I get $80-90 face value tickets to almost every game on the street for between $0 (yes, I've been handed free tickets numerous times) and $30. I pay $20 for a ticket most games. The only recent game that I paid more than $30 for a ticket was the Notre Dame game in 2012. I actually paid just over face value for a couple (just under $200). A full stadium is definitely better than a big stadium with empty seats. And I think the waiting list is definitely inflated. I'm really looking forward to the renovations. It sounds like they have the right idea.


DING DING DING!!! We have a winner. The market for season tickets isn't nearly as tough as some would lead one to believe, and while I realize the waiting list is "real," the mythos behind it has grown to Urban Legend proportions.

I've been doing what you've just described to go to OU games essentially since I graduated. 

In that time, I've paid over face value exactly twice: 2000 Nebraska, and 2007 Miami. The latter was only because I needed to get four together for a friend who was coming in out of town with his wife for a game, and I wanted to show him around the campus area at least a bit, rather than traipsing sidewalks looking for tickets. 

The practical reality for endzone seats is that to fund them, you're going to have to give those donors at least some measure of reward, which  means better seating options. What are you going to do - shove folks out of good seats *now* into the new, worse seats? Seats you could have from any of a dozen folks for less than half face in most cases? 

I suspect the $350M is going to some structure and seats, but it sounds to me like the interior amenities are where the $$$ are going to go.

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## Snowman

> DING DING DING!!! We have a winner. The market for season tickets isn't nearly as tough as some would lead one to believe, and while I realize the waiting list is "real," the mythos behind it has grown to Urban Legend proportions.
> 
> I've been doing what you've just described to go to OU games essentially since I graduated. 
> 
> In that time, I've paid over face value exactly twice: 2000 Nebraska, and 2007 Miami. The latter was only because I needed to get four together for a friend who was coming in out of town with his wife for a game, and I wanted to show him around the campus area at least a bit, rather than traipsing sidewalks looking for tickets. 
> 
> The practical reality for endzone seats is that to fund them, you're going to have to give those donors at least some measure of reward, which  means better seating options. What are you going to do - shove folks out of good seats *now* into the new, worse seats? Seats you could have from any of a dozen folks for less than half face in most cases? 
> 
> I suspect the $350M is going to some structure and seats, but it sounds to me like the interior amenities are where the $$$ are going to go.


The only way I see new corner end zone seats having much profitability is if the new corners become the lower level student section, opening the current lower level sections to be sold to donors.

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## SoonerDave

> The only way I see new corner end zone seats having much profitability is if the new corners become the lower level student section, opening the current lower level sections to be sold to donors.


Have wondered about that myself given the obviously waning student attendance over the last few years. Think more and more folks paying full price are getting peeved at the student seats that are increasingly unoccupied..

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## ou48A

I heard more people than ever before last season complaining about the unoccupied student sections.

Instead of spending the extra millions to expand the stadium and driving up ticket and donor cost just that much more, OU should significantly shrink the student allotment to the average student attendance amount which is said to be much smaller than the student allotment.

Not only do many students not show up, of those who do, many leave after only a short time when many games are still close. 
There are very often thousands of empty student seats by the middle of the third quarter on. 

This is just one more reason not to make a major stadium expansion.

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## ou48A

The OU stadium projects cost total will be $380 to $400 million.
OU will build a new press box.
The Switzer center will be redone and it will include a party deck…? per Hale.

But we should hear more in the next day or 2

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## BoulderSooner

From another site.  

Owen Field Renovation MegaThread: Blevins Report Pg. 12 - Page 27

Looks like new west complex built around the existing deck. And a new south end zone including bowling the corners. 

Official news should come out tonight or tomorrow

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## Pete

$450 million!

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## Dustin

> From another site.  
> 
> Owen Field Renovation MegaThread: Blevins Report Pg. 12 - Page 27
> 
> Looks like new west complex built around the existing deck. And a new south end zone including bowling the corners. 
> 
> Official news should come out tonight or tomorrow


Those renderings are a picture of a picture, so it's kind of hard to appreciate them.

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## BoulderSooner

> Boulder, a revised story on News9 said the final capacity (at least from what Deano is reporting  ) will be right at 88K, so the actual seat delta will only be about 6K. Given that the max crowd at OMS was the ND game in 2012 at 86K, that would bring the "unofficial" capacity up to around 92K.


Looks like this might have been spot on.     Looks like I was incorrect

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## BG918

If those renderings are correct, where will the practice fields go if there is a circle drive right through them?  Otherwise it looks about what I imagined it would, and will be a major project on the OU campus.

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## Pete

There are actually 3 practice fields immediately south of the stadium.

Looks like they can easily retain 2.

Love the way they opened up the south end of the stadium with a lawn and water feature.  Now, that area is completely fenced off.

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## BG918

The bowled-in endzone will take out some of one of the two remaining practice fields but maybe that doesn't matter, or that will be a half field.  Or they could shift the fields east-west and they might fit.  Definitely pleasantly surprised that the south area will be opened up similar to what they have done on the north side.  What would then go on the land between this oval and Jenkins?  Would be a good spot for a future alumni center, something like what OSU and UT have near their stadiums.  It would front the oval as well as Jenkins and Lindsey, and could be directly connected to the enlarged Barry Switzer Center.  They could even move the Hall of Fame and other exhibits into this building so the public could have access on gamedays.


Red - Stadium Expansion
Yellow - New Circle Drive
Blue - Expanded Switzer Center
Orange - Future Alumni Center with Hall of Fame
Green - Future Student Housing

OSU Alumni Center

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## BoulderSooner

Keep in mind that the football facility's will most likely include all the space(other that  the concourse) under the new corners

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## Pete

> The bowled-in endzone will take out some of one of the two remaining practice fields but maybe that doesn't matter, or that will be a half field.  Or they could shift the fields east-west and they might fit.  Definitely pleasantly surprised that the south area will be opened up similar to what they have done on the north side.  What would then go on the land between this oval and Jenkins?  Would be a good spot for a future alumni center, something like what OSU and UT have near their stadiums.  It would front the oval as well as Jenkins and Lindsey, and could be directly connected to the enlarged Barry Switzer Center.  They could even move the Hall of Fame and other exhibits into this building so the public could have access on gamedays.
> 
> 
> Red - Stadium Expansion
> Yellow - New Circle Drive
> Blue - Expanded Switzer Center
> Orange - Future Alumni Center with Hall of Fame
> Green - Future Student Housing
> 
> OSU Alumni Center


Thanks for this.

I wonder if they are planning to trash the existing south stands because they are at a different pitch than the rest of the stadium.  Plus, you'd think they'd add more suites there and of course they have to completely rework the weight room, Switzer Center, etc. so they may just take the stands down completely and rebuild them.  Wouldn't be a huge expense in the grand scheme of things.

I can't believe they are planning to spend $400 million + just for the stadium.  Will be interesting to see what they do with the older parts; the concession stands, restrooms, etc.  At that price, they must have lots of other things planned.

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## ou48A

Much of OU’s stadium was built almost 90 years ago. Those parts of the stadium are long overdue for a major overhaul.

The $400 million dollars is in part an indication of how far behind the curve OU let its stadium become. This is something that OU has really needed for well over a decade…

From what I hear Boren was at first very resistant to the idea of anything on this scale but slowly came around to the fact that OU was being left behind, even in his own state and only became convinced that this was necessary after some pretty strong convincing words from some of OU’s large donor base.  I’m told Boren can be very out of touch and behind the times on certain topics,,,,, apparently this was one of them.
Some of the earlier talk coming from journalist covering OU about the $400 million dollar improvements was scoffed at by some, but right now it sure looks like they had that figure pretty close to right.

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## boitoirich

I appreciate Boren and his leadership. You won't hear a negative word out of me about the improvement to the school and the stewardship of the football program. But yes, the stadium's facilities are in need of an overall and right now. 

I can only compare OU to Oregon, because when I think of OU, I think of a program expecting the very best. Right now, Oregon has the very best of everything. Oklahoma has... history. Hey, that goes far. It convinces Adrian Peterson's that they can be successful here. But now the SEC is a beast, Texas, Baylor, and OSU are weOll-armed, and OU's reputation as a national power has waned, bowl victory against Bama notwithstanding. 

I have looked at Oregon's facilities and thought it out of place --- those belong at Oklahoma. Why we do not have them, I do not know. They have one massive donor. Whatever Nike has done, we are more than willing to outdo together. That's just the reality of how much OU football is an institution without peer (other than Notre Dame and Alabama).

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## dankrutka

Long term, the practice fields should be moved elsewhere. That's too good of a location not to build future academic buildings, dorms, a university hotel, or something that will fit in with the campus. That would also make Lindsey much more walkable (in the sense that people would want to walk it). 

I could see moving the practice fields where the parking lot north of the track complex and east of stadium. They'd obviously need to add a parking garage there to make up for the loss of parking.

I like everything I'm hearing about the improvements. Sounds like they got it right to me.

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## Pete

> I can only compare OU to Oregon, because when I think of OU, I think of a program expecting the very best. Right now, Oregon has the very best of everything.


Just so you know, Oregon's stadium does not come close to comparing to OU's, even in it's current state.

Most the stadium is just a bowl built into the ground, which means you enter/exit from the top; limited concessions and restrooms.

They tacked on a nice upper deck with some suites and a press box, but it's a bit of a monstrosity.


The do have nice facilities but their stadium is nothing special -- something everyone seems to overlook.

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## DoctorTaco

> Just so you know, Oregon's stadium does not come close to comparing to OU's, even in it's current state.
> 
> Most the stadium is just a bowl built into the ground, which means you enter/exit from the top; limited concessions and restrooms.
> 
> They tacked on a nice upper deck with some suites and a press box, but it's a bit of a monstrosity.
> 
> 
> The do have nice facilities but their stadium is nothing special -- something everyone seems to overlook.


Autzen stadium's main upside is that it is extremely loud, because of the bowl design. Otherwise it is not all that special, especially in contrast to Oregon's other athletic facilities. Also Oregon's stadium is rather small by college standards. I think it is up to 55,000 occupancy, much much less than OU.

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## Pete

One of the best and most unique features about OU's stadium is that it is actually on campus and relatively well integrated into it.

I've been to a lot of other college stadiums and most are like the one at Oregon, set completely apart and surrounded mainly by parking lots.

In Norman, they've done a great job on the north side to create an open, green space that bridges with the surrounding buildings and outdoor spaces.  Looks like they aim to do the same on the south side.

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## warreng88

So, did it say if there was going to be a complete rebuild of the Switzer center? It seems like that would be the only way they would be able to do the entrance coming from the south since it is right in the way.

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## BoulderSooner

> Long term, the practice fields should be moved elsewhere. That's too good of a location not to build future academic buildings, dorms, a university hotel, or something that will fit in with the campus. That would also make Lindsey much more walkable (in the sense that people would want to walk it). 
> 
> I could see moving the practice fields where the parking lot north of the track complex and east of stadium. They'd obviously need to add a parking garage there to make up for the loss of parking.
> 
> I like everything I'm hearing about the improvements. Sounds like they got it right to me.


I wouldn't count on the practice fields moving anytime soon.  The practice field location. Is a major plus for OU football

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## BoulderSooner

> Just so you know, Oregon's stadium does not come close to comparing to OU's, even in it's current state.
> 
> Most the stadium is just a bowl built into the ground, which means you enter/exit from the top; limited concessions and restrooms.
> 
> They tacked on a nice upper deck with some suites and a press box, but it's a bit of a monstrosity.
> 
> 
> The do have nice facilities but their stadium is nothing special -- something everyone seems to overlook.


The best thing about this expansion/renovation.  Is the massive upgrade to the football program facilities.

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## ou48A

YEP….. By keeping up with the Jones it should help OU recruit better.

But this has been a case of dereliction of duty on OU’s leadership for not consistently having across the board top 10 football facilities.
Our history shows that a great OU football program helps strengthen the entire university!

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## warreng88

It will be interesting to see how the funds are broken up. The most important part in my mind is the weight room and that is specifically for recruiting purposes. That is much higher on the list for recruits than more seats in the stadium, although both are positive. 

Oregon has a $69 million facility that includes locker rooms. USC's was $70 million. Ohio State spent $20 million on an upgrade. Auburn spent $16.5 million. Tennessee spent $42 million. I would bet OU's comes in around the $25-$30 million dollar mark depending on how much they are moving and what is being built as new. It could get closer to $50 million and that wouldn't surprise me.

----------


## Laramie

The mystery of the stadium renovation and modest expansion process is quite intriguing.  Stay tuned... 

Looks like a larger version of the 75,000-seat Cotton Bowl of the 1970s.


*Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium* 90,000?

*"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## dankrutka

> I wouldn't count on the practice fields moving anytime soon.  The practice field location. Is a major plus for OU football


Why do you think it would be that different if the practice fields were literally just across the street?

----------


## ou48A

In this day and age every single second of practice time is regulated by the NCAA making every moment more valuable than ever before….. Requiring players and staff to move around to different locations is a time waster.

OU sells its recruits on the idea that everything for football is in close proximity and compared to many other university’s it is…. OU then says to its recruits  that football is a bigger priority at OU and that’s why we have done things this way….for a very long time this has sold its self well in the minds of 17/18 year olds.

I have heard the OU coaches voice their opposition to moving the practices fields because of time factors. 

They may cut into some practice space but I will be shocked if OU doesn’t keep the ability to practice in their current locations.

----------


## Andrew4OU

> The mystery of the stadium renovation and modest expansion process is quite intriguing.  Stay tuned... 
> 
> Looks like a larger version of the 75,000-seat Cotton Bowl of the 1970s.
> 
> 
> *Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium* 90,000?
> 
> *"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*


Every time I see this picture floating around forums, I have to laugh because I actually created this image in about 20 seconds on Microsoft Paint about 10 or so years ago.

----------


## BoulderSooner

Keep in mind the leaked image is one of what is reported to be four plans.  

Regents meeting resumes at 10am tomorrow

----------


## SoonerDave

It does look to me in that one rendering that what would amount to a good chunk of current section 101 and 109 would be removed (at least half) , but what I didn't catch until I really studied that picture is that their adding a _third_ tier of seating just above the existing deck. And I'd be willing to bet a nickel that the top of that new section is spot-on level with the top-most section of the east side. 

This is a fun time. Great speculation. Looking forward to seeing some renderings of the "selected/real/official" version, particularly how they plan to bowl the corners.

----------


## HangryHippo

Very curious to see what the other three plans showed.  I thought they would add the press box lower on the west side to mirror the east side with suites on the ends.  We'll see soon enough I suppose.

----------


## Pete

You can do an awful lot with $400+ million.


Staring in 2003, OSU virtually built an entirely new stadium for $260 million and that included locker rooms, weight facility, etc.

Since that time, OU has put about $150 million into the stadium, including new locker rooms.

----------


## ou48A

OU football: Luxury suites, new weight room, fan amenities included in stadium renovation proposal | News OK

OU football: Luxury suites, new weight room, fan amenities included in stadium renovation proposal
Berry Tramel   Published: June 24, 2014  

A new weight room, coaches offices and fan amenities. Then a pressbox and luxury suites above the west-side upper deck. Eventually a new video screen for the north end to match the massive board on the south end

OU STADIUM — The proposed renovation plan for OU’s Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will be unveiled Wednesday in Ardmore. Plans will include a new pressbox, luxury suites and fan amenities, including a new video board on the stadium’s north side to match the one on the south.

The proposed renovation plan for OU’s Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will be unveiled to the university’s board of regents Wednesday in Ardmore, but the construction is contingent on athletic department fund-raising that will require the project be completed in three stages.

*Some OU donors for several years have pushed for improvements to the stadium, but sources say OU president David Boren has closely managed the progress of the plan because of the shaky nature of higher education funding and fund-raising in the state*. Boren does not want the project to affect the university’s ability to raise money for academic pursuits.

Boren and the regents are expected to require the athletic department to have the funding in place for the first phase to be approved sometime early next year. More than $100 million is needed for the renovation of the Switzer Center, with an expanded weight room and new coaches offices, plus fan amenities, which could include new bathrooms, concession areas, wider concourses and plaza areas for fans to gather. *The entire project is not expected to increase the current stadium capacity of 82,112,* which routinely is exceeded by a few thousand. In fact, it’s possible the capacity could decline, though the luxury suites are expected to generate more than enough revenue to offset any decline in total number of fans.

If approved, Switzer Center construction could begin at the end of the 2015 season, and sources say OU officials believe the bulk of the work would be completed for the opening of the 2016 season.

Texas “A&M is finishing their $400 million (stadium) deal,” said an OU booster who has been lobbying for the upgrades. “TCU’s stadium is better than JerryWorld. Baylor’s is going to be out of this world. You know what Oklahoma State did. Finally OU is joining the party, it looks like.

*“The frustrating thing, we’re behind in all these things*. We see what it did for Oklahoma State. Went from the bottom of the Big 12 to fighting for the top, just because of nice facilities. That’s what it’s all about in this day and time.”

The second phase — a massive edifice above the west upper deck — would start after completion of the Switzer Center, again, if the money is raised. That construction cost could exceed $200 million. The price tag on all three phases approaches $400 million.

“I think they’ll be able to get it done,” said the booster. “Nothing’s easy. The good part about it is, it looks like they’re going to get started. And you gotta look at the bright side.”

In his 20 years as OU’s president, Boren has been a master not only at fund-raising but at choosing the right times to fund raise. The same caution and control he has shown on the stadium project, he has shown on a variety of massive academic projects as well.

And both athletic director Joe Castiglione and football coach Bob Stoops have been respectful of that process. Stoops consistently has said he has everything he needs to win, though OU’s once-pristine weight room has fallen behind many others in the Big 12 and nationally in terms of size.

The weight room in the Switzer Center is used by virtually all the OU varsity teams, though the football has a smaller weightlifting facility in the Everest Indoor Training Center.

Earlier this month, when Stoops was asked if his team could use a football-only facility, he took the high road. “We have one,” Stoops said. “Our locker room, our entire area, is football only.”

But sources say Stoops has wanted, and been promised, a new weight room.

Boren apparently has decided the time is right for the launch of the project. Now it’s up to Castiglione’s fund-raising efforts, through the Boren parameters, to transform one of college football’s meccas.

----------


## ou48A

OU football: Details for proposed renovations to Gaylord Family-Memorial Stadium | News OK
by Berry Tramel   Published: June 24, 2014  
 Here is a look at the planned renovations to Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium:

PHASE ONE
* Switzer Center renovation, including new weight room, new coaches office and a grander entrance facing the south.
Fan amenities, including new bathroom and concession areas, plazas for fans to gather and *backs for the bleachers.*

PHASE TWO
* New luxury suites spanning the width of the west-side upper deck, to balance that on the east side.
* A new pressbox above the luxury suites.

PHASE THREE
* A video/scoreboard above the north grandstands to match the video board on the south, plus nominal changes to the seating.

----------


## dankrutka

This would be very disappointing if true IMHO. Bowling in the South End Zone is the part I was most excited about. Hopefully, this report isn't accurate.

----------


## BoulderSooner

There is little reason for a new grand south entrance unless they are bowling the south endzones

----------


## Pete

^

Notice he doesn't mention bowling in the south endzone.

Probably just an oversight.

----------


## Pete

Tramel is clearly just going off of what a booster or two told him.

I'm sure his account is far from comprehensive.

Should know much more details tomorrow.

----------


## Pete

Again, $400 million is a huge sum.

Baylor's entirely new stadium is only $260 million.

TCU's total redo was $164 million.  OSU's was $260 million.

----------


## CuatrodeMayo

> You can do an awful lot with $400+ million.
> 
> 
> Staring in 2003, OSU virtually built an entirely new stadium for $260 million and that included locker rooms, weight facility, etc.
> 
> Since that time, OU has put about $150 million into the stadium, including new locker rooms.


If you stop and think about it, we're spending hundreds of millions of dollars for buildings that get used for their intended purposes 6-7 times per year.

----------


## ou48A

Ticket demand is not as great as some think!
 We will find out tomorrow but expanding the stadium in the corners could still be done in the future and would be fairly cheap compared to the rest of this project.

----------


## Pete

> If you stop and think about it, we're spending hundreds of millions of dollars for buildings that get used for their intended purposes 6-7 times per year.


But result in hundreds of millions being returned to the university in donations for academic programs.

And at least in OU's case, the athletic costs are completely covered by dedicated donations and athletic department revenues.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> If you stop and think about it, we're spending hundreds of millions of dollars for buildings that get used for their intended purposes 6-7 times per year.


The football facility is used almost every day of the year

----------


## ou48A

> If you stop and think about it, we're spending hundreds of millions of dollars for buildings that get used for their intended purposes 6-7 times per year.


But they are actually used far more than that……. OU is smarter than that.
Much of it is used many days a year and it very easily pays for its self-many times over.

----------


## Pete

> The football facility is used almost every day of the year


Right, not only the weight / workout facilities but the coaches offices, the Switzer Center is open for tour and there is an academic center in the north endzone.  And now, the club level is used for all types of events.

When I was in school there in the early 80's, the architecture library was in the north EZ; I was a development fanboy even then, frequently going by to read the magazines and books.

And in fact, there were *racquetball courts* on the east side of the stadium and the only way to get to them was to crawl through a small hatch door.  Before Huston Huffman we even played intermurals on those courts.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> Right, not only the weight / workout facilities but the coaches offices, the Switzer Center is open for tour and there is an academic center in the north endzone.  And now, the club level is used for all types of events.
> 
> When I was in school there in the early 80's, the architecture library was in the north EZ; I was a development fanboy even then, frequently going by to read the magazines and books.
> 
> And in fact, there were *racquetball courts* on the east side of the stadium and the only way to get to them was to crawl through a small hatch door.  Before Huston Huffman we even played intermurals on those courts.


Racket ball courts are still there.  (At least  as of 08) Just covered up and not used

----------


## coov23

> ^
> 
> Notice he doesn't mention bowling in the south endzone.
> 
> Probably just an oversight.


It's not being bowled in.

----------


## coov23

> If you stop and think about it, we're spending hundreds of millions of dollars for buildings that get used for their intended purposes 6-7 times per year.


And how much money dies the university raise during those 7 home games? You're talking about 100's of millions. OU football and basketball are one of the main reasons that OU 's academics have grown in the last 20 years. A great athletic department means more out if state students, more donations and more exposure. The investment into the cash cow, that is OU football, is a very smart investment for the long term and broad spectrum of the university. Endowments go up as the universities athletics continue to succeed.

----------


## Pete

> It's not being bowled in.


How do you know this with certainty?

I guess we'll find out conclusively tomorrow.

----------


## Laramie

> This would be very disappointing if true IMHO. Bowling in the South End Zone is the part I was most excited about. Hopefully, this report isn't accurate.


*This is like having a wet dream on your honeymoon.* 

Disappointment is an understatement.   You're going to spend roughly $350 million and not at least bowl the south end zone?  Seating capacity will probably be reduced.  Someone please tell me that the fundraising figures' changed?

We're expecting to have a championship contender for the next two-three years.  This is a ticket scalper's paradise; they will be driving in from New Jersey and California to take advantage of this situation.

*"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## Dustin

> How do you know this with certainty?
> 
> I guess we'll find out conclusively tomorrow.


Not really certain but:

"sources have told ESPN.com that the project will aim to create better and more comfortable seating throughout the stadium, as opposed to substantially increasing its seating capacity of 82,000"

Schools aiming to improve fan amenities - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

----------


## OKCretro

Where will the new suites go? 

Hoping they don't get rid of the Santee lounge and the donor chair back seats right below it.

I don't think we need to add more regular seats. I actually think attendance overall will start going down out at sporting events in the next 15 years. I think more and more people are just preferring to stay home

----------


## BG918

How many more seats would bowling in the south endzone really add?  I don't think very many.  Unless this rendering is old, or false, it looks bowled-in to me:

----------


## Pete

I guess we'll know more after today's meeting of the regents.

In that image above, the top is clearly an architectural rendering, complete with labels.  The second one looks to be part of the same presentation, but that may have been just one of several concepts and could have been rejected.

The image of the west upper deck looks very much like what has been already described in the press so these do seem to be somewhat valid.

----------


## dankrutka

Just announced: The South End Zone will be bowled in. Design looks fantastic.

----------


## Pete

Wow!

----------


## Pete



----------


## warreng88

> Wow!


So, if I am seeing this correctly, they will be adding on to the north as well. Seems like the only area that will go untouched will be the east side.

----------


## warreng88

> Where will the new suites go? 
> 
> Hoping they don't get rid of the Santee lounge and the donor chair back seats right below it.
> 
> I don't think we need to add more regular seats. I actually think attendance overall will start going down out at sporting events in the next 15 years. I think more and more people are just preferring to stay home


Looks like there will be suites in the south endzone.

----------


## shavethewhales

Better than I had imagined. So the new suites are in the south end, new offices on the north end, and the whole west side is being essentially rebuilt. That's quite the rebuild; now I understand where the $450 million is going.

----------


## Pete



----------


## OKCretro

Looks like all the seats on the west side over the overhang will be gone as well as the santee lounge.

I don't like it. Some people need to sit in the shade, this has zero shade

----------


## Pete



----------


## warreng88

I would love to see more renderings for the weight room, players lounges, etc because that is where we are really going to wow recruits.

----------


## CuatrodeMayo

I like it.

----------


## SoonerDave

Looks to me like this is an *ingenious* design that wraps the new pressbox/suites/3rd tier around the *existing* upper deck. From what I can tell, I have to disagree with the idea that seats on the west deck overhang are being lost - it looks the same as it always has to me, with the upper structure "wrapped around" it. 

I love the south endzone design, too. This has rockstar quality written all over it. 

Let's start building today. 

 :Smile:

----------


## Richard at Remax

> Looks like all the seats on the west side over the overhang will be gone as well as the santee lounge.
> 
> I don't like it. Some people need to sit in the shade, this has zero shade


All the early season games are at night. Then first game back is OCT 18 against KState. Wont need the shade by then.
And in all honesty, if you are worried about if you are going to be in shade or not, should probably stay home and watch on TV with a cold one

----------


## Pete

[/center]

----------


## warreng88

The weight room was only 8,535? Going to just over 30,000 is great. It will be interesting to see what that goes in to.

----------


## Pete

> The weight room was only 8,535? Going to just over 30,000 is great. It will be interesting to see what that goes in to.


Remember, there is a separate one in the indoor practice facility that Roy Williams donated.

----------


## OKCretro

Is the middle section on the west side going to be club level tickets too?

----------


## venture

> This view shows how the west upper deck will look from the outside; an important perspective because it's the tallest structure on campus and can be seen from miles away:


Unless they are raising it up, I think Sarkeys is still technically taller since they didn't want athletics to appear more important than academics. Or some cheesy recruiting tag line like that. I think difference is only like a foot or something.  :Smile:

----------


## Pete

Here are high-quality images.  I'll delete the crappy ones I posted earlier:

----------


## David

Gotta admire the appearance of it. I wonder how it'll end up looking on the horizon from elsewhere in Norman.

----------


## soonerguru

This is completely awesome! Totally exceeds my fantasy expectations! Boomer!

----------


## Pete

I bet they raise the $370 million in no time flat.

Easy to get behind such a beautiful and needed project.

----------


## Pete

More:

----------


## BG918

Pretty impressive, it will be fun to watch this project rise starting after the 2015 season.  What will the new seating capacity be?  

The article mentions new food and concession stands.  I hope they look at local places to operate these, like Ray's or Van's BBQ, The Garage burgers, Tarahumara's Mexican, The Earth sandwiches/smoothies, etc.  More variety of food and drinks would be a major improvement and especially if they are mostly local would be unique to OU.

Is there a rendering showing the west side that faces campus?

----------


## FighttheGoodFight

> Pretty impressive, it will be fun to watch this project rise starting after the 2015 season.  What will the new seating capacity be?  
> 
> The article mentions new food and concession stands.  I hope they look at local places to operate these, like Ray's or Van's BBQ, The Garage burgers, Tarahumara's Mexican, The Earth sandwiches/smoothies, etc.  More variety of food and drinks would be a major improvement and especially if they are mostly local would be unique to OU.
> 
> Is there a rendering showing the west side that faces campus?


I don't think the concessions will change to local business renting spots.

----------


## Pete

I believe capacity is going to change very little.

Adding to the east deck, subtracting from the south end zone.

They are also saying the new video board atop the south EZ will be the largest in college football.

----------


## warreng88

I apologize if this offends any OSU fans on the board but OSU fans in my office are already talking about OU "catching up with OSU" by doing this. I guess I don't consider it catching up when OU has sold out every home football game for the entire Stoops tenure and OSU sells out one game a season. The weight room, players lounge area is only area where I think OU was really lacking and needed an upgrade to improve recruiting, but other than that, OU was not that far off of most of the other teams in the country. People have no idea what goes in to something like this, the time, money, politics, etc. Like it should have happened over night.

----------


## boitoirich

This is absolutely fabulous. It's surprising, in a good way, that OU went with quality over quantity. It seems that everyone wants a 90,000 or 100,000 seat stadium, but I'd prefer the way things are being done here. Brava Sooners!

----------


## Just the facts

Just tell them OU isn't catching up to OSU - it's passing OSU.  That should piss them off on the inside.  If you really want to get them going, tell them that OU is lapping them.

----------


## BoulderSooner

From the look I would bet that capacity goes up to 86k or so. With attendance close to 90.

----------


## Pete

One of the interesting things is that the big standards with the huge banks of lights in the four corners will be replaced with thin strips along the top of both upper decks.

I'm sure that's a function of new technology around LED/HID lighting and looks way more sleek.

----------


## Pete

> From the look I would bet that capacity goes up to 86k or so. With attendance close to 90.


They are adding concourses over both the north and south EZ's and I bet they sell a good number of standing room tickets when there is the demand.

----------


## FighttheGoodFight

> I apologize if this offends any OSU fans on the board but OSU fans in my office are already talking about OU "catching up with OSU" by doing this. I guess I don't consider it catching up when OU has sold out every home football game for the entire Stoops tenure and OSU sells out one game a season. The weight room, players lounge area is only area where I think OU was really lacking and needed an upgrade to improve recruiting, but other than that, OU was not that far off of most of the other teams in the country. People have no idea what goes in to something like this, the time, money, politics, etc. Like it should have happened over night.


People really care about this stuff?

It's just a football stadium. OU has a nice one and OSU has a nice one. I work for OU, went to OU and enjoy watching the games. Do I feel the need to say one or the other is "catching up" or inferior? I am happy we have two good teams in Oklahoma and it creates a fun rivalry. No reason for people to be nasty about a game they invest very little in.

----------


## Dustin

Wow!  This totally exceeded my expectations.  

Joe and Boren aren't idiots.  It is very smart to choose quality over quantity (seating capacity).

----------


## PhiAlpha

> People really care about this stuff?
> 
> It's just a football stadium. OU has a nice one and OSU has a nice one. I work for OU, went to OU and enjoy watching the games. Do I feel the need to say one or the other is "catching up" or inferior? I am happy we have two good teams in Oklahoma and it creates a fun rivalry. No reason for people to be nasty about a game they invest very little in.


Yes they do... You just answered your question for yourself, it's a rivalry in and outside of football. Now that OSU actually has some legs to stand on in it, both in facilities and athletic success outside sports that no one cares about, I fully expect there to be some good ribbing of one another on both sides. It's all in good fun until someone gets their balls ripped off at Henry Hudson's.

----------


## warreng88

> People really care about this stuff?
> 
> It's just a football stadium. OU has a nice one and OSU has a nice one. I work for OU, went to OU and enjoy watching the games. Do I feel the need to say one or the other is "catching up" or inferior? I am happy we have two good teams in Oklahoma and it creates a fun rivalry. No reason for people to be nasty about a game they invest very little in.


I know. The first thing I thought of when I saw the renderings is how cool this will be for the fans, recruits, students, etc and it will show that OU is willing to spend money on things while not necessarily increasing capacity. The first thing a few of my coworkers who are OSU fans said was, "$370 million?!?!? Guess they are just trying to get on par with OSU! Ha!" It blows me away...

----------


## PhiAlpha

> Just tell them OU isn't catching up to OSU - it's passing OSU.  That should piss them off on the inside.  If you really want to get them going, tell them that OU is lapping them.


But they do have 592 National Championships in Wrasslin!

----------


## SoonerDave

Interesting observation - for years we've heard and understood that the rake angle of the S. endzone was different from that of the rest of the stadium, but these renderings to me clearly show the structure all matched up - combined with the top of the south endzone now matching the rest of the stadium as well (where presently it is several rows taller). Question: Does this mean the current S. Endzone structure is going to get dozed or just heavily rebuilt?

(And on a totally unrelated aside - couldn't care less if someone things we're 'catching up' to anyone else. This is going to be one of the premier facilities in all of CFB. If someone thinks theirs is better, meh.)

----------


## OklahomaNick

Pretty bitter sweet.. Looks like our season tickets on the 70th row of the south end zone are going away!

----------


## warreng88

> Interesting observation - for years we've heard and understood that the rake angle of the S. endzone was different from that of the rest of the stadium, but these renderings to me clearly show the structure all matched up - combined with the top of the south endzone now matching the rest of the stadium as well (where presently it is several rows taller). *Question: Does this mean the current S. Endzone structure is going to get dozed or just heavily rebuilt?*
> (And on a totally unrelated aside - couldn't care less if someone things we're 'catching up' to anyone else. This is going to be one of the premier facilities in all of CFB. If someone thinks theirs is better, meh.)


That was my understanding along with rebuilding the Swtizer Center to the east and west instead of between the stadium and Lindsey.

----------


## Pete

I doubt they scrape the entire south EZ structure because they just spent a fortune on a new locker room.

I assume they will knock down most of it then add back on around the locker rooms and maybe some offices.

----------


## Will

> That was my understanding along with rebuilding the Swtizer Center to the east and west instead of between the stadium and Lindsey.


That's my understanding as well.  The current seating in the south endzone will be removed and a new structure will replace it.

----------


## BG918

> Looks like all the seats on the west side over the overhang will be gone as well as the santee lounge.
> 
> I don't like it. Some people need to sit in the shade, this has zero shade


I still see the overhang over the club seats by the Santee Lounge.

I think this ends up adding 6-8k seats.

----------


## Urbanized

Lord I hope not.

----------


## SoonerDave

Phenomenal to think of how things/times have changed, especially when looking at how the thrust of these upgrades are aimed at the overall fan and student experience, not merely just structure to add seats. For me, this is in marked contrast to the era when I grew up (in the 1970's) and the STEP program to add the current west upper deck, pressbox, and (then) new scoreboards were a _MONUMENTAL_ upgrade. That it added 10K seats was _the_ reason to do it, and I still have some pictures of the west deck structure (and the old red scoreboard) going up! Brick facades, architecture, design, aesthetic appeal, blah, none of that was a player then. 

Now, though, what's going on _inside_ is at least as if not more important than the structure itself. And that's cool, because investing in the interior arguably gives you longevity just a shell with some chairbacks doesn't. 

You know who gets excited about this? Kids like my 18-year-old son, who just texted me a message asking me if I'd seen the "glorious" new pics of the stadium. He's stoked.  :Smile:

----------


## Pete

Here is another one that shows the new video board in the north end zone.

I suppose they'll just move the current one that is now in the south end.

----------


## John1744

My god, that is going to be a beautiful and stunning building when it's done. I know they keep mentioning on the news that these renders are subject to change but wow I hope not. That is fantastic.

----------


## Pete

I have always loved the architecture at OU and really liked what they did to the north and east sides of the stadium.

Now, this will bring it all together inside and out and blend much better with the campus.

When I think about how much nicer the campus is now than when I was there in the early 80's, it almost defies belief.

I really wish they'd get commuter rail running between the Norman station (near Main) and downtown OKC to better link two of the best areas in the entire state.

----------


## dankrutka

> I think this ends up adding 6-8k seats.


Didn't Joe Castiglione specifically say this wouldn't add seats?

----------


## BoulderSooner

> Didn't Joe Castiglione specifically say this wouldn't add seats?


No

----------


## Pete

> Didn't Joe Castiglione specifically say this wouldn't add seats?


He said that wasn't a goal but there might be a slight fluctuation one way or another due to all the rearranging.

----------


## Pete

There was a post on the OU Projects thread about Boren wanting to create residential colleges at OU; more or less like Headington Hall where each residential structure has apartments, faculty living there, there own dining and study facilities, etc.

Just announced these projects will go directly south of the stadium and west of Headington Hall.


Lets see here:

1. Massive stadium renovation on three sides
2. New residential colleges south of stadium
3. Scholars Walk to close off remaining street on South Oval
4. Bud House to be reworked
5. Lloyd Noble about to get a comprehensive makeover
6. South Campus with tons of projects
7. A bunch of smaller main campus projects like Hester Hall that I can't even keep track of

And this doesn't even count the Health Sciences Center.

----------


## BoulderSooner

Quote from Boren: "This will not greatly expand the seating capacity.”

So 3-5k is not out of the question   

4k expansion. Puts the stadium at 86+ official.  And 90k possible.  Largest home crowd was ND 86k

----------


## Urbanized

I'd like to drop it back down to around 81K so I can get face value or better when I sell my extras. Thanks in advance.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> I'd like to drop it back down to around 81K so I can get face value or better when I sell my extras. Thanks in advance.


Lol.  As long as every seat sells it is good for OU.    Would love for us to have 90k for big games.

----------


## Urbanized

Geez Boulder, I'm talking about what's good for ME.

----------


## SoonerDave

> I'd like to drop it back down to around 81K so I can get face value or better when I sell my extras. Thanks in advance.


LOL good luck with that. Face hasn't been routine in Norman for as long as I can remember, unless you're someone who just walks down to Campus Corner and buys from the first scalper you see. I've been buying on game day for 30 years and I've paid over face exactly twice. 

That's another reason they aren't designing specifically to add capacity. There's plenty of that already.

----------


## OKVision4U

> LOL good luck with that. Face hasn't been routine in Norman for as long as I can remember, unless you're someone who just walks down to Campus Corner and buys from the first scalper you see. I've been buying on game day for 30 years and I've paid over face exactly twice. 
> 
> That's another reason they aren't designing specifically to add capacity. There's plenty of that already.


Hey SD, sure looks I was 99% spot-on huh?  ....all the way down to the BBQ.    Boomer!  Sooner!   This keeps the OU monster fed and the dreams of champions for the next several generations.   :Wink:

----------


## OKVision4U

> Here is another one that shows the new video board in the north end zone.
> 
> I suppose they'll just move the current one that is now in the south end.


Now this Facility = Our Tradition !!!

----------


## Dennis Heaton

Fox25 at 9, Rebecca Schleicher, just reported that "there won't be any more seats added" (?), but "they are going to increase the number of "bathrooms" from 7 to 50." I say...AMEN!!!

----------


## ljbab728

One aspect that I like is that it appears that this renovation would still make it fairly uncomplicated to, at some point in the future, add more double decking and suites in the end zones.  I'm sure they were giving that some consideration in the design.

----------


## Laramie

Great view of what will be the new west upper decks and south end zone (left); now they will match the east upper decks.  

*"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## BoulderSooner

> One aspect that I like is that it appears that this renovation would still make it fairly uncomplicated to, at some point in the future, add more double decking and suites in the end zones.  I'm sure they were giving that some consideration in the design.


If expansion is ever needed a second deck in the north endzone would be the spot

----------


## bluedogok

> Right, not only the weight / workout facilities but the coaches offices, the Switzer Center is open for tour and there is an academic center in the north endzone.  And now, the club level is used for all types of events.
> 
> When I was in school there in the early 80's, the architecture library was in the north EZ; I was a development fanboy even then, frequently going by to read the magazines and books.
> 
> And in fact, there were *racquetball courts* on the east side of the stadium and the only way to get to them was to crawl through a small hatch door.  Before Huston Huffman we even played intermurals on those courts.



I remember some classrooms where the concrete seat risers were visible...of course my labs were in the basement of the Old Science Hall and architecture was really scattered all over campus in the early 80's.

----------


## ljbab728

> I remember some classrooms where the concrete seat risers were visible...of course my labs were in the basement of the Old Science Hall and architecture was really scattered all over campus in the early 80's.


I'm not sure where the current facilities are now but I spent many hours in the upper area of the west stadium in the OU band practice room in the late 60's.

----------


## bluedogok

> I'm not sure where the current facilities are now but I spent many hours in the upper area of the west stadium in the OU band practice room in the late 60's.


I believe the architecture school moved into the former Gould Hall.

----------


## Laramie

> If expansion is ever needed a second deck in the north endzone would be the spot


Agree!

North end zone has its advantages since any upper deck additions would block off that sweeping north Oklahoma wind.

*"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## ljbab728

> I believe the architecture school moved into the former Gould Hall.


Actually I was talking about the band facilities.

----------


## SoonerBoy18

Love it!! But I was a little upset when I read that their goal was to NOT increase seating capacity! That's more money!

----------


## Snowman

> Love it!! But I was a little upset when I read that their goal was to NOT increase seating capacity! That's more money!


The problem with adding seats to stadiums (especially one that already can hold 85,000-ish) is you are adding new worst seats in the house. People generally like that improvements will come but after they arrive then they get a tough choice pay more for the seats they have had, move to worse seats in their price range or just stop going. Adding 15,000 more seats would not even bring in close to what can be done with more suites and more tiers of premium seating, and it also cost a lot to build all the infrastructure to support the new cheapest seats.

----------


## jn1780

> Love it!! But I was a little upset when I read that their goal was to NOT increase seating capacity! That's more money!


Only if you fill them at the same price you filled your previous seats.  In this case, they can actually making more money with the luxuary boxes.

----------


## Just the facts

> Fox25 at 9, Rebecca Schleicher, just reported that "there won't be any more seats added" (?), but "they are going to increase the number of "bathrooms" from 7 to 50." I say...AMEN!!!


So all urinals?  That won't make the females happy.

----------


## warreng88

I am curious if they will end up moving the student section to open up those 50 yard line seats for higher paying donors.

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> So all urinals?  That won't make the females happy.

----------


## Urbanized

> LOL good luck with that. Face hasn't been routine in Norman for as long as I can remember, unless you're someone who just walks down to Campus Corner and buys from the first scalper you see. I've been buying on game day for 30 years and I've paid over face exactly twice. 
> 
> That's another reason they aren't designing specifically to add capacity. There's plenty of that already.


Actually I routinely got face for my extras in the early 2000s (post-championship, pre-eastside expansion). I can always buy lower than I sell, by the way. It just takes patience and the right sucker.

----------


## Dennis Heaton

Sooooo...in the upper right hand corner of this morning's "The Oklahoman," it says, "OU Stadium Plans Get Green Light." And, inside, the Sports section says, "Plan Approved." Oh, shoot, I almost missed it. Back on the front page, there's an article that says, "Oklahoma Universities, Rising Tuition Costs - Who Could Pay More Next Year?" Hmmmmm...

----------


## dankrutka

Huh?

----------


## Dennis Heaton

dankrutka...I just thought it was a bit funny. OU is a great university and they have one of thee best football programs in the country (I wish my "Gamecocks" had done as well as the "Sooners). I just wouldn't have put both articles in the same edition.

----------


## OKCretro

> dankrutka...I just thought it was a bit funny. OU is a great university and they have one of thee best football programs in the country (I wish my "Gamecocks" had done as well as the "Sooners). I just wouldn't have put both articles in the same edition.


Not sure what you are getting at but the $370 will be 100% privately funded.  Ou sports does get tax money for Oklahoma but actually gives the money to the university unlike some other universities in the state. Ou is one of the few self sustaining sports programs that creates a surplus every year.

----------


## warreng88

> Not sure what you are getting at but the $370 will be 100% privately funded.  Ou sports does get tax money for Oklahoma but actually gives the money to the university unlike some other universities in the state. Ou is one of the few self sustaining sports programs that creates a surplus every year.


I think he gets that, but most people will probably link the two together, eventhough the two are not linked together...

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> I think he gets that, but most people will probably link the two together, eventhough the two are not linked together...


Exactly! Thank you, warreng88.

----------


## warreng88

> Hey SD, sure looks I was 99% spot-on huh?  ....all the way down to the BBQ.    Boomer!  Sooner!   This keeps the OU monster fed and the dreams of champions for the next several generations.


Except for that whole part where you thought it would be expanded to 100,000...

----------


## OKVision4U

> Except for that whole part where you thought it would be expanded to 100,000...


No, you are wrong.  That is the next phase ( N End , 2nd Level Add ).

warrneng, I even told you it would have BBQ and it does.   You hate it when I am right.

----------


## jn1780

> No, you are wrong.  That is the next phase ( N End , 2nd Level Add ).
> 
> warrneng, I even told you it would have BBQ and it does.   You hate it when I am right.


So you see the future now? You see all the way into 2020 after the three phases are complete and they launch a new expansion project?

----------


## OKVision4U

> So you see the future now? You see all the way into 2020 after the three phases are complete and they launch a new expansion project?


last fall I told you all "exactly" what was coming.   ....I even included the BBQ and many of you did not want to believe me ( you didn't like the messenger so you chose to not believe it).

Some of us are more connected in Norman, than others.  

Now, let's move past this statement and go win some ball games & a few more NC's.   Boomer!

----------


## jn1780

> last fall I told you all "exactly" what was coming.   ....I even included the BBQ and many of you did not want to believe me ( you didn't like the messenger so you chose to not believe it).
> 
> Some of us are more connected in Norman, than others.  
> 
> Now, let's move past this statement and go win some ball games & a few more NC's.   Boomer!


Yes, what others have suggested also. Still going to be awhile before the stadium is 100,000 seats.

Looking back at the thread most were disagreeing with you about the 100,000 seats. Not the fan zone, press box, suites, or even _BBQ_. I don't know who is going to start an argument with you over BBQ. lol

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> I don't know who is going to start an argument with you over BBQ. lol


Well, slap my granny...if y'all wanna talk BBQ...

----------


## OKVision4U

> Yes, what others have suggested also. Still going to be awhile before the stadium is 100,000 seats.
> 
> Looking back at the thread most were disagreeing with you about the 100,000 seats. Not the fan zone, press box, suites, or even _BBQ_. I don't know who is going to start an argument with you over BBQ. lol


jn, your play-by-play is not quite accurate either, but thanks.  Seating was just a part of the conversation(s).

----------


## OKVision4U

Just admit I was right and many of you were wrong......   hmmm??  

Always remember that Football funds it all.   ...isn't this Fanzone much better?  ...it will be a beast to play in too!

----------


## SoonerDave

> Hey SD, sure looks I was 99% spot-on huh?  ....all the way down to the BBQ.    Boomer!  Sooner!   This keeps the OU monster fed and the dreams of champions for the next several generations.


I thought sure you'd post a furious rage about them eternally condemning OU to second-tier status because we didn't go to 100K seats, considering that was your primary source of hysteria in that discussion. 

Maybe Braums will open up a concession stand in the new south endzone.

----------


## Dennis Heaton

> ...it will be a beast to play in too!


I haven't been to a University of South Carolina/Clemson Tiger football game since moving to OKC back in 1999. I used to love going to Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC...

http://www.williamsbrice.com/phase.php

----------


## Just the facts

Tuition increase and stadium funding aren't related; in what world?  That is like a person on food stamps buying cigarettes and saying they aren't related by arguing that they bought the cigarettes with their private funds and bought the milk with the public funds.  OU can raise $400 million to improve a stadium but how much do they get in donations to keep tuition costs down?

----------


## OKVision4U

Hey SD you're back.  SD, I will say it like this.  ( now take this as truth or not, but you can't say you weren't told )  We were placed 33 out of 50 stadiums in college football to see, and a primary ( factor ) was limited capacity and it just didn't equal the tradition.  

There was a major "shift" in the direction of expansion and a new ( larger ) approach was then discussed.  ...and SD, my primary (consideration) was not falling into the slippery slope of average ( 8-4 / 9-3 ) every year.  The 100k seating was just 1 0f 10 things I told you then.  

But football may not be your thing, you may want to stick with burgers.

----------


## dankrutka

> Tuition increase and stadium funding aren't related; in what world?  That is like a person on food stamps buying cigarettes and saying they aren't related by arguing that they bought the cigarettes with their private funds and bought the milk with the public funds.  OU can raise $400 million to improve a stadium but how much do they get in donations to keep tuition costs down?


I'm not sure what the relationship is between this fundraising effort and academic fundraising because there are numerous factors, but here are some possible reasons why your assumptions are wrong: 

First, yes, many people who donate would NOT donate to academics, or at least the same extent. A lot of this money wouldn't come to the university except for football fundraising. Second, private funding allows OU to be one of the only universities that has an athletic department that is not subsidized. In fact, athletics puts money back into academics. Projects like this are part of that. Third, the university often encourages donors to donate to academics also when they make donations to athletics. Finally, if you're looking at this holistically, football helps keep numerous alumni connected to the school in ways that lead to more donations overall, including academics. 

So, I'm not sure you're correct. I'd have to study these possibilities, which I don't have time to do today. Maybe someone else knows...

----------


## Just the facts

^ so you agree they are related right?

----------


## warreng88

Did I miss in any article where they said there was going to be BBQ? And that wouldn't be too bad of a guess because Billy Sims is a Heisman trophy winner from OU and happens to own a BBQ joint of the same name... And why does it really matter anyways? OU48A and Pete are really the only ones who knew something from the beginning and it all was correct. Although, I think OU48A initially said the south EZ was not going to be bowled in and that ended up happening.

----------


## KenRagsdale

State funding of University of Oklahoma academic pursuits amounts to fifteen percent of the total OU budget.  Tuition increases, private donations and endowments and fees make up the rest.

ITEP In The News

----------


## Laramie

> So you see the future now? You see all the way into 2020 after the three phases are complete and they launch a new expansion project?


Agree!

Eventually you'll see an expansion after 2020.  Probably to bring the stadium in the 90,000 seat range.  

It's a nice feather-in-your cap; however, I'm not completely sold on all of this hype about consecutive sellouts.  Is there a trophy or reward for that?  I realize many of you purchase your seats through that game day process with success.  I had a bad experience with that process; you only need to be duped once to learn your lessen.

Fans need to be able to purchase tickets without having to complete transactions out on the streets or outside the stadium on game day.  I'm not particular about seats,  the live game day experience is my forte.  Some tickets purchased are never used; the true 'Sooner born and Sooner bred' like myself & neighborhood friends who braved the cold and heat throughout our youth to cheer on the Sooners can't get tickets during the championship years.  The fair weather fashion fans surface and manage to come out; they identify with this experience. When the team is in its rebuilding and losing years, these fans go into hibernation.

My fan experience dates back to taking the train into Norman and sitting on those old $2.00 general admission green south end zone bleacher seats.  'Flunking for Gaylord' (paper route) & pop bottles refund money generated enough funds to have a nice time at the old Stockyards Coliseum (wrestling) on Fridays and Owen Field on Saturdays.

*Go Sooners!*

 

 The proposed stadium pics have that classic look.   A true 'Cathedral' of college football venues.   Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will continue to be among the finest venues throughout the college football world.

*"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## warreng88

Same amount of people, different layout. Think it will be much louder than it already is? Are the opposing teams going to stay on the east side of the south EZ and south end of the east side? Maybe just one of the corners?

----------


## SoonerDave

> Agree!
> 
> Eventually you'll see an expansion after 2020.  Probably to bring the stadium in the 90,000 seat range.  
> 
> It's a nice feather-in-your cap; however, I'm not completely sold on all of this hype about consecutive sellouts.  Is there a trophy or reward for that?  I realize many of you purchase your seats through that game day process with success.  I had a bad experience with that process; you only need to be duped once to learn your lessen.


Lar, I've long ago realized the "consecutive sellouts" is a bit of well-intentioned creative fiction. There have been more than a couple of home games the last year or two where there clearly chunks of non-visitor seating that was unoccupied well into the game, but the game was deemed a "sellout." I strongly suspect there are a handful of key corporate sponsors that are solicited to "buy up" any small blocks of unsold home game tickets on short notice in exchange for some various promotional consideration, thus allowing OU to say the "sellout" streak continues. It's a bit like the "season ticket waiting list.." yeah, there is such a thing, but.....

How did you have a bad experience with game day ticket purchases? Just curious...



> *Fans need to be able to purchase tickets without having to complete transactions out on the streets or outside the stadium on game day.*  I'm not particular about seats,  the live game day experience is my forte.  Some tickets purchased are never used; the true 'Sooner born and Sooner bred' like myself & neighborhood friends who braved the cold and heat throughout our youth to cheer on the Sooners can't get tickets during the championship years.  The fair weather fashion fans surface and manage to come out; they identify with this experience. When the team is in its rebuilding and losing years, these fans go into hibernation.


Oh, I dunno about that. Surveying the game-day ticket market has been part of the experience for me for a long time. I'd hate to see that dry up in some way. I will admit, however, that as I get a tad older (49 this year), I do see increased virtue in _not_ spending quite so much of game day trolling the ticket folks and having a pair in-hand...but that virtue is offset when I realize how much more I pay for that privilege LOL  :Smile: 

The one thing that I've enjoyed about _not_ having season tickets is the luxury of sitting in lots of different places, plus the fact that my seating preference (either upper deck) leads to even _more_ available secondary tickets as those are harder to sell (compared to lower-level seats, that is).




> My fan experience dates back to taking the train into Norman and sitting on those old $2.00 general admission green south end zone bleacher seats.  'Flunking for Gaylord' (paper route) & pop bottles refund money generated enough funds to have a nice time at the old Stockyards Coliseum (wrestling) on Fridays and Owen Field on Saturdays.


My son pointed out to me last night that I will (God willing) have lived through four major stadium renovations - the west upper deck (STEP program), those loveable old green bleachers in the south endzone being replaced by the big, weird looking structure we have now, and then the east side double-decker setup...and now, this grand upgrade that just looks so awesome!! I just wish they'd start construction after THIS season, not next  :Frown:  I want it all there NOW NOW NOW!!!


*Go Sooners!*

 

 The proposed stadium pics have that classic look.   A true 'Cathedral' of college football venues.   Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will continue to be among the finest venues throughout the college football world.

*"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*[/QUOTE]

----------


## BG918

> I just wish they'd start construction after THIS season, not next  I want it all there NOW NOW NOW!!!


The plan is start after this season if they have the funding in place.  You have to think the Gaylords will likely contribute a large sum to get this started, who else could be bigtime donors?

From NewsOK:



> If forced to incrementally implement the plan, Castiglione said OU would first tackle the south end zone renovation, then the press box and then make smaller changes to the north and east sides of the stadium.
> 
> Boren said he hoped the work in the south end zone would be completed by the start of the 2016 season, with construction beginning after the upcoming season is completed.

----------


## warreng88

> The plan is start after this season if they have the funding in place.  You have to think the Gaylords will likely contribute a large sum to get this started, who else could be bigtime donors?
> 
> From NewsOK:


Right. The south EZ and west upper deck would affect the seats, the north would not so that and several other things could go on all season.

----------


## Laramie

University of Oklahoma is committed to a thorough process for renovation.  


Not one of those 'Frankenstein' stadium expansion-renovations, where the old clashes with the new:

Do you recognize these colossal colosseums with enormous end zone seats ? 

   

Glad OU they took their time for a well thought out renovation plan.  This definitely should catch the eyes of young college football recruits.

*"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.*

----------


## SoonerDave

> The plan is start after this season if they have the funding in place.  You have to think the Gaylords will likely contribute a large sum to get this started, who else could be bigtime donors?
> 
> From NewsOK:





> If forced to incrementally implement the plan, Castiglione said OU would first tackle the south end zone renovation, then the press box and then make smaller changes to the north and east sides of the stadium.
> 
> Boren said he hoped the work in the south end zone would be completed by the start of the 2016 season, *with construction beginning after the upcoming season is completed.*


Now that directly contradicts what I *personally* asked via Twitter of Kenny Mossman this afternoon:



> David W @SoonerDEW
> @Kenny_Mossman Kenny, could you clarify something...is OMS upgrade construction starting after *this* season or next??
> 
> @Kenny_Mossman
>  @SoonerDEW After the '15 season.
> 
> 3:30pm  26 Jun 2014  Twitter for iPhone

----------


## Rover

> Sooooo...in the upper right hand corner of this morning's "The Oklahoman," it says, "OU Stadium Plans Get Green Light." And, inside, the Sports section says, "Plan Approved." Oh, shoot, I almost missed it. Back on the front page, there's an article that says, "Oklahoma Universities, Rising Tuition Costs - Who Could Pay More Next Year?" Hmmmmm...


You do understand they are totally unrelated, right?

----------


## soonergooner

> Same amount of people, different layout. Think it will be much louder than it already is? Are the opposing teams going to stay on the east side of the south EZ and south end of the east side? Maybe just one of the corners?


The best place for them is the upper east side. They have a great view of their slaughter and we won't have to hear them.

----------


## LandRunOkie

> Sooooo...in the upper right hand corner of this morning's "The Oklahoman," it says, "OU Stadium Plans Get Green Light." And, inside, the Sports section says, "Plan Approved." Oh, shoot, I almost missed it. Back on the front page, there's an article that says, "Oklahoma Universities, Rising Tuition Costs - Who Could Pay More Next Year?" Hmmmmm...


This is the same inconsistency that local media is trying to gloss over.  Just a few months after former football players came forward and admitted they weren't real college students (Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel).  Yes more money to the football program, where an OU professor did research that showed up to 18% of athletes read at an elementary school level.  Football players are academic laughing stocks and cheapens the prestige of the university.  Anyone who disagrees is kidding themselves.  Now raise tuition so the heart of the university, the students, have to cover the costs of misallocation of investment.  Shameful on Boren and all who enter Memorial Stadium.

----------


## ljbab728

> This is the same inconsistency that local media is trying to gloss over.  Just a few months after former football players came forward and admitted they weren't real college students (Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel).  Yes more money to the football program, where an OU professor did research that showed up to 18% of athletes read at an elementary school level.  Football players are academic laughing stocks and cheapens the prestige of the university.  Anyone who disagrees is kidding themselves.  Now raise tuition so the heart of the university, the students, have to cover the costs of misallocation of investment.  Shameful on Boren and all who enter Memorial Stadium.


LOL, I will continue to enter Memorial Stadium with pride.  Talk about a laughing stock.  Certainly there are many questionable athletes in every program but to lump a whole very successful  athletic department into a pot with those which aren't is just a crock.  I would challenge you to look  Gabe Ikard in the eye and tell him he is a laughing stock.  This is about the most unreasonable strident post I've seen here in ages.

Misallocation of investment?  Where is the athletic department misallocating the donated and earned money which they are giving back to the University for academics?  *Nothing* that happens in the OU athletic department has anything to do with any possible increases in student tuition.

----------


## LandRunOkie

You're repeating convenient lies.  The stadium is owned and operated by OU, not the athletic department.  Boren solicited donations personally from donors for this project, money that could go toward lowering tuition.  The athletic department raises a negligible amount compared to the university itself.

----------


## HangryHippo

> You're repeating convenient lies.  The stadium is owned and operated by OU, not the athletic department.  Boren solicited donations personally from donors for this project, money that could go toward lowering tuition.  The athletic department raises a negligible amount compared to the university itself.


You seem to miss the fact that donations don't lower tuition.  It can be used to give out scholarships and grants to students to help them cover the cost of it, but it doesn't lower it.  That's an important distinction.

----------


## SoonerDave

> You seem to miss the fact that donations don't lower tuition.  It can be used to give out scholarships and grants to students to help them cover the cost of it, but it doesn't lower it.  That's an important distinction.


Guys, a bit of friendly advice - don't even bother engaging LRO. That's what the ignore button is for.  :Smile:

----------


## Just the facts

Our university systems are turning into our high school systems.  Priorities have gotten way out of whack.  Now true, even if all of the stadium money was allocated to grants and scholarships the cost of tuition wouldn't go down.  In fact, it would probably go up so as to totally consume the availability of the additional funds.  The only way to reduce tuition costs is to eliminate student loans.  Charging what people can afford to pay is the only way to keep prices in check.  However, that isn't going to happen voluntarily, but it will happen when the education bubble pops.

----------


## LandRunOkie

> You seem to miss the fact that donations don't lower tuition.  It can be used to give out scholarships and grants to students to help them cover the cost of it, but it doesn't lower it.  That's an important distinction.


You seem to miss the fact that they just raised tuition at OU.  Because there was too little revenue and too many expenses.  Why do they continue to shift the cost toward the students.  BECAUSE THE STUDENTS ARE SUCKERS and PASSIVE VICTIMS and football fans are hellbent on watching young men destroy each other's bodies, using their foreheads as blunt instruments.  Less than 60% of OU students pay their student loans back, yet you people want to make it more expensive.  An honorable president would direct donations into the endowment and even the general operating budget and cut costs.  UT's endowment is 6 billion and OU's is 1.6.  Instead of catching up they want to expand the cathedral of the religion of violence (Memorial Stadium).  We have a bandwagon problem.  Its really bad when alumni want more football at the students' expense.

----------


## jn1780

I think this thread needs some cleaning up.

----------


## warreng88

> I think this thread needs some cleaning up.


I agree. Shouldn't there be a seperate thread for rising tuition costs at OU?

----------


## KenRagsdale

Bigger may not necessarily be better.

Why College Football Is Studying Major League Soccer - WSJ

----------


## BG918

> One of the interesting things is that the big standards with the huge banks of lights in the four corners will be replaced with thin strips along the top of both upper decks.
> 
> I'm sure that's a function of new technology around LED/HID lighting and looks way more sleek.


I was just looking at the renderings again and noticed this.  I think the four corner post lights are now outdated and new stadiums have them along both sides instead of the corners.  Remember OU didn't even have lights until 1997.

----------


## ljbab728

> I was just looking at the renderings again and noticed this.  I think the four corner post lights are now outdated and new stadiums have them along both sides instead of the corners.  Remember OU didn't even have lights until 1997.


OU had lights before that.  They just weren't suitable for a major college game.  When I went to Norman HIgh School in the early 60's, we played our games at night at Owen Field.  The OU freshman team (remember those days?) played night games there when I was at OU in the late 60's.

----------


## Rover

.


> Bigger may not necessarily be better.
> 
> Why College Football Is Studying Major League Soccer - WSJ


That's why they aren't increasing seating.

----------


## Laramie

*Oklahoma Memorial Stadium renovation plan.*
A modest increase (expansion) in the stadium would have been nice; however many of the expanded college stadiums have these enormous end zone seats (example:  Penn State, Nebraska, Texas A & M) which takes on a 'Frankenstein Stadium' appeal (thrown together).   Our new stadium plan keeps the original feel of the stadium in tact. 

 *The Parade of Frankenstein Stadium Monsters*


Beaver Stadium, Penn State  (Capacity: 106,572, It looks like a beaver  :Big Grin: )

 
Memorial Stadium, Nebraska (Capacity: 90,000)


Kyle Field Stadium, Texas A & M (Capacity: 102,512)

----------


## HOT ROD

> OU had lights before that.  *They just weren't suitable for a major college game*.  When I went to Norman HIgh School in the early 60's, we played our games at night at Owen Field.  The OU freshman team (remember those days?) played night games there when I was at OU in the late 60's.


you mean to say, the lights weren't suitable for nighttime TELEVISION broadcast.

----------


## ljbab728

> you mean to say, the lights weren't suitable for nighttime TELEVISION broadcast.


No, that's not it.  It wasn't suitable for a major college game even with no television.  It was light enough to be playable and that was about it.  I went to many night games there during that period so I know what I'm talking about.

----------


## Pete

Seeing this bumped up reminds me...

They were supposed to reveal the final plans this month so they could start work in December.

----------


## warreng88

> Seeing this bumped up reminds me...
> 
> They were supposed to reveal the final plans this month so they could start work in December.


I assume they are just adding on to the Switzer Center and not completely redoing it?

----------


## ou48A

> Did I miss in any article where they said there was going to be BBQ? And that wouldn't be too bad of a guess because Billy Sims is a Heisman trophy winner from OU and happens to own a BBQ joint of the same name... And why does it really matter anyways? OU48A and Pete are really the only ones who knew something from the beginning and it all was correct. Although, I think OU48A initially said the south EZ was not going to be bowled in and that ended up happening.


The thing to keep in mind that as this unfolded over several months OU went back and forth about what they wanted.. 
So things changed..My sources while relatively well connected are not people that I speak to with high frequency. 
Even after this last summers announcement not everything had been fully nailed down.

----------


## ou48A

In the spring and early summer of 2008 behind the scenes OU was planning major stadium improvements. When the economy crashed including energy Boren decided that the timing for such a project wasn’t right.

 Flush off the Sugar Bowl win and only after several years of very strong arm twisting from key OU supporters Boren was finally convinced to move forward with stadium improvements this past summer.

While it’s hard to find major faults in the job Boren has done for OU he simply doesn’t understand the timing of the boom and bust cycles of the energy business that OU is so dependent on for donations. Boren could have had the energy donations necessary for major stadium improvements in 2005/2006/ 2007.

In case you haven’t noticed crude oil is currently in big time crash mode. I sincerely hope I am wrong but I fear the energy donations for OU may not be near as big as hoped for and that Boren has once again waited far too long to act… 

This poor timing and poor understanding of business side of oil and NG that is by far OU’s biggest $ contributor is probably Boren’s biggest blunder at OU.....This also impacts all aspects of the university.

----------


## Rover

Normally, these kind of big fund raising announcements aren't made until they are pretty darn sure of the outcome.  Trust me, there were a lot of assurances of big gifts given BEFORE going public.  Boren, or any U President is not going to announce and then look stupid if funds aren't there.

----------


## ou48A

> Normally, these kind of big fund raising announcements aren't made until they are pretty darn sure of the outcome.  Trust me, there were a lot of assurances of big gifts given BEFORE going public.  Boren, or any U President is not going to announce and then look stupid if funds aren't there.


You would think, but there were several who did pull out after the crash of 2008. It could happen again?
 It would have been far smarter to fund raise getting much of the money in hand at the start of the oil boom.

----------


## Pete

I'm sure this is still going forward I was just wondering when they would announce the final plans.

They have to be close to finishing them up because construction is going to start in December.

----------


## ou48A

My guess is that an announcement will be made near the end of this month during the board of regents meetings. OU will be doing this in phases and doing sections of the stadium. Depending on how donations (money in hand) go they could cut or delay parts of the plans and move forward when conditions / donations warrant.

But this is a fluid situation that will see a few key individuals making decisions that will impact the future of the total project.
 I sincerely hope they come through for OU in full... but at this point I don’t believe the total project is guaranteed? 
There is always the next boom.

----------


## Laramie

The stadium renovation project just needs to be fine tuned as it approaches the timetable for construction.   I wouldn't look for any major changes.  The pledges often exceed the necessary amount to complete the project as they anticipate that there will be some last minute withdrawals.   

When the project is opened for bids; we should have a better handle on the overall scope.

----------


## Dustin

> They are also saying the new video board atop the south EZ will be the largest in college football.


So is the current one being moved to the north end zone?

----------


## Pete

> So is the current one being moved to the north end zone?


Yes, at least part of it.

----------


## Dustin

Awesome.

----------


## SoonerDave

I *know* absolutely nothing of detail, but it would make sense to me that OU would have planned to make their next big splashy announcement about it during a high-profile football week, and going into this season most everyone thought OU-Baylor was going to be a big BIg 12 title-impacting game. Although the importance of that game is less than it once was, I still wouldn't be surprised if we heard something this coming week.

----------


## bige4ou

Pete, Do you have any kind of update on this? Is construction started or planned to start? Have seen or heard much coverage about it in a while. Also Any word of a Lloyd Noble renovation?

----------


## Plutonic Panda

I thought it was suppose to after this seasons football?

----------


## Pete

> Pete, Do you have any kind of update on this? Is construction started or planned to start? Have seen or heard much coverage about it in a while. Also Any word of a Lloyd Noble renovation?


I had mistakenly thought work was due to start at the end of this season, but it will be after the next.

They are still finalizing the stadium plans, doing a lot of early fund raising and then will kick off a huge campaign for the stadium and improvements to Lloyd Noble and I'm sure other athletic facilities.

----------


## Plutonic Panda

> I had mistakenly thought work was due to start at the end of this season, but it will be after the next.
> 
> They are still finalizing the stadium plans, doing a lot of early fund raising and then will kick off a huge campaign for the stadium and improvements to Lloyd Noble and I'm sure other athletic facilities.


Ahhhh.... I am still glad we are getting this beauty of an addition, but now it's a year and a half out before they even begin construction?

----------


## Laramie

Anything worth having is worth the wait...

----------


## Urbanized

Hard to be certain from that rendering, but it looks like the Sooners are about to be burned deep. By a team having one halfway decent year after spending decades as a bottom-feeder.

----------


## ou48A

Somebody with the OU athletic department called me earlier today. 

When asked about the stadium they indicated that parts of the project would likely be done in phases When asked they indicated that the what and when will depend on the availability funding.
They hope to have what they are doing on the first phase firmly determining by early spring . But right now things are still undetermined.
IMHO the oil crash and poor performance on the field have very much adversely impact fund raising efforts at OU.

----------


## Plutonic Panda

https://oklahoma.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1730619

Being postponed due to oil prices.

----------


## hfry

Jason Kersey is saying on twitter that Boren is strongly denying that the renovations have been postponed. https://twitter.com/jasonkersey
I don't even know what's going on anymore. My guess is that the do the weight room and south end zone but delay doing the upper deck on the west side.

----------


## ljbab728

> https://oklahoma.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1730619
> 
> Being postponed due to oil prices.


Everything is always subject to change but Boren says that's not true.

OU football: David Boren denies report of stadium expansion delay | NewsOK.com




> LAWTON — Calling it “erroneous” and “inaccurate,” David Boren emphatically denied a report that he’s postponed football stadium renovations.
> 
> The University of Oklahoma president did, though, admit that falling oil and gas prices have hurt fundraising efforts for all OU projects, including the $370 million proposal to renovate Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
> 
> “I don’t know where you got your information,” Boren told a SoonerScoop.com reporter after pulling a printed-out copy of the report from his jacket.
> 
> “Must have been from the athletics department from the way it reads, someone who works over there. But I don’t know where you got it. You didn’t get it from me. It’s inaccurate. You didn’t get it from the board of regents.”


You have to realize that just saying that the project might be delayed could cause donations to slow down.

----------


## ou48A

OU now has the money for the first phase of the OU football stadium project.…..!

The first phase will be a $160 million south end zone project that will bowl in the stadium and include suits and other fan and player amenities… OU should have an announcement early next week about this.
 OU has changed a few stadium plans since the release of the renderings.

----------


## Plutonic Panda

For better or worse?

----------


## ljbab728

> For better or worse?


It doesn't have to be better or worse, plupan,  It could just be different.

----------


## Plutonic Panda

> It doesn't have to be better or worse, plupan,  It could just be different.


What I meant was: did it get downgraded?

----------


## adaniel

Looks like it is proceeding, although the budget has been halved and other improvements are being moved to the future.

OU stadium project scaled down | News OK

----------


## BoulderSooner

> Looks like it is proceeding, although the budget has been halved and other improvements are being moved to the future.
> 
> OU stadium project scaled down | News OK


Bad headline and incorrect facts.   This has not been reduced or scales down. It was going to be in phases the entire time this is phase one.

----------


## Plutonic Panda

> Bad headline and incorrect facts.   This has not been reduced or scales down. It was going to be in phases the entire time this is phase one.





> The source said the new plan delays the later phases of the project, which include the west-side upper deck renovation and stadium infrastructure. The cost of the plan now goes from $350 million to approximately $160 million, the source said.
> 
> The original plan suffered poor timing, with the drop in oil prices and OU's disappointing 2014 season. The new plan calls for 28 luxury suites, and the source said all have been sold. The plan prioritizes student athletes, with the new training facility that will be used by all sports, and is the most dramatic for fans, with the stadium bowl. The source said the other stadium improvements do not have a timetable.


In other words, they'll get to it when they get to it.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> In other words, they'll get to it when they get to it.


Which is not new.  It was always to be done in phases as money became available.  Phase 1 was always starting in nov/dec 2015.      Nothing new what so ever.   Nothing delayed or scaled back

----------


## Plutonic Panda

> Which is not new.  It was always to be done in phases as money became available.  Phase 1 was always starting in nov/dec 2015.      Nothing new what so ever.   Nothing delayed or scaled back


Are you sure?

----------


## HangryHippo

There have most certainly been delays with this project, but I haven't seen anything cancelled.  They've just implemented the phase approach and extended the timeline.

----------


## adaniel

> Bad headline and incorrect facts.   This has not been reduced or scales down. It was going to be in phases the entire time this is phase one.


Thanks for the clarification, although you can't expect too much from Berry "OKC Boomers" Tramel.....

----------


## BoulderSooner

> There have most certainly been delays with this project, but I haven't seen anything cancelled.  They've just implemented the phase approach and extended the timeline.


This.  The weight room is slightly smaller.  But more suites and club seats  in the south end zone.  

NOT "scaled down".    And phase 1 of several.

----------


## hfry

Exactly, and if you look they have already presold all the suites. I think it all looks great.

----------


## BG918

"Phase I" Pics

----------


## Snowman

> There have most certainly been delays with this project, but I haven't seen anything cancelled.  They've just implemented the phase approach and extended the timeline.


Given the scale of what they planned, delays and an extended timelines tend to be more common than not.

----------


## Pete

The main thing is to get this first phase done because it contains all the workout facilities which will be a huge recruiting tool.

The other phases are just to make the stadium look better and to add fan amenities, all much lower priorities.

----------


## shavethewhales

> This.  The weight room is slightly smaller.  But more suites and club seats  in the south end zone.  
> 
> NOT "scaled down".    And phase 1 of several.


What's with the big plaza areas in the corners though? I haven't had time to do a full comparison yet, but there's definitely a lot that's been changed. The South end zone building looks a lot smaller in the new renderings versus the originals. 

Still an awesome project, but obviously a lot has indeed been switched around and scaled since the original glorious proposal.

Also, "phase 1" may be a bit disingenuous since who knows how long it will take to roll out the rest of the improvements. There's a big difference between getting it all at once and having hands down one of the nicest stadiums in the country and having a slowly evolving mish-mash of old and new like most other stadiums. If it's all done in under a decade though I'll be happy.

----------


## TU 'cane

Does anyone know an exact (or close to) number of regular seating this will add? 
From what I've seen around, it won't be very much, something very marginal. And I think I read that the number of seats could actually be decreasing overall (just tried perusing around the web)? Surely that won't be so? This trend of more suites in every stadium and fewer regular seats is silly. I guess they make their money there, but to me, having a larger capacity for the "regular fans" is what it's about and is something to brag about, see the Big House, for example.

----------


## zookeeper

As long as *huge* loans to the athletic department from the university general fund are _written off_ a couple of times a decade (to make it look on paper like it's "self-supporting" when  it is not) - no stadium, no more pretense of "student athletes." If you want proof of what I just wrote - it's coming in a rather spectacular fashion from well respected sports journalists. It's actually been talked about - but hushed up to protect the football program. Get creative and use Google. This whole "self-supporting" nonsense has been a big sham. It's going to be a long fall. A shame what is done in this day and age for a game. Please don't kill the messenger.

----------


## David

If it can be found through a Google search then it's on the internet, which means you could just link the proof instead of attempting to send us on a goose chase.

----------


## zookeeper

> If it can be found through a Google search then it's on the internet, which means you could just link the proof instead of attempting to send us on a goose chase.


Sorry, David. I didn't mean to imply it is as simple as posting a link. That's why I said to "get creative." You still have to put the pieces together. But as far as it being a link to a story that details dates of loan approvals, amounts, dates of debt forgiveness, and statements that have been offered up for the program being self-supporting, you'll have to wait for that in one package - though it's coming (not from me). It's a shame. I love football season and am looking forward to seeing what Baker Mayfield can do with Lincoln Riley, but it's a bit harder to be excited knowing what I know. But, I'd be willing to bet on no further stadium enhancements for a long time.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Does anyone know an exact (or close to) number of regular seating this will add? 
> From what I've seen around, it won't be very much, something very marginal. And I think I read that the number of seats could actually be decreasing overall (just tried perusing around the web)? Surely that won't be so? This trend of more suites in every stadium and fewer regular seats is silly. I guess they make their money there, but to me, having a larger capacity for the "regular fans" is what it's about and is something to brag about, see the Big House, for example.


I think the net change in seating is trivial either way. Overall, college football attendance is down, people are staying home to watch games on TV, and some schools that expanded their stadiums rather blindly in the last few years have expressed second thoughts about having done so - Nebraska comes to mind. Castiglione doesn't want OU to be there, hence the plans to keep the renovations relatively "seating neutral." That, plus the fact it's no great secret you can pick up tickets for essentially any home game on gameday for typically a fraction of face value makes it increasingly difficult to justify the expense of expanding the stadium.

The only hard numbers I saw about this renovation for OU were back when they released the original plans, and they've since been heavily revised.

----------


## Laramie

Stadium bowl?




> University of Oklahoma President David Boren will ask the board of regents to approve $105 million for the makeover of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium at Wednesday’s board meeting, according to the preliminary agenda.
> 
> The meeting will be held in Norman.
> 
> The board approved the design development plans for the south end zone renovations at its March meeting and in an earlier meeting authorized the administration to contract and make payments for preliminary work not exceeding $3 million. That work began recently.
> 
> Several construction bid packages will be developed for bidding over “several months,” according to the agenda.
> 
> The estimated cost for the entire south end zone project is $160 million. The money will come from Athletics Department capital funds, bond funds and private sources.--_Oklahoman By RYAN ABER, June 22, 2015_



*South exterior from SW corner to NE view of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium*

*South end zone interior:  OU's board will tackle phrase I of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium at this Wednesday meeting.*

http://www.oklahoman.com/ou-regents-...rticle/5429041

----------


## Pete

Yeah, the reason the south EZ is such a priority is due to the adjacent practice facility which will be a big recruiting tool.

Then the rest of the stuff will happen later and as they raise the funds.

----------


## Dustin

Board of regents set to approve $5 million for new south end zone scoreboard.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Board of regents set to approve $5 million for new south end zone scoreboard.


In terms of raw square footage of video display goodness, it looks like this will put OU just behind Auburn. Theirs is a little over 8,000 sq ft. OU's will be in the 7600 range. Visually, I think this board is going to be about 12 feet or so taller than the current board.

----------


## ljbab728

Oklahoma football: Judge upholds injunction in steel dispute, but other stadium construction will continue | NewsOK.com




> A Cleveland County district judge on Tuesday upheld a temporary injunction to halt renovations at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium over a dispute regarding the contract to provide steel and concrete panels., although OU hasn't reached that stage of construction yet and will continue with other aspects of the renovations for now.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Oklahoma football: Judge upholds injunction in steel dispute, but other stadium construction will continue | NewsOK.com


Other construction will continue, but the bigger problem is that the panels and structure in question are getting very close to the point of pre-fabrication at whatever contractor ends up with the job. On the surface, the bond OU requested was large, but it wouldn't take much to demonstrate the real risk in the millions scale if the school can't provide the seats they've already sold or promised by virtue of contributions, etc.

The judge also issued a temporary stay of his order pending OU's appeal. This is becoming a bigger deal with each passing day. From what I read either in that or a very similar article, if this thing truly ends up going to trial, OU won't be able to meet its construction schedule. And there was very little slop in there to begin with. 

Seems as though this is the kind of thing that would get resolved with some sort of settlement, no admission of wrongdoing, write a check, be done with it. That OU is aggressively defending this indicates that either a settlement was offered through back-channels, but rejected, or OU genuinely believes it's legally in the right. 

Either way, right now, it's a mess. At this point, I just can't believe this is merely a matter of sloppy lawyering. This is hardly the first construction contract rodeo for OU. 

Think about the downstream effects; As an example, just look at the scoreboard contract item on the regents' agenda. It specifies a delivery/install of August 26, 2016. Ohio State is Sep 17, IIRC.

----------


## ljbab728

Construction can continue for now as per the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Oklahoma Supreme Court's stay allows OU stadium project to continue for now | NewsOK.com




> NORMAN — The state Supreme Court has granted a stay in enforcement of a temporary injunction issued by a Cleveland County judge last week that threatened a halt in construction of an expansion of Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
> 
> The order issued by the high court Friday means construction work can continue until an appeal process is completed in the case filed by a Kansas steel manufacturer against OU, construction project manager Flintco Inc. and W&W Steel.

----------


## Pete

Went to the game last night and had a great time but...


One of the big reasons OU has given for the stadium renovation is to make sure people still go to the games, as opposed to staying home and watching on their huge high-def TV's.  Increasingly hard to compete with the home experience.

Before the game I was at a friend's tailgate and they had the Ohio State / Michigan State game on, and almost everyone was following intently.  The game had a direct effect on OU's playoff chances, plus most OU fans are huge fans of college football.

So, once I get in the stadium 1) due to the crowd, getting cell service is very difficult; 2) they only gave the OSU / Baylor score a couple of times, and not at all until the game was almost over; 3) we had no idea what was going with Baker Mayfield and other banged up players; 4) the replays were very poor and infrequent, etc., etc.

I absolutely love going to the games; or I should say I love the gameday experience.  But in this day and age, it's absolutely absurd how little information you get while in the stands and because everyone now is used to info all the time anywhere, it's really not even close to an acceptable situation.

In fact, I had a buddy in the suites who was texting me OSU / Baylor and other scoring updates, and I was relaying them to everyone around me, who were all very interested.

There are lots of things they can do now without completely renovating the stadium. And until they do, you can't blame people for staying home or merely leaving the stadium early so that can actually figure out what is going on in the rest of the world, and still being able to follow the Sooners much better than physically being at the game.


OU and other big football schools had better figure this stuff out quickly, otherwise people are going to simply stop coming, and that's already the case with a lot of the students.

----------


## BoulderSooner

OU has no issue selling tickets.    And one of the big parts of the renovation. Is full stadium wifi.

----------


## Uptowner

Hey, you can always go old school and listen to the broadcast on your transistor radio.  :Smile: 

Seriously though I completely agree. The cotton bowl is about to go under construction but I realized during the ou/texas game that I was actually spoiled by sooner stadium. They had one tiny old screen and no video ring around the stands that posts scores when not jiggling "STAND UP AND YELLLLLL!!!"

I'm sure you saw the little man with the headset and microphone come out and play some osu v baylor clips on the big screen and give the score? that needs to be happening EVERY timeout, or at least more than twice a game. I was driving to the game when OSU/MICH ST ended and would loved to see that recapped in 30-45 seconds. 

Replays: 50,000 screaming sooner fans were going insane at ou/tx because there was one crumby replay at one crumby angle and it played once and that's it, if at all! I don't recall seeing any home game replays more than once either. I'm almost positive it's in the broadcasting contract, it further infuriates because you have to see the sponsor ad before the replay comes on. And in the hurry up college offense that's often too much time before the next snap.

 Point is: the broadcasting agreement needs to change. If our game is on the abc/ESPN family, then they should be able to go live to any game if the chance arises. Replays across the broadcast spectrum. These universities and broadcast affiliates have extremely lucrative arrangements. Which profits from the fans as well, painted up super fans in the snow, crying children on the losing side, couples texting while oblivious to the kiss cam. These all make highlight reels and cutaways to commercials. The fans deserve better. 

Btw Pete if your not glued to one game, try ESPN goal line for a main line college football Junkie fix. It cuts to all the action across the network live with no commercials.

----------


## Urbanized

They're already dismantling the big screen this morning. Letting no grass grow under their feet...

----------


## hfry

One thing that I've always been impressed with is baseballs ability to give me constant updates in other games scores, usually by dedicated scoreboards that show all the different games. This could easily be done on the new massive scoreboard or anywhere and then keep doing the around the country score update as I believe it is called now. I know on the sides that run a top 25 ticker that shows many of the score but usually I am not in tuned to the game to catch the ones I was hoping to catch up on. Hopefully, these renovations will just improve the fan experience all around for an already great stadium.

----------


## Snowman

One thing that could have helped in this is if networking had ever put a priority on multicasting, basically sending the same data to every device with access to the network but only taking as much spectrum as communicating to one device. By using a few of these channels could be good for giving multiple angles of replays for recent downs, other game scores, etc. Unfortunately it has never really taken off and in ways is even getting worse support than it use to.

----------


## zookeeper

I *hate* the south end zone plans. It's everything that's wrong with college football today. Turn it into a playground for the very rich for 5 hours 7 or 8 times a year. The suites, the clubs, all of it - it's just crazy. A bowling alley? Just insane. I love college football, but hate the direction its been heading for years. It's not even about student athletes anymore with all the waivers, it's basically farm schools for the NFL. It's still fun to watch OU, but if I think about these other things during a game, it takes a lot of the excitement out of it.

----------


## Tundra

> I *hate* the south end zone plans. It's everything that's wrong with college football today. Turn it into a playground for the very rich for 5 hours 7 or 8 times a year. The suites, the clubs, all of it - it's just crazy. A bowling alley? Just insane. I love college football, but hate the direction its been heading for years. It's not even about student athletes anymore with all the waivers, it's basically farm schools for the NFL. It's still fun to watch OU, but if I think about these other things during a game, it takes a lot of the excitement out of it.


You're totally right, have watched this documentary ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VITYq6WSPQM
If not, it's great.

----------


## chuck5815

> I *hate* the south end zone plans. It's everything that's wrong with college football today. *Turn it into a playground for the very rich for 5 hours 7 or 8 times a year.* The suites, the clubs, all of it - it's just crazy. A bowling alley? Just insane. I love college football, but hate the direction its been heading for years. It's not even about student athletes anymore with all the waivers, it's basically farm schools for the NFL. It's still fun to watch OU, but if I think about these other things during a game, it takes a lot of the excitement out of it.


to be fair, though, a football stadium is essentially a really nice, really large playground. the whole thing is a playground.

----------


## ljbab728

Ah, for the uncomplicated days when I first started to go to OU games over 50 years ago.  The public address announcer was the only way to get other scores and the highlight was always the Slippery Rock score.   :Smile:

----------


## SoonerDave

> OU has no issue selling tickets.    And one of the big parts of the renovation. Is full stadium wifi.


While it's true there's not a practical problem selling tickets, I do think there's a legitimate issue around the overall attendance at college football that schools like OU have to consider: Overall CFB attendance is down. And there's been more than one home game this year where it was painfully obvious the "sellout" was a fiction satisfied by some nice sponsor/patron who simply bought up a block of tickets. So, in practical terms, no, there's no trouble filling the stadium, but then again, it's also apparent that OU is at or near a "sweet spot" where selling another few thousand sets might be a bit problematic, for all the general reasons Pete outlined. And I think that's precisely why the overarching plans for this expansion results in a net gain of only a very small number of seats as a percentage of the whole stadium's current capacity. 

I'm delighted to know that full wifi is one of the big parts of the renovation. We were at the game Saturday and I wouldn't have known about injury status to anyone if my *mom*, watching 20 miles away, hadn't texted me some bits and pieces along the way -- when the signal was strong enough to be useful.

----------


## Richard at Remax

I was talking to someone (who had drank a little to much so it may or may not be true) who has season tix in the south end zone who got to take the "tour" of the upgrades and then had an opportunity to reserve new seats. Turns out its a $2,000 donation for each seat to reserve them. I think that's a little ridiculous if you are already a season ticket holder.

----------


## TU 'cane

Well, I think this is probably why they aren't adding a significant number of new seats to that end zone, instead opting for the plazas. They want to keep ticket sales healthy and if all we have to go by is the renderings, then I suspect only about 500-1,000 (perhaps less) seats will be added.

----------


## Pete

Selling tickets now (as opposed to 5 years from now) and actually having people show up and stay at games are very different things.

As mentioned, they are not looking to add capacity and that says a lot.

By the middle of the 3rd quarter on Saturday, tons of people had left.  The student section is never completely full anymore.  Many students don't even bother buying the super cheap student tickets anymore.

They could resolve lots of the issues well before all the upgrades are complete, which will take several years.  They could start to put in WIFI, give lots more score updates and the like, do better with the replays, etc.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Well, I think this is probably why they aren't adding a significant number of new seats to that end zone, instead opting for the plazas. They want to keep ticket sales healthy and if all we have to go by is the renderings, then I suspect only about 500-1,000 (perhaps less) seats will be added.


For next season, there will be a net increase of about 3K seats, but during the off-season *next* year, they will be adding ADA-compliant stair railings *EVERYWHERE* in the stadium, and that will result in the loss of each end-most seat in each row. So that will offset the gain from this year, leaving the net capacity barely changed at all. Any increase is incidental.

----------


## SoonerDave

> I *hate* the south end zone plans. It's everything that's wrong with college football today. Turn it into a playground for the very rich for 5 hours 7 or 8 times a year. The suites, the clubs, all of it - it's just crazy. A bowling alley? Just insane. I love college football, but hate the direction its been heading for years. It's not even about student athletes anymore with all the waivers, it's basically farm schools for the NFL. It's still fun to watch OU, but if I think about these other things during a game, it takes a lot of the excitement out of it.


But here's the problem, zoo. If you want to keep OU football as an attraction, as a fun alternative, as a desirable thing, you have to keep feeding the system with premier athletes, premier resources, and that means premier funding. Who else will fund it if not the folks that have the money? And if putting in amenities that enhance the experience encourages them to do it, what's the harm? 

You can keep the thing filled with hardwood bleachers for the sake of quaintness, but as we saw in the mid-90's, it doesn't take long for *any* program to descend into irrelevance very quickly. 

I mean, yeah, I get the "playground for the rich" lament, and to an extent I agree - I'm not and never have been even a season ticket holder, and I'm surely not a suite donor, and when face-value ticket prices for bad games hits $80-90 per, you realize you're pricing average folks out of the market or limiting them to maybe one or two games per year at most. But I also understand the folks *with* the money have to be the ones that build the place, because there would be no support for *public* money doing it. So what's the alternative? If we collectively enjoy it, I don't see any other way to play the game.

----------


## Pete

Keep in mind that the current ticket holders are rapidly aging and the younger generations that will be replacing them have much higher expectations and have grown up in the information and entertainment age.

I know Joe Castiglione is smart enough to understand all this, I just wish they would do more in the short-term.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Keep in mind that the current ticket holders are rapidly aging and the younger generations that will be replacing them have much higher expectations and have grown up in the information and entertainment age.
> 
> I know Joe Castiglione is smart enough to understand all this, I just wish they would do more in the short-term.


Are you calling me old, Pete?  :Smile: 

I freely admit I don't need *most* of the amenities younger folks want. I grew up going to the game to go to the game. I didn't need things like the Fan Fest, or gourmet food, and there was no such thing as ESPN GameDay; my dad would just stand in line for a lukewarm Dr. Pepper from the concession stands or from one of the scouts that used to sell them in the stadium.   :Smile:  I went to the game to, well, watch the game. Still do for the most part   :Smile:

----------


## Pete

^

I'm / was exactly the same way and I'm 55.

I don't care about all the promo videos they do and junk like that.  I want WIFI and want to know what else is happening in college football and want to know more about what is happening (or just happened) on the field.

At one point, I left my seat and went down to the concession stand so I could see the broadcast and hear with the OU announcers were saying about Mayfield and other games being played.  I stayed down there for quite a while.

----------


## SoonerDave

> ^
> 
> I'm / was exactly the same way and I'm 55.
> 
> I don't care about all the promo videos they do and junk like that.  I want WIFI and want to know what else is happening in college football and want to know more about what is happening (or just happened) on the field.
> 
> *At one point, I left me seat and went down to the concession stand so I could see the broadcast and hear with the OU announcers were saying about Mayfield and other games being played.  I stayed down there for quite a while.*


That's exactly how my son and I found out about Mayfield. He came back from getting a hot dog during halftime and said, "Hey, the radio guys on the TV said the trainers were looking at Mayfield without his helmet." And in trotted TK9. The crowd, generally, was in disbelief. The place had almost no energy until the very end...

----------


## FighttheGoodFight

> ^
> 
> I'm / was exactly the same way and I'm 55.
> 
> I don't care about all the promo videos they do and junk like that.  I want WIFI and want to know what else is happening in college football and want to know more about what is happening (or just happened) on the field.
> 
> At one point, I left me seat and went down to the concession stand so I could see the broadcast and hear with the OU announcers were saying about Mayfield and other games being played.  I stayed down there for quite a while.


There was a good report on this. I forget where.

It basically said people don't even want to go to football or other sporting events if they can't access their phones. They want to keep up with their fantasy teams and check out scores in real time. 

I have been to a couple of Cowboys games in Arlington (GO GIANTS) and they had FANTASTIC wifi. I could even watch live NFL Gamepass on my phone. I know the stadium is sponsored by ATT so that might help but man it was awesome. Best experience in a long time going to a game.

I am a big OU fan but do not really enjoy going to the game. Crowded and uncomfortable to me. Rather see it from home with friends.

----------


## Laramie

> Well, I think this is probably why they aren't adding a significant number of new seats to that end zone, instead opting for the plazas. They want to keep ticket sales healthy and if all we have to go by is the renderings, then I suspect only about 500-1,000 (perhaps less) seats will be added.


Agree, the south end zone rendering does look like possible reduction in that end zone.

Those 100,000-seat NCAA football stadiums have pockets empty seats which doesn't give you the full feel you get in the comfort of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.  

UTexas has some empty seats (100,119):  College football attendance making rare increase early in 2015 - CBSSports.com

----------


## SoonerDave

> Agree, the south end zone rendering does look like possible reduction in that end zone.


If you go to Soonercams.com and look at the current state of construction, you'll notice a portion of the retaining wall on the east side of the current south endzone has already been peeled away, and replaced with a metal fence; the top 1/5 (perhaps 10-15 rows) still have the retaining wall. The area with the retaining wall is going away, and that will be the new "top" of the stadium that should line up with the existing stadium. Those 15 or so rows are being razed. 

The current SEZ structure was built in 1980 and why on earth it was purposely built so much taller than the rest of the stadium escapes me. I think it had upwards of 85-90 rows, whereas the rest of the stadium only has 75 - 76, actually, because I think at least one row in the lower section is a duplicate with an "A" suffix, like "Row 10A."






> Those 100,000-seat NCAA football stadiums have pockets empty seats which doesn't give you the full feel you get in the comfort of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.  
> 
> UTexas has some empty seats (100,119):  College football attendance making rare increase early in 2015 - CBSSports.com


Lots of "bigger" programs have either lamented or backed off *expansion* plans until attendance numbers get more concrete. I think Nebraska was lamenting their recent expansion shortly after it was completed because the interest/demand level wasn't what they expected - and they've been selling out their stadium since 1765.  :Smile:

----------


## Jersey Boss

> (GO GIANTS) 
> I am a big OU fan but do not really enjoy going to the game. Crowded and uncomfortable to me. *Rather see it from home with friends*.



Where there is COOP F-5, excellent sight lines, gourmet quality eats, and a climate controlled environment.

----------


## Pete

> Where there is COOP F-5, excellent sight lines, gourmet quality eats, and a climate controlled environment.


Yes, and this is a pretty big change from the days where not very many games are televised, you didn't have a DVR to pause and rewind, didn't have wifi and unlimited high-speed internet access, you watched on some crappy 19" tube TV, ticket and concession prices weren't so massive, etc.

I am an information junkie and I can't stand being in the dark for four hours, especially when it comes to actually knowing about the OU game itself!


I actually strongly considered leaving the game and walking across the street to a friend's tailgate where they had satellite TV, beer on tap, tons of free food and a covered seating area with heat.  And that's just 50 yards from the stadium, all completely self-contained and portable.

----------


## Wambo36

> I was talking to someone (who had drank a little to much so it may or may not be true) who has season tix in the south end zone who got to take the "tour" of the upgrades and then had an opportunity to reserve new seats. Turns out its a $2,000 donation for each seat to reserve them. I think that's a little ridiculous if you are already a season ticket holder.


This is what my family is facing. We've been told that to hold on to the same 6 seats we've had for close to 30 years, it'll be at least another $12,000 dollars per year above the ticket price. While we're still discussing what to do, I'm pretty sure they've priced us out. I'm actually OK with it since I'd rather watch at home for the same reasons already expressed a few posts back. But it is sad to lose the tickets that my kids have grown up sitting in and where we've made good friends over the years.

----------


## ljbab728

> I was talking to someone (who had drank a little to much so it may or may not be true) who has season tix in the south end zone who got to take the "tour" of the upgrades and then had an opportunity to reserve new seats. Turns out its a $2,000 donation for each seat to reserve them. I think that's a little ridiculous if you are already a season ticket holder.


The same thing happened to me many years ago at the LLoyd Noble although not because of a renovation.  I was a TIp In Club member and had 4 great seats about 12 rows up behind the OU bench.  Even though I had those seats for quite a few years  I received notification that, in order to keep the same seats, I would have to donate $10,000.00.  I declined that generous offer.

----------


## dankrutka

I'm relatively young (mid-30s), very plugged into social media, and I would go to the game 100 out of 100 times over watching it at home. It's a totally different experience going to games. I'll also add that my phone almost always is working over the last two seasons (before that it wouldn't work well during most games). But I totally agree with the critiques and I'll add one more - the food options are terrible. More and more stadiums have started to bring in local restaurants. How do you think people would respond to a Tucker's in the stadium?

----------


## FighttheGoodFight

> The same thing happened to me many years ago at the LLoyd Noble although not because of a renovation.  I was a TIp In Club member and had 4 great seats about 12 rows up behind the OU bench.  Even though I had those seats for quite a few years  I received notification that, in order to keep the same seats, I would have to donate $10,000.00.  I declined that generous offer.


Woah hold on.... They charge for OU basketball tickets???

 :Wink:

----------


## SoonerDave

One thing that the current generation just can't possibly comprehend (and you have none other than OU and Georgia to thank for it) is the SATURATION of CFB on TV these days. Those of us with a vintage similar to mine or Pete's remember all too vividly back in the day when the NCAA tightly controlled TV appearances, and limited schools to, as I recall, either two national appearances a year or three appearances over two years, and perhaps one more regional appearance. And that was it. ABC was all-but the exclusive carrier of college ball, with Chris Schenkel (sp), Bill Fleming, and Keith Jackson. Most games got *zero* TV, and that's why the replay show was such a big deal. The local TV sports stations would advertise who could get their highlight reels processed the quickest for the next news show. 

Most people brought radios to the game to get score updates, as you *might* get a few scores updated by the grand ol' PA announcer in Norman, Bill Boren. In that vein, communicating info to the fans hasn't really improved *that* much - the score ticker updates more frequently on the ribbon boards, but that's about it. 

Fun rabbit chase (pre-emptive apology for slightly OT departure): Favorite memory of how fans didn't all get scores at the same time was the 1978 OU-OSU game. OU had a superteam that year, had been #1 and beating people silly *until* The Fumble happened in Lincoln, and Nebraska beat OU 17-14. That next Saturday, OU was finishing the season against OSU (which, in that era, was perennially and predictably awful), and winning 62-7. Nebraska, meanwhile, was finishing *its* regular season against Missouri. As the Norman game was not competitive, the crowd wasn't very much into the game, until you started hearing bizarre sections of the stadium start spontaneously cheering for seemingly no reason. Then a *different* section started up. It was crazy. I then looked at the scoreboard, and flashing on the message board were the words "LOOK UP HERE!!!!" - where it flashed "4th Quarter: Missouri 35, Nebraska 31." And a few minutes later, Boren came over the PA and announced the final - the place erupted. We were Big 8 co-champs, and ended up replaying Nebbish in the Orange Bowl.

Anyway, sorry for the departure, but it was a fun memory. The point in all this is the home football environment is just _monumentally_  different from the 1970's, and most folks under about 30 just don't even realize *how* different. The downside is that the pervasiveness of games on TV has started to take a toll on home attendance, so attracting folks to the stadium has become a new and different process.

----------


## dankrutka

> One thing that the current generation just can't possibly comprehend (and you have none other than OU and Georgia to thank for it) is the SATURATION of CFB on TV these days.


Again, just playing devil's advocate, but are we sure having more games on TV hurts college football attendance? There have been a ton of games on for years and attendance just recently started to dwindle a bit after decades of growth (right?). While I'm always disappointed when a good game is at the same time as OU's (like this week), I've never considered missing an OU game because of it. And it's nice that games are on all day Saturday so you can tailgate and pay attention to games when they're good. Anyway, saturation may be affecting attendance, but that certainly hasn't been my experience.

----------


## SoonerDave

> Again, just playing devil's advocate, but are we sure having more games on TV hurts college football attendance? There have been a ton of games on for years and attendance just recently started to dwindle a bit after decades of growth (right?). While I'm always disappointed when a good game is at the same time as OU's (like this week), I've never considered missing an OU game because of it. And it's nice that games are on all day Saturday so you can tailgate and pay attention to games when they're good. Anyway, saturation may be affecting attendance, but that certainly hasn't been my experience.


I don't think there's any question it has had an impact; the degree is certainly up for discussion. I think there's plenty of at least anecdotal evidence in this thread that contemporary football watchers like to be engaged not just in their own games, but in other games, and find the appeal of their living rooms, big-screen TV's, and home-cooked snacks/parties increasingly compelling. It isn't for *me* - going to the games will ALWAYS be *my* personal preference barring external circumstances.

I also agree completely with a previous poster that there's nothing, NOTHING, like *going* to a game. As a senior at OU in 1985, some classwork prevented me from going to one of the great OU blowouts of Nebraska back in 85. Sure, I watched it on TV, but I hate the fact I wasn't there to watch Keith Jackson run the field on *that* reverse.

----------


## OklahomaNick

I don't know if this was previous mentioned yet but the new south endzone (after renovations) is going to be entirely "suite" level seats. If your seats are in the middle of the south endzone you will have access to the club level below the stands with free food and the ability to purchase alcohol.  Our seats (currently Sec.37 row 70) are going from $380 per year to $2,500 per year if we wanted to stay there (the face value is going up AND it requires a $2,000 annual donation per seat). SO basically our seat prices are going from around $70 per game to around $360 per game. That's just not feasible! 

They promised us seats in the stadium to relocate, but no promises. We have 6 together, and will likely have to split up. Hopefully a bunch of people move to the new south endzone and open up some decent seats elsewhere. 

This is really frustrating for us and everyone around us that have called the south endzone home for almost 20 years, but I guess progress just costs money..

----------


## SoonerDave

> I don't know if this was previous mentioned yet but the new south endzone (after renovations) is going to be entirely "suite" level seats. If your seats are in the middle of the south endzone you will have access to the club level below the stands with free food and the ability to purchase alcohol.  Our seats (currently Sec.37 row 70) are going from $380 per year to $2,500 per year if we wanted to stay there (the face value is going up AND it requires a $2,000 annual donation per seat). SO basically our seat prices are going from around $70 per game to around $360 per game. That's just not feasible! 
> 
> They promised us seats in the stadium to relocate, but no promises. We have 6 together, and will likely have to split up. Hopefully a bunch of people move to the new south endzone and open up some decent seats elsewhere. 
> 
> This is really frustrating for us and everyone around us that have called the south endzone home for almost 20 years, but I guess progress just costs money..


The one aspect of this entire renovation that *still* surprises me is that they opted to do this much work *to the south endzone*. 

I remember all too vividly, years ago, when talking in general about updating and expanding the stadium, Joe Castiglione insisted that the best investment in the stadium were in "seats between the 20's", not endzones. On that basis, the idea of *any* kind of endzone-focused updates or changes seemed like a non-starter. Heck, when I was a kid, we had season tickets in the endzone, and they were horrible. We had them for, I think, two years, and let them go. Yet, here we are, dropping $160M on and _endzone._ Considering the west upper deck and pressbox area was built five years *before* that south endzone, and the press box itself has been in need of updates for some time, the choice to redo the *endzone* continues to amaze me. I always appreciated the novelty of the idea of bowling in the stadium, but I honestly *never* thought it would be done. Yet here we are. 

It just points out the fact that, these days, people aren't always going to the game to go to the game. Now, mind you, if you like endzone seats, power to ya, but that becomes a situation where I _generally_  (gotta leave myself an out) prefer to watch it on TV than watch 22 guys move side-to-side 120 yards away. And, even were I in the elite income level to make these kinds of contributions, I simply wouldn't. Not for endzone seats.

----------


## BoulderSooner

> I don't know if this was previous mentioned yet but the new south endzone (after renovations) is going to be entirely "suite" level seats. If your seats are in the middle of the south endzone you will have access to the club level below the stands with free food and the ability to purchase alcohol.  Our seats (currently Sec.37 row 70) are going from $380 per year to $2,500 per year if we wanted to stay there (the face value is going up AND it requires a $2,000 annual donation per seat). SO basically our seat prices are going from around $70 per game to around $360 per game. That's just not feasible! 
> 
> They promised us seats in the stadium to relocate, but no promises. We have 6 together, and will likely have to split up. Hopefully a bunch of people move to the new south endzone and open up some decent seats elsewhere. 
> 
> This is really frustrating for us and everyone around us that have called the south endzone home for almost 20 years, but I guess progress just costs money..



A bunch of incorrect Info in this post.  

1. season ticket prices are the same for every seat in the stadium. (This is not changing). 

2.  not all seats in the new south end will be "suit" level what ever that means. 
The new south end will have 4 different levels of seating.   Suites lodge boxes   Club level seats.   And normal seats.  

3. Your seats are not going up in price.  The reality is your seats will no longer exist    If you want seats in the same area they are now club seats.    

Those in the lower part of the south end zone can stay where they are at the same price.

----------


## zookeeper

> A bunch of incorrect Info in this post.  
> 
> 1. season ticket prices are the same for every seat in the stadium. (This is not changing). 
> 
> 2.  not all seats in the new south end will be "suit" level what ever that means. 
> The new south end will have 4 different levels of seating.   Suites lodge boxes   Club level seats.   And normal seats.  
> 
> 3. Your seats are not going up in price.  The reality is your seats will no longer exist    If you want seats in the same area they are now club seats.    
> 
> Those in the lower part of the south end zone can stay where they are at the same price.


There's that certainty again. I think OKNick is speaking from what he's been told.

And Baker Mayfield will never get a scholarship at OU. Just _will not_ happen! I remember well, BS (BoulderSooner).

And, btw, What does "same price" mean when they are asking for additional thousands to keep your seat, or even move to another?

----------


## SouthsideSooner

> There's that certainty again. I think OKNick is speaking from what he's been told.
> 
> And Baker Mayfield will never get a scholarship at OU. Just _will not_ happen! I remember well, BS (BoulderSooner).
> 
> And, btw, What does "same price" mean when they are asking for additional thousands to keep your seat, or even move to another?


I'm a season ticket holder in the lower west side of the south end zone and my family has had the seats for decades and we love them. When the action is in our end of the field, there are no better seats in the stadium.

OKNick is wrong... the entire south end zone is NOT going to all be suite seats requiring a donation to keep your seats. My seats may change slightly but I have never donated to keep my seats and I won't be required to after the renovations.

...and isn't it ironic that you choose "choose civility" as your avatar while you continue to take cheap shots at BoulderSooner with that same old tired quote...

----------


## zookeeper

> I'm a season ticket holder in the lower west side of the south end zone and my family has had the seats for decades and we love them. When the action is in our end of the field, there are no better seats in the stadium.
> 
> OKNick is wrong... the entire south end zone is NOT going to all be suite seats requiring a donation to keep your seats. My seats may change slightly but I have never donated to keep my seats and I won't be required to after the renovations.
> 
> ...and isn't it ironic that you choose "choose civility" as your avatar while you continue to take cheap shots at BoulderSooner with that same old tired quote...


Cheap shots? Go back and read that thread and all his certainty. You'd rub it in too. His posts are always so condescending. Maybe I should change my avatar. I admit I'm not perfect.

----------


## SouthsideSooner

> Cheap shots? Go back and read that thread and all his certainty. You'd rub it in too. His posts are always so condescending. Maybe I should change my avatar. I admit I'm not perfect.


Nobody's perfect and although I don't post much considering my join date, I'm a daily reader and I can assure you, you have no room to talk... 

Pot meet kettle...

----------


## Pete

This is getting way too personal over some pretty silly issues...

Let's please stop fighting with each other and get back to topic.  Thanks.

----------


## zookeeper

> Nobody's perfect and although I don't post much considering my join date, I'm a daily reader and I can assure you, you have no room to talk... 
> 
> Pot meet kettle...


By looking back at reading your posts....honestly? You're hardly one to talk. I may have strong opinions at times, but I don't think I am condescending. I don't "talk down" to posters. When he turns out to be wrong, do I give Boulder a hard time because of his certainty from his high mighty perch? Irresistible. I'll admit that.

----------


## zookeeper

I agree, Pete. I'm guilty. I didn't think picking on Boulder was that big a deal, but I'm wrong. I should shut up and - I will. Going to my corner now.

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## Wambo36

> I'm a season ticket holder in the lower west side of the south end zone and my family has had the seats for decades and we love them. When the action is in our end of the field, there are no better seats in the stadium.
> 
> OKNick is wrong... the entire south end zone is NOT going to all be suite seats requiring a donation to keep your seats. My seats may change slightly but I have never donated to keep my seats and I won't be required to after the renovations.
> 
> ...and isn't it ironic that you choose "choose civility" as your avatar while you continue to take cheap shots at BoulderSooner with that same old tired quote...


While I don't know about the "entire" south end zone, I can assure you that a large part of it is. The people in front of us said they were offered a chance to keep their 2 seats at a price of $9000. That's pretty much $2500 per seat and $2000 donation. While that's not how I understood our situation to be, I'm beginning to think (after hearing multiple people quote the same prices) that I might not have listened close enough.

----------


## OklahomaNick

Whoa! This did get personal really quick! And I didn't say all the seats in the S.Endzone were going to be suite level seats. I said the middle section. 

I spoke with the ticket office on the phone for almost an hour and I had a personal appointment with the ticket office in their mock "museum" they set up on Campus Corner. They told me to my face that the face value of our seats were going from $380 to $480, and we would be required to give the annual donation of $2,000 per seat. Taking what we were paying from $380 to $2,480 per seat per season. 

And since we were in the "South affected" group we were offered about any seat we wanted in the new s.endzone, but there was nothing cheaper than the $2,500 seats. They only offered us these "suite" level seats and the bunker boxes which were WAY more expensive. I was told that the upper corners of the new S.endzone were gonna be like normal priced seats, but we were not offered those. 

There is likely a different offering for different levels of donors. We are not big donors. Only small contributions here and there. So it's possible we were offered something different than everyone else. But it is what it is. I have a feeling that they are trying to get rid of anyone not making an annual donation per seat in the stadium. It makes sense because they need to raise revenue to pay for the renovations. 

I hope our 6 seats can get relocated to a decent area. I really don't want to be up high on the east or west sides. We will see what shakes out!

----------


## johnnyhooper

> I hope our 6 seats can get relocated to a decent area. I really don't want to be up high on the east or west sides. We will see what shakes out!


Nick, we've been in section 103 pretty high up ever since we were in the SEZ that one year (TY!), and I have to say I really like them -- west (shady) side, can see the whole field, and sometimes the food and bev guys from the suites next door come out with leftover hotdogs and pretzels for free for us "proles" in the 4Q. WIN WIN WIN

Seriously though, it's not a bad spot if you end up having to move. I know how it can be when you have to leave seats you've had for awhile, though. And much of the experience also hinges on whomever happens to be around you, if it's a fun group or not. Always a bit of a crapshoot with that.

----------


## Spartan

Why are all of you OU folks so opposed to higher ticket prices? The football should support the "school." There are school where all season tix require a donation to the school.

This is symptomatic of the fan base comprised mostly of people who didn't attend college... Let alone the Univ of Oklahoma.

----------


## Urbanized

^^^^^^
This is the most ridiculous "insult" that I routinely hear from the OSU fan base. First of all, statistically a much larger percentage of the population attended OU to begin with. The school has a larger enrollment and this has always been the case. The people who regularly sit in the stands around me are mostly alums and their families, including a family from Dallas who have had tickets for 40+ years and have 3 generations of folks who've attended OU.

There are also plenty of fans who support the program because their KIDS go there. That's completely valid.

Second, you're acting like every OSU fan attended the school or has ties to it. I know tons of people who are OSU fans with no real ties. There are plenty of plumbers, welders and whatever else who just like OSU or have family ties to it, and that's fine. There's nothing wrong with having hard-working, blue-collar fans who just like football and want an in-state team to root for. You act like having fans who are working people is something to be ashamed of.

I notice that - just like at OU - there are always more OSU fans when OSU is winning. OU doesn't have the market cornered on bandwagon fans. It comes with victories. It's part of the deal, and OSU has earned more of them recently by becoming a pretty darn good program.

And then there are the OSU fans (I know some of these) who are only OSU fans because they hate OU and want to root against them. I used to live in some apartments with a lady like this. She had a cool little Pistol Pete table-top neon light in her window, which she turned on after an OSU win. Except when I paid closer attention, I noticed that she didn't always light it when OSU won. She basically only lit it when OSU won AND OU lost. Now that type of "fan"? That's straight pathetic.

I honestly have never run across a single OU fan who acted that way, though I'm sure some of them exist south of the Red River, with their hate focused on Texas.

----------


## Pete

> Why are all of you OU folks so opposed to higher ticket prices? The football should support the "school." There are school where all season tix require a donation to the school.
> 
> This is symptomatic of the fan base comprised mostly of people who didn't attend college... Let alone the Univ of Oklahoma.


You have got to be kidding me.  Unbelievable.

----------


## Urbanized

^^^^^^^
Haha, much better response than mine.

Also, I hate it when I bite on your obvious trolling, Spartan.  :Wink:

----------


## Rover

H


> Why are all of you OU folks so opposed to higher ticket prices? The football should support the "school." There are school where all season tix require a donation to the school.
> 
> This is symptomatic of the fan base comprised mostly of people who didn't attend college... Let alone the Univ of Oklahoma.


You do understand that OU does not take money from the school now, right?  They are one of the few who doesn't TAKE money.  And, their endowment for the rest of the school hasn't suffered either.  Boren has always stressed donors supporting the academic side first. That's one of the reason the stadium fund raising was delayed over the past few years.  Let's see OSU or others follow that lead.

----------


## SOONER8693

> Why are all of you OU folks so opposed to higher ticket prices? The football should support the "school." There are school where all season tix require a donation to the school.
> 
> This is symptomatic of the fan base comprised mostly of people who didn't attend college... Let alone the Univ of Oklahoma.


Typical OU hater. Go find you a reindeer and do something you know something about.

----------


## dankrutka

> Why are all of you OU folks so opposed to higher ticket prices? The football should support the "school." There are school where all season tix require a donation to the school.
> 
> This is symptomatic of the fan base comprised mostly of people who didn't attend college... Let alone the Univ of Oklahoma.


Obviously an ignorant post. Last time I checked, OU is one of seven schools in the nation whose football program makes money and gives back to academics. OSU is not one of those seven.

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## soonermike81

Easily the most annoying argument from OSU fans. Only sh%t they can come up with b/c they can't beat us. He obviously had no idea what he was talking about in Big XII discussion, so now he just has to hate b/c he's bitter.

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## Dustin

> Typical OU hater. Go find you a reindeer and do something you know something about.


Whoa.  This isn't LandThieves...  Calm down.

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## ou48A

OU football gives several million dollars each year to OU academics. (I believe its 6 to 8 million each year)... This tradition of giving back to the universitys academics goes back to the 1950s that I know of.

Contrast that to how OSU athletics takes several million dollars  from state tax payers and then makes it very difficult for OU fans to attend the game in its stadium. 

Our state should cut off this welfare until osu changes its ticket policy for OU fans

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## David

Wow, people sure get salty about football.

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## warreng88

So, I was having a discussion with a coworker and I wanted to throw this out to see what really is going to happen. I was under the impression that the entire south endzone was going to be torn down and rebuilt because the angle between the south endzone and east and west endzones in different. Also, isn't the entire west side upper deck going to be torn down and rebuilt? Just making sure I understand it correctly.

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## hfry

That's all correct but they put it into phases so this phase 1 is just the south end zone/weight room/locker room and such. And new score board.

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## warreng88

> That's all correct but they put it into phases so this phase 1 is just the south end zone/weight room/locker room and such. And new score board.


I knew that part, I was just talking overall. Phase one is south, phase two is west. The tear downs and rebuilds will happen in the off season and work will continue on through the season.

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## ljbab728

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/546...rlyAccess=true

Never mind, proceed as planned.




> A Kansas steel manufacturer has dismissed his lawsuit against the University of Oklahoma, construction project manager Flintco Inc and W&W Steel, paving the way for construction to continue without a break in the expansion of Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
> 
> Attorneys would not comment Wednesday on whether an out of court settlement between the sides had been reached.

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## SoonerDave

> http://www.oklahoman.com/article/546...rlyAccess=true
> 
> Never mind, proceed as planned.


Amazed this didn't get more play. I read through some of the later filings in this case, and it's clear a settlement was reached. Terms of the settlement weren't and probably never will be disclosed, so all the other stuff about injunctions and appeals and later rulings are no longer relevant. Issue is dead/done. If I were _guessing,_ I'd suspect HME was offered some portion of one of the other projects OU has going right now, something like that. Pure speculation, of course.

There was some really nasty infighting about counsel that we never really heard about, too, just before HME withdrew/dismissed their suit. Allegations of a conflict working back to some bad blood between W&W's legal counsel and the lead for a team of their former law firm from about five years ago. All moot now.

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## TU 'cane

Good, time to put that to bed and move along. 
Can't wait to see this stadium come along and finish out.

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## OklahomaNick

I thought I previously saw someone post a link to the camera pointing at the stadium but I can't find the link.
It was hosted by the OU IT Department.. Can anyone find it?

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## Laramie

> I thought I previously saw someone post a link to the camera pointing at the stadium but I can't find the link.
> It was hosted by the OU IT Department.. Can anyone find it?


Live Stadium Construction Cam | Gaylord Family ? Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

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## HangryHippo

Holy cow, I just watched them at 5:25 pm pull the scoreboard down!

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## ljbab728

For those who didn't happen to be watching the cam at the time the scoreboard came down.

VIDEO: Say goodbye to the old OU football scoreboard | NewsOK.com

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## TexanOkie

Friend of mine posted this photo today on Facebook:

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## Stickman

Has anyone seen the NEW scoreboard yet?

 :Tongue:

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## Zuplar

Got our renewal letter for season tickets last week or whenever it was, and was odd at first to see the stadium completely bowled in. Took me a second to realize why it looked different. Anyways, I can't wait to see the first game with the South endzone closed off.

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## Pete

They are really blowing and going:

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## Pete

These are from a few weeks ago but shows the two residential colleges well under construction on the south side of Lindsey:

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## HangryHippo

And they're well ahead of those pictures now.  It's really shaping up and looks incredible.

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## Zuplar

This really does look fantastic. But I didn't know they were building South of Lindsey. Where will all the tailgaters go now?

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## Urbanized

Man, that looks surreal.

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## SoonerDave

That picture posted above is the one provided by the still camera mounted on Headington Hall, and has been stuck on that image for *at least* a week if not longer. They've actually started putting up steel studs and sheathing along the bottom to start the process of enclosing at least the SE portion of the structure. Brick is starting to go up on some of the interior. *Almost* all of the skeletal structure in the SW corner is in place. This week, a portion of the structural shell that will hold the SuperUberNewMegaUltraVideoScoreboardOfDoom (SUNMUVSOD  :Smile:  ) was supposed to go up, but one of the cranes appears to have cratered and may be pending replacement parts, so that part hasn't happened. The scoreboard shell was supposed to be (substantially) completed this month, so I think they're just a bit behind in that regard. 

Approximately two sections of the SW corner have been filled in with precast concrete beams for seating, and there appears to be only a small amount of superstructure remaining before they put in the diagonals that will host the beams for the rest of the corner. Seems to me that could go in just about any time they wanted. There's still some concrete work underway on the SW corner that's waaay out of camera range. 

Also, this week, I think even under the best of circumstances, the _W I N D_ has probably limited what they can do even with working cranes....

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## Jersey Boss

> This really does look fantastic. But I didn't know they were building South of Lindsey. Where will all the tailgaters go now?


The front yard of President's House on Boyd.

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## TU 'cane

Everyone, bow your heads in respect as our beloved Memorial Stadium enters adult hood.

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## Laramie

> Everyone, bow your heads in respect as our beloved Memorial Stadium enters adult hood.


You can say that again TU' cane.  We just left the 'status quo' stage.

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium truly will have class.   OU didn't Frankenstein (throw together) this stadium; its design blends the old with the new.  There's more to come...

The stadium plan looks sleek.

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## Pete

Took these today just after practice...  That video screen is going to be *huge*; will basically be the full length of that center structure.

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## SoonerDave

Guys, here is a link to an album of about 200 pics I took yesterday in and around the stadium...lots of internals and exterior pics esp. of the SW corner. Thought you'd like them.

Stadium Update 1-APR-2016 - Album on Imgur

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## FighttheGoodFight

Bowl is now complete.

New pictures here: The Bowl is Complete | Gaylord Family ? Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

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