http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/062211aal.html

The 106th edition of the Red River Rivalry will be broadcast to the entire nation.

NORMAN, Okla. -- ABC has announced that the Oklahoma-Texas football game on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011, will be a full national telecast at 11 a.m. (CT). This will be an exclusive ABC telecast window on this date.

The game will be played in the Cotton Bowl at Dallas, the site of the contest every season since 1929.

The Sooners will be gunning for their second consecutive win in the series after posting a 28-20 win in 2010.

This year's meeting with the Longhorns is the fifth game of the season for OU, which plays three of its first four games at home.

The best part about an 11:00 AM kickoff is that I can drive home that night.

An 11:00 AM kickoff should cut back on the numbers of people at the Fair who have no or limit rooting interest.
This might make things a little less congested.

The best part about an 11:00 AM kickoff is that I can drive home that night.

An 11:00 AM kickoff should cut back on the numbers of people at the Fair who have no or limit rooting interest.
This might make things a little less congested.

I've been to every OU - Texas game since 65 and never noticed that having an earlier kickoff changed anything about those concerns.

Ugh. I've never liked 11am kickoffs.

I've been to every OU - Texas game since 65 and never noticed that having an earlier kickoff changed anything about those concerns.

I have…. People who are not going to the game are more likely to seek a party that starts at 2:30pm than 11:00am

Smell that? You smell that?

What?

Corndogs, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that.

I love the smell of corndogs in the morning. You know, one time we had a game played, for 4 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' longhorn body. The smell, you know that corndog smell, the whole fairgrounds. Smelled like...victory. Someday this rivalry is gonna end...

Ugh. I've never liked 11am kickoffs.

Agreed. Too early to start on the beers at my age

11:00 AM or 2:30 is always too early to for me to drink.
But then I don’t drink at all during OU football games. Never!

Ugh. I've never liked 11am kickoffs.
I hate the 11:00 games, especially that one.

I have…. People who are not going to the game are more likely to seek a party that starts at 2:30pm than 11:00am

Maybe you've been going to a different game than I have. The crowds are still huge and rowdy at 11AM and traffic and parking are just as bad. I also prefer the later start though. I just like to let my breakfast settle a little before I have my first beer and corny dog.

Maybe you've been going to a different game than I have. The crowds are still huge and rowdy at 11AM and traffic and parking are just as bad. I also prefer the later start though. I just like to let my breakfast settle a little before I have my first beer and corny dog.

I have been to about 20 OU Texas games and other Fair Park events.

I usually leave my hotel at about 7:45 for an 11:00 am kickoff.
There are not near as many people out and about in the city of Dallas at that time of day compared to several hours later. At that time of day as long as I stay off the interstates 4-5 miles from Fair Park I never had any traffic problems until I’m about a block or 2 away from a Fair Park parking lot.
I know a back way out of the Fair Park traffic jam after the game that saves me a good amount of time.
We always drive home to Norman after the game. We grab a quick bite to eat and make a pit stop along the way. Once we are out of the stadium it takes us about 4.25 hours to do this for an 11:00am kickoff. It takes us about 5 hours to do this for a 2:30 kickoff. This increase is caused by more people at the Fair and by more traffic though out the Dallas area.

Pertty much every future OU-Texas Game will be at 11:00 unless A) the game falls from national coverage prominence or B) a new television contract is reached. ABC has 11:00 and 6:00PM national games. 2:30 games are regional. I don't want to see OU-Texas fall to only deserving regional coverage and everyone involved refuses to consider night games due to the Texas State Fair and related availability of alcohol afterward. So 11:00 it is. Get used to it.

I think an OU/Tx night game would be epic. I love watching night time SEC games. Rowdy crowds and a party like atmosphere.

I think an OU/Tx night game would be epic. I love watching night time SEC games. Rowdy crowds and a party like atmosphere.

In the past the leadership at both universities have said they are strongly against an night OU - Texas game.
The stadium would need better lighting (they could rent lights) and a large expansion of secure onsite parking. An expansion of DART’s light rail hourly capacity would also help. They would also need to crack down on over drinking.

I think the only way a night game would happen is if the game were moved to Arlington, I don't think it will ever happen at The Cotton Bowl.

I have been to about 20 OU Texas games and other Fair Park events.

I usually leave my hotel at about 7:45 for an 11:00 am kickoff.
There are not near as many people out and about in the city of Dallas at that time of day compared to several hours later. At that time of day as long as I stay off the interstates 4-5 miles from Fair Park I never had any traffic problems until I’m about a block or 2 away from a Fair Park parking lot.
I know a back way out of the Fair Park traffic jam after the game that saves me a good amount of time.
We always drive home to Norman after the game. We grab a quick bite to eat and make a pit stop along the way. Once we are out of the stadium it takes us about 4.25 hours to do this for an 11:00am kickoff. It takes us about 5 hours to do this for a 2:30 kickoff. This increase is caused by more people at the Fair and by more traffic though out the Dallas area.

You might want to consider parking in the burbs and taking DART to the fairgrounds. I've done that the last couple of years and it is much less stressful and a very relaxing way to get to and from the fairgrounds. I do have a few more years experience at the game than you (45 straight years) so I think I know a little about it. I know all of the short cuts too but as you say when you get close to the fairgrounds you're going to be in traffic no matter what. When I drive I never run into any bad traffic until I get within about a mile away no matter what time of day the game starts.

11:00 start favors the best team...

You might want to consider parking in the burbs and taking DART to the fairgrounds. I've done that the last couple of years and it is much less stressful and a very relaxing way to get to and from the fairgrounds. I do have a few more years experience at the game than you (45 straight years) so I think I know a little about it. I know all of the short cuts too but as you say when you get close to the fairgrounds you're going to be in traffic no matter what. When I drive I never run into any bad traffic until I get within about a mile away no matter what time of day the game starts.

For the first time I’m considering taking DART light rail to the game this year but I still might wait another year. I have always liked having my game day gear in my car so I can make any necessary adjustments.
Some OU fans may not be aware that DART has opened a new rail route that’s called the green line. It will provide a new travel option for OU fans
The new Green line roughly follows the Stemmons / I - 35 corridor to the Carrollton area OU fans coming from the north would be more likely to use it.
On Sunday, June 26 DART will test special service for this fall's State Fair and OU Texas Game
It would be nice to know by how much DART has increased its total systems hourly capacity and what the hourly capacity will be on the new Green line for the OU Texas game.
The north end of the green line ends in the Carrollton area, this would get you out of most highway traffic problems. However I’m concerned about parking capacity and Green line capacity issues.

http://dart.org/

You might want to consider parking in the burbs and taking DART to the fairgrounds. I've done that the last couple of years and it is much less stressful and a very relaxing way to get to and from the fairgrounds. I do have a few more years experience at the game than you (45 straight years) so I think I know a little about it. I know all of the short cuts too but as you say when you get close to the fairgrounds you're going to be in traffic no matter what. When I drive I never run into any bad traffic until I get within about a mile away no matter what time of day the game starts.

45 years is a very nice streak.
Congratulations and thank you for your loyal support of the Oklahoma Sooners Football Program.

I’m 53 years old. This will be 32 consecutive years that I have purchased OU football season tickets.

i like the evening games myself

i like the evening games myself

You wouldn't like it at Fair Park where you might need an armored car to get home after the game. LOL

That area of Dallas can even be scary during the daytime.

One year we stayed late, Garth Brooks had a free show that evening (this was right around the time that he went big time, 89 or 90) and had no problems. We went back to the car to change out of shorts (it was hot that day) into some jeans for the cooler night weather and stopped and got a 12-pack along the way to the car. We hung out around there for awhile and gave the rest of the 12-pack (I think 4 or 5 were left) to a couple of older gentlemen "working" the parking lot and the empties to a lady picking up cans. When we got back to the car after the show those guys were sitting not too far from my car and thanked us for the beer again and said they kept any eye on my car.

I went to some shows at the Starplex and a Blazers-Freeze game (the inaugural season for the reformed CHL) never had any issues but we did park on-site.

One year we stayed late, Garth Brooks had a free show that evening (this was right around the time that he went big time, 89 or 90) and had no problems. We went back to the car to change out of shorts (it was hot that day) into some jeans for the cooler night weather and stopped and got a 12-pack along the way to the car. We hung out around there for awhile and gave the rest of the 12-pack (I think 4 or 5 were left) to a couple of older gentlemen "working" the parking lot and the empties to a lady picking up cans. When we got back to the car after the show those guys were sitting not too far from my car and thanked us for the beer again and said they kept any eye on my car.

I went to some shows at the Starplex and a Blazers-Freeze game (the inaugural season for the reformed CHL) never had any issues but we did park on-site.
I'm sure it is possible to have a safe nightime experience but it is still a scary looking place. I remember once many years ago my father went to the game with me and several other people. He wasn't sitting with us and got lost going back to the car after the game That was before cell phones. We waited for a couple of hours but he never showed up at our car. He finally found a pay phone to call where we were staying and told them that because it was getting dark he was taking a taxi instead of waiting around any longer. We also called where we were staying and found that out so we left. He was alone and not feeling safe.

I don't think that area is as bad as it was 25 years ago, it still isn't a "good" area but nowhere near what it was in the mid-80's.

I don't think that area is as bad as it was 25 years ago, it still isn't a "good" area but nowhere near what it was in the mid-80's.

It's still not a good idea to mix beer, booze, and OU-Texas passion in a late night setting. That's why they shut down the Friday night Commerce Street scene many years ago.

You wouldn't like it at Fair Park where you might need an armored car to get home after the game. LOL

That area of Dallas can even be scary during the daytime.
Amen. I've been to 25 consecutive OU-texass games. I wouldn't dare venture into that part of town after dark. I have a buddy that goes with us every year that refers to that area around fair park as the "ghettoplex".

I have never felt threatened in that area, day or night....unlike some areas of Cleveland that I was working in the daytime that just had a creepy feel about them.

Having been to a ton of OU-Texas games over the years (sorry, lost count), I can tell you that the universities are right-on in their refusal to make that a night game. The area around the fairgrounds is just horrendous.

As an aside, that area is precisely why ol Jerry Jones wanted to rebuild the Cotton Bowl right where it is AND build a multimillion dollar shopping and entertainment complex around it (back when he was first toying with moving the Cowboys out of Arlington and wanted to move them to "real" Dallas). The plan was to effectively demolish the blighted area and turn it into a vibrant, job-creating, year-round destination. Sadly, Dallas political leadership at the time thought spending money that way was putting money in an Evil Rich Guy's Pockets, and Just Weren't Going to Do That....and cut off their NFL nose to spite their altruistic face. I think it marks one of the dumbest moves by a city council possibly ever. You may or may not like JW (or the Dallas Cowboys, for that matter), but from a business perspective he gave the city a chance to make Dallas a home for its namesake franchise, and set a tone of redevelopment that would have changed the area for decades, but they declined. Sorry for digressing...

It was only because cooler heads prevailed and the powers that be realized OU-Texas was going either home-and-home or to JerryWorld that someone got the funds together to overhaul the existing Cotton Bowl...sadly, the effort did nothing for the blight around Fair Park.

I hope the Texas Rangers make it to post-season again. I loved it last October 2 when, after the OU win over TX, I pulled into the season ticket holders parking lot to watch C.J. Wilson hammer the LA Angels, with OU flags flying from both widows; all the LongWhore fans booing and giving the devil horn symbol while I held up my down-horn through the sunroof.

Hey, last year, OU-Texas was on my birthday. When Texas fumbled that final punt return, and OU recovered to seal the victory (despite having done their BEST to let saxeT back in the game after going up 28-10), my kiddo turned to me and said, "Happy Birthday, Dad!"

Awesome fun...OU-UT on my birthday probably won't happen again in my lifetime.

Just as long as you stay on Fair Park property I consider it a safe environment.
If driving it is a mistake to not park on Fair Park property IMO.
It is a serious mistake to be walking out side Fair Park after dark or not in a large group at any time.