Devon Park (Softball Hall of Fame)

[amocore]

This would be a fun weekend to go out in Bricktown or at least go down there and walk around.

The WCWS always draws in fans from all over the country, and now more than ever with the expanded capacity.

It's always great to see so many visitors in OKC.

Absolutely !

I work in the Downtown area and went to Toby Keith for lunch. I saw people with Alabama shirts, a group with Arizona colors and even a huge group of UCLA fans on my way out.

Always fun to see.

[catcherinthewry]

Reminds me of some of the past OU football teams that were a juggernaut on offense with first rounders and Heisman trophy winners and then fell completely flat when they made the playoffs or BCS championship games and faced someone with a good defense. This Softball team was being called one of the best ever with player of the year, freshman of the year, leading in all major offensive categories and one of the best defensive teams as well then plays an unseeded team and gets suffocated by a pitcher. Thankfully its double elimination or this would have been one of the most embarrassing and worst upsets in softball history. We still have a shot of course but our pitching makes me very nervous. The reason all the OU pitchers have such great records is because they simply blew everyone out. IÂ’m not giving up but this was a gut punch and now the losers bracket is very very difficult

Knee jerk reaction. A great pitcher can still shut down a great hitting team in college softball and Odicci Alexander was 2nd team All-American. As for OU's pitching, Saile held the Dukes to 3 hits (OU had 6) and would've won the game 3-2 in regulation if the 1st base umpire had gotten a close call right in the 3rd inning.
We will see what this team is made of going forward. They face a tough bracket. Every team that has beaten then this year is in their bracket, but OU came back to beat UGA and OSU the next time they played them. I'm not ready to count them out and would love to see them get another crack at JMU.

[AnguisHerba]

I was there yesterday, and the improvements are great. However, this stadium could still use: (1) a second entry gate, which is an easy fix, (2) a new PA system and video board, (3) an additional smaller scoreboard on the press box, and (4) a shade structure over the grandstand

[AnguisHerba]

Oh, and the fact that they had to shut down one lane of traffic for a pedestrian walkway between Remington Park and Hall of Fame stadium because there's no sidewalk on the north side of Grand Ave. is just embarrassing.

[Pete]

The PA system was atrocious. I had good seats and couldn't understand anything that was being said.

And by modern standards, the video board is of poor quality and looks dated.

[GoGators]

Instead of the expansion of Hall Of Fame Stadium, OKC should have just moved the facility downtown like Omaha did with their own CWS facilities. Every complaint listed above would have been immediately solved (traffic, parking, sidewalks, lack of amenities, proximity to hotels.) The WCWS has simply outgrown what the current location is able to handle.

[Pete]

Instead of the expansion of Hall Of Fame Stadium, OKC should have just moved the facility downtown like Omaha did with their own CWS facilities. Every complaint listed above would have been immediately solved (traffic, parking, sidewalks, lack of amenities, proximity to hotels.) The WCWS has simply outgrown what the current location is able to handle.

Just so you know, that stadium is part of a huge complex operated by USA softball. It's much more than just the one facility.

And also, now that I've been there I now know just to park at Remington Park (and with a capacity stadium crowd, that parking lot was only about 1/5th full) and walk over. Sidewalks are an issue because there is a big ravine, so for less than a week a year, blocking off one lane as a walkway works perfectly fine.


Tip for anyone who goes: Come down MLK and park at Remington. We tried to go down I-35 and exit on 50th and that was a big mistake.

It's all very workable if you know what to avoid.

[GoGators]

Just so you know, that stadium is part of a huge complex operated by USA softball. It's much more than just the one facility.

And also, now that I've been there I now know just to park at Remington Park (and with a capacity stadium crowd, that parking lot was only about 1/5th full) and walk over. Sidewalks are an issue because there is a big ravine, so for less than a week a year, blocking off one lane as a walkway works perfectly fine.


Tip for anyone who goes: Come down MLK and park at Remington. We tried to go down I-35 and exit on 50th and that was a big mistake.

It's all very workable if you know what to avoid.

Yes, I am very familiar with the complex. Without the parking lot the entire complex has about the same footprint as the Cox center. I know it will never move, but the WCWS and the multiple tournaments USA softball puts on here a year deserves a better location imo.

[citywokchinesefood]

Yes, I am very familiar with the complex. Without the parking lot the entire complex it has about the same footprint as the Cox center. I know it will never move, but the WCWS and the multiple tournaments USA softball puts on here a year deserves a better location imo.

It will never move, but it would be a great fit to anchor the producers COOP alongside the soccer stadium. The two would be able to share parking and it would create a really fantastic atmosphere downtown when tournaments were in town.

[Laramie]

Game 1: James Madison University 4 - Oklahoma University 3 _____ 8 INN

Game 2: Oklahoma State University 3 - Georgia University 2

Game 3: University of Alabama 5 - University of Arizona 1

Game 4: UCLA 4 - Florida State University 0

[HOT ROD]

.

Our city has a 'Bonanza' sitting right in the middle crossroads of the United States with ESPN coverage; now ABC is also testing the market. ABC also partners with ESPN on the NBA.

If you think we should be satisfied with maintaining the 'status quo' of the USA Hall of Fame Stadium facility which we have both public and private funds invested to the tune of $35 million then think again. That's peanuts because the growth potential of this event is untapped.

Oklahoma City needs to immediately do a 'feasibility study' on the potential growth of Women's College World Series event and making sure we have a top-notched venue and promotion of surrounding venues, also explore potential for hotel growth and a few eating establishments.

Obviously, we have the best Softball Specific Venue in the World right here. Do we need to make it better where cities envious of our situation don't come along and pursue future WCWS or attempt to buy this event out from underneath us as Las Vegas did with the NFR. We have been supposedly assured of this event until 2035.

Our city again can solicit partnerships from the tribes & corporations and look at the potential USA Hall of Fame Stadium enhancements, street access infrastructure and a future parking garage & hotel to serve the Adventure District area (Remington Park, Zoo, Firefighters Museum, Softball Hall of Fame Museum, and National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

The event is generational a family-friendly supported event; our city should seriously explore the full potential of this event and area.

BREAKING NEWS; as I submitted this post. James Madison University just punched their ticket to the CWS and the team was chanting "OKC."

.

I totally agree Larry. We next need to look at making the outfield pernament seating and retail concourses throughout. Make the fan experience world class.

I know the facility currently is used infrequently but as Softball continues iits exponential rise we could get more events there. I would also LOVE to see suites developed, benchmark Omaha's Baseball park in a way that still maintains Softball's organic feel.

And yes, so happy that ABC broadcast the OU-UW game. Need MUCH more of that as well as Softball becoming a topic on the speaking heads shows!

wonder if eventually there could be a National Softball Association pro-league? Exciting.

[Pete]

The outfiled can't be permanent seating because the stands sit between the temporary fence used for college softball and the longer, permanent one for slow pitch.

This facility really only gets extensive use one week a year.

[dcsooner]

That was the DUMBEST play, not only do they bunt WHY and when you do, you bunt towards the pitcher instead of towards first base. OSU played a dumb AXSE game period!

[Laramie]

Game 1: James Madison University 4 - Oklahoma University 3 _____ 8 INN

Game 2: Oklahoma State University 3 - Georgia University 2

Game 3: University of Alabama 5 - University of Arizona 1

Game 4: UCLA 4 - Florida State University 0

Game 5: James Madison University 2 - Oklahoma State University 1

Game 6: University of Alabama 6 - UCLA 0


Graham Hays
@grahamhays
Content writing specialist, Vanderbilt University. Contributor to D1softball.com.

Total attendance for the first day of the WCWS is 21,762 (first year of upper deck seating).

Total attendance for the entire World Series in 1990, when it moved to Oklahoma City, was 12,073.

[GoGators]

This facility isn’t used infrequently, it’s used 20-30 weekends a year. It’s just that it gets overlooked because it’s hidden away out of sight. This facility draws way more people to okc each year than Bricktown ballpark does. The facility and hall of fame is a jewel the city should be capitalizing on year round. Instead it’s forgotten about but for one week a year because of its terrible location.

[Pete]

^

The Dodgers alone drew almost half a million people in 2019.

The Big 12 baseball tournament typically draws about 70,000.


The softball series drew about 78,000 in 2019. That number will go up due to the increased capacity this year but I seriously doubt this facility draws well over half a million in a year.

[GoGators]

I was talking about drawing people to OKC but yes my post was a little to hyperbolic. What I meant was that the dodger games arent drawing anyone from out of state while HOF stadium is hosting multiple armature national tournaments a year along with team usa/international games, the big 12, and ncaa championships. It would be a much better asset to the city if these events were actually visible to people.

[Laramie]

Women's College World Series

Elimination Saturday

Game 7: University of Oklahoma 8 - University of Georgia 0

Game 8: Florida State University 4 - University of Arizona 3

[Laramie]

Good 10 - 3 OU Sooner win over the defending champion UCLA Bruins. UCLA's Rachel Garcia and OU's Giselle Juarez really pitched outstanding games--the bats of the Lady Sooners produced the key runs.

Oklahoma State takes on Florida State in the final Saturday elimination game.

Hope to have more attendance figures. Yesterday's UCLA vs Alabama crowd was announced at 12,337.

[SEMIweather]

Was probably 80-85% full for OU/UCLA earlier, pretty good IMO for a two hour rain delay. Has definitely cleared out for the OSU/FSU game lol. Moved down to the lower deck for this one and just hoping I don’t fall asleep before the end.

[SEMIweather]

Attendance just announced as 12,235

[Laramie]

Women's College World Series

Elimination Saturday

Game 7: University of Oklahoma 8 - University of Georgia 0

Game 8: Florida State University 4 - University of Arizona 3

Game 9: University of Oklahoma 10 - UCLA 3

Game 10: Florida State University 4 - Oklahoma State University 2

[SoonerDave]

Weather looks to play a factor for WCWS games today and tomorrow.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma takes down JMU 6 - 3. A rubber match is scheduled for 3 p.m., or 6 p.m. It will decide who goes into Championship Monday.

[Laramie]

University of Oklahoma 6 - James Madison University 3
Florida State University 2 - University of Alabama 0



OU - JMU 3:00 p.m. Monday, winner advances to championship best of three begins Tuesday.
FSU - UA 6:00 p.m. Monday, winner advances to championship best of three begins Tuesday.