Boone Pickens stadium

**westsidesooner** · 11-20-2009, 04:18 PM

I made my first trip to the (semi) newly renovated Boone Pickens stadium yesterday and was very impressed. I'd been several times in the 80's and 90's but hadn't returned......not for lack of wanting to go, just time and loyality constraints. It seems the schedule makers of college football seem to get their jollys out of having OU and OSU play there home games on the same weekends. Sad.

The concourses are wide and easy to get around in, the concession booths are also easy to access. And I can't begin to tell you how jealous I am of the escalators!!! The main aisle running around the stadium are much more spacious than in Norman, the rows of seats have at least 3-6" more leg room than Memorial stadium in Norman....sweet, and there are several video boards around the stadium to catch the action on. Congratulations to OSU for a wonderful facility.

However I was disappointed in the lack of a sizeable scoreboard with all the stats I'm accustomed to in Norman, and the video boards (while plentiful) seem to be 50% covered with ads making the actual video screen size not to impressive. For someone like me who has a difficult time seeing fine print it made it hard for me to keep up on downs/yards to go, and the time remaining. And I was disappointed there were no flag poles to display the US and Oklahoma flags. Just a moderate size US flag draped over the side of Gallagher Iba arena.

I was also surprised at the lack of fan interest (at least 15,000 empty seats) (and yes I understand Thursday night games are difficult to attend) and many of those that were there never came back after halftime despite it being a close game with good weather and possibly helping to determine whether or not OSU could go to its biggest bowl game in history. Part of that may have to do with the difficulty in getting into and out of Stillwater on game days/nights. Hwy 51 is a nightmare.

Does anyone know if there are plans to add a significant scoreboard in the near future.....I was thinking it would be sweet to have a huge one over Gallagher Iba arena spanning the width of the building.

For the most part I was very impressed. Congratulations again on a beautiful facility OSU.

And congratulations on a very exciting game....I think you found your QB of the future in Brandon Weeden. Bedlam should be very interesting this year.....especially if OU gets out of Lubbock with a win.

**Stinger** · 11-20-2009, 04:45 PM

Glad you joined us last night. You're welcome anytime and I hope the fans were hospitable.

**foodiefan** · 11-20-2009, 06:33 PM

Thanks for the kind words!! "Many of us" hung in until the final gun!! Considering the distance, getting "home" is not so bad. I left the parking lot a little north of the stadium (Washington/McElroy) at 10:30 pm and was on Hiway 51 at 10:50 pm . While the traffic was heavy, we were all moving at 70 -75 and I was home in central OKC by 11:50. I've been to games in Norman when it took an hour to get home. . . half the distance. Anyway. . .thanks for coming. . . come again. . .and GO POKES!!

**OKCisOK4me** · 11-21-2009, 09:43 AM

Advertising on the four scoreboards is an issue and it will be until they put video board ribbons on the north and south sides of the stadium. Once they do that, these will be great locations to do advertising and showing other scores from across the country.

As far as flags go, I believe there should be three flag poles in the SE corner. If they're not there now, I swear they used to be. That would be a great location for a US flag, an Oklahoma flag, and an OSU flag. Nothing wrong with keeping those other Big 12 flags on the outside of the stadium!

Highway 51 is fine, unless everybody is driving that route for some reason. You could go in the back way--east of Guthrie, up to Langston. It's 4 lanes all the way to just east of Langston and then 2 lane highway to Perkins Junction where you head north on, yet again, a four lane highway.

Large scoreboard on the west face of Gallagher Iba Arena is NEVER going to happen. Too many Cowboys fan arguments on covering up the beauty of such a prominent facility. Look at UT's scoreboard, there's nothing pretty behind it.

Glad our stadium isn't "Rustoliem" anymore & glad you enjoyed it!