Devon Park (Softball Hall of Fame)

[SoonerDave]

i think 9-10k is probably about right. and in a sport where teams have trouble getting 2k fans to games in some places... i think that's pretty dang good numbers. and is a big reason why the WCWS will stay in OKC and no one else even wants to try and build a facility for it.

Exactly. What a lot of people don't realize is that some schools have nicer, somewhat newer ballparks that seat ...maybe 1,000 people. And they don't always get packed.

Building a same-or- bigger single-use venue like ASA would be all-but a financial impossibility or at least a tremendous impracticality. And that completely discounts the fact that OKC has been a softball destination for, what, five *decades* now, well predating OU's presence in the sport.

[Bellaboo]

Not sure if this is upthread, but ASA has a contract for WCWS through 2035.

The mayor tweeted that Devon Park is 2.5 times larger than the next largest softball stadium in the World. I'm sure this is seating capacity.

[gopokes88]

Not sure if this is upthread, but ASA has a contract for WCWS through 2035.

The mayor tweeted that Devon Park is 2.5 times larger than the next largest softball stadium in the World. I'm sure this is seating capacity.

and I would expect around 2030 another round of improvements gets slated and the contract is extended to 2050

[gopokes88]

I 100% believe Austin will. They have been spending money at will for UT sports and for NIL. Their coach hates that the WCWS is in Oklahoma City. Austin will no doubt be building one by 2035, IMO. And probably develop the heck out of the surrounding area, so it isn't in a deserted part of the city with no restaurants or bars or hotels.

This may come as a shock to UT, but they don't ALWAYS get what they want. It will (probably) be in OKC forever. Especially now that OU is in the SEC, the most or tied for most powerful conference in sports.

[Pete]

^

Yes, Texas is in for a rude awakening now that they are in the SEC.

Can no longer bully everyone into getting what they want when they want it.

[gopokes88]

It was built in 1987. Downtown might as well have been BFE back then but the adventure district definitely isn’t now. It’s literally 5 miles from the center of downtown between downtown and one of the cities largest suburbs.

As long as the city keeps investing in the stadium, the college softball tournament isn’t going anywhere, especially not just because there aren’t enough bars and restaurants nearby for the one massive event it hosts every year when it’s only 10 minutes from downtown and might at some point have a direct rail connection.. No one else is building a huge, expensive softball stadium and complex and especially isn’t doing it on 40+ acres in the center of an urban area. It would be great to keep developing that area, and it’s slowly happening, but to act like we’re at any risk of losing the tournament, especially due to lack of development near a stadium that is 5-10 minutes in three directions from a ton of hotels/restaurants/etc, right now is just ridiculous. You are creating a problem that doesn’t and won’t ever exist unless the city decides to stop putting money into the complex.

Not to mention it's a perfect area for kids being next to the Zoo and Science museum

[gopokes88]

^

Yes, Texas is in for a rude awakening now that they are in the SEC.

Can no longer bully everyone into getting what they want when they want it.

They've gotten very used to bullying their way around in the Big 12, the SEC is very collaborative and will only support what's best for the SEC as a whole. They won't do something to benefit UT because UT is big mad a site is too "close" to OU.
That doesn't even include going to the NCAA to get moved after that. NCAA wouldn't even consider it if the SEC didn't buy in and they won't.

[PhiAlpha]

They've gotten very used to bullying their way around in the Big 12, the SEC is very collaborative and will only support what's best for the SEC as a whole. They won't do something to benefit UT because UT is big mad a site is too "close" to OU.
That doesn't even include going to the NCAA to get moved after that. NCAA wouldn't even consider it if the SEC didn't buy in and they won't.

Yeah let’s move it away from the facility that’s hosted it for 37 years and so big and nice that it’s being considered as an option to host the summer Olympic despite being halfway across the country from the host city (the fact this is even the remotest of possibilities really says everything about the national/international opinion of those facilities). Big mad Texas is my favorite Texas lol.

[ShadowStrings]

Not to mention it's a perfect area for kids being next to the Zoo and Science museum

I've always thought that the Adventure District would be perfect for something like ICON Park in Orlando. Would be a great way to use a chunk of the Remington parking lot, assuming a garage or two could be built.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City built the WCWS and made it into an annual destination. Centrally located, it is in a convenient travel location to get to OKC from all parts of the U. S., especially the schools known for softball like Alabama, UCLA, California, Arizona, ASU, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Washington and Fresno State.

Can't see any responsible Austin billionaire building a $50 million softball stadium complex just to lure the WCWS away from Oklahoma City. There's roughly $40 million ($27.5 million recent upgrades) invested in the stadium complex which maintains 3 practice fields and the nearby National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum; also the OKC Zoo, Omniplex and Firefighter's Museum are in the area. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a short drive from the stadium. We definitely will need some hotels in the area to support Remington Park and build the area for tourism in the most beautiful area of topography in our city with the natural formations of molded rock, red clay near the Deep Fork area and Persimmon Hill.

[Laramie]

Florida 9 vs Oklahoma 3 (Elimination game 11 a.m. June 4)
Texas 1 vs Stanford 0 - Attendance: 11,465 - Texas advances to finals.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma 6 vs Florida 5 (8 innings) Attendance: 11,166
No. 2 - Oklahoma advances to the finals vs No.1 - Texas

Women's College World Series finals 2024 schedule:

Wednesday, June 5
Game 1 Time (CT) - 7 p.m. - ESPN

Thursday, June 6
Game 2 Time (CT) - 7 p.m. - ESPN

Friday, June 7 (If neccessary)
Game 3 Time (CT) - 7 p.m. ESPN

[Laramie]

Oklahoma 8 vs Texas 3 - Attendance: 12,300 - Oklahoma lead best of three game series 1 - 0

Box score https://www.espn.com/college-softbal...meId/401672951

[FighttheGoodFight]

Kelly Maxwell is legit. Going to be a tough game tonight

[warreng88]

Ok, I am an OU fan through and through, but is there any part of any of you that was ok with OU not going so more people from out of town would be here and spend more money here? No? Just me? Got it...

[The]

Ok, I am an OU fan through and through, but is there any part of any of you that was ok with OU not going so more people from out of town would be here and spend more money here? No? Just me? Got it...

Just you. The rest of us are actual fans.

[bison34]

Ok, I am an OU fan through and through, but is there any part of any of you that was ok with OU not going so more people from out of town would be here and spend more money here? No? Just me? Got it...

Catch 22. OU is by far the most popular softball team in America. You can't guarantee that fans from other teams will come here. So them not being here could be a negative.

Not a guarantee fans wouldn't show up. But having OU there helps a ton in getting that stadium filled up.

[jedicurt]

Ok, I am an OU fan through and through, but is there any part of any of you that was ok with OU not going so more people from out of town would be here and spend more money here? No? Just me? Got it...

that's the great thing about this format though... the first few days, all of those fans are here, even if OU made it... they still come here and they still fill the stands, and they still spend all of their money while here. then as teams are eliminated. those fans mostly start to leave. as i have been going to WCWS games consistently for the past 12 years now. i can say that i have met around 30-40 people who come every year even if their team didn't make the WCWS. it is their annual vacation.

[Laramie]

that's the great thing about this format though... the first few days, all of those fans are here, even if OU made it... they still come here and they still fill the stands, and they still spend all of their money while here. then as teams are eliminated. those fans mostly start to leave. as i have been going to WCWS games consistently for the past 12 years now. i can say that i have met around 30-40 people who come every year even if their team didn't make the WCWS. it is their annual vacation.

Now IMO this is a good sign Oklahoma City has built the WCWS into something that benefits our city economic wise, much like the events held at the SFA. That's why I have no problem with the fairgrounds receiving MAPS money because we need to keep those horse shows in OKC.---they add to more out-of-town money spent on hotels and local retailers.

Noticed this year that the attendance seems to show a big boost (looks like every session topped 10,000). OU and OSU both made the cut for the top eight teams--is this why there's an attendance boost? Well, anyway let's see what the official attendance figures are for 2024. The city needs to put some MAPS funds (besides bonds) into Devon Park softball complex. This event promotes OKC much like the NBA Thunder adds more appeal to OKC being a member of the NBA (not as equals) . Recall seeing an article that compared the WCWS to the economic impact the annual OU-TU Red River rivalry has on Dallas at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.

[unfundedrick]

It's the Sooners again 8-4 for 4th in a row.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma 8 vs Texas 4 - Attendance: 12,324
Gamecast: https://www.espn.com/college-softbal...texas-oklahoma


Congratulations to Coach Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma Sooners on winning their record NCAA WCWS 4th straight softball championship.

[Laramie]

It’s worth noting attendance records at the WCWS were also set this week in Oklahoma City. Over the nine sessions between May 30 and June 6, five were sell-outs. Session 2 — which featured Texas versus Stanford and Florida versus Oklahoma State — set a record for the highest attendance ever (12,566). The WCWS nearly broke that record two days later, with 12,565 fans attending Oklahoma versus UCLA and Texas versus Florida.

Link: The Athletic https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/554.../?redirected=1

[gopokes88]

Nope gotta change it cause Texas Softball is BIG mad

[OKCRealtor]

Maybe they should try winning

[Laramie]

Softball much like football, the U of Texas attracts the top recruits. It comes down to one key factor the U of Oklahoma has i softball--home crowd advantage. My observation, the Longhorn fan base showed up in numbers--like 1,000-1,200. Lots of Texas money injected into the OKC local economy.

Next improvement IMO would be to improve outfield seating with chairback seats (remove bleachers); add 2,500 seat sections of risers to the outfield.