OU Football Operations Facility

[Pete]

Pete, someone posted this on twitter, do you know if this is correct on the location of the facility (would make zero sense to have it totally disconnected from the stadium)? Says it's why Thad Turnipseed is out aswell.

Thad wanted the facilities across Jenkins but the administration and regents wouldn’t approve moving the T&F facilities. They want to build the football offices at the current Marita Hynes location. This defeats the entire purpose of Thad’s vision. That’s why he’s out. It’s not a coincidence the video of the Jenkins facility was leaked. It was an attempt to get momentum for that vision.

This isn't true.

There are minutes from the Board of Regents that approved the demolition of Bud Wilkinson House and hired HOK for $4 million for the football facility "east of the stadium". This entire thing is well along.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Looking at those renderings would make a few NFL teams blush. I think it’s time to completely decouple these major college football programs from the universities they “represent.” To many of us who dare look at all this beyond its emotional and/or nostalgic pull on us from yesteryear, the charade should end before it looks any more ridiculous than it already does.

There’s no question that the Oklahoma Sooners football program was once made up of true student athletes. Today, they are made up of “student athletes.” (Notice the quote marks there.) And, yes, it’s the entirety of the FBS football programs; only more obvious at the traditional football powers like OU, Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, USC…all the usual suspects. What is it that is so clear to many of us about the state of college football? A good summation would be —

The Oklahoma Sooners are a professional sports brand - within a larger huge industry called - College Football.

First. Foremost. Nothing less.

Similarities to the NFL have certainly been around the past few decades with millions paid to coaches, but once paid players (“NIL”) and free agency (“Transfer Portal”) were added, it’s become clear we should all drop the whole antiquated notion of the “Oklahoma Sooners™” as a team of true student athletes from the University of Oklahoma.

One day in the future an FAQ entry might read:
Q: Why is it called the College Football League?
A: Teams playing in the College Football League were once student athletic programs associated with actual state and private colleges and universities across the nation. The decoupling of these teams from their university sponsorships was a natural next step after direct payments to athletes and widespread transferring from college to college became commonplace.

Look at those renderings Pete posted of the new facility and tell me, with a straight face, that it belongs as part of an academic institution of higher learning. Look again and really pay attention. It’s to be a complex of multiple fields, a players village, video entertainment screens, all the perks and fluff, all-in-all a very self-contained setup. Maybe these are, along with paid players, personal branding and free agency, baby steps to its natural conclusion of decoupling.

The Oklahoma Sooners, and all of FBS football, have crossed the rubicon.
“College Football” is not truly, well, college football.

We should begin thinking about expediting a reasonable plan to separate the fantasy from the reality.

[Plutonic Panda]

I looked at them and I think they should be part of an academic institution of higher learning. Stop kidding yourself.

[Snowman]

Looking at those renderings would make a few NFL teams blush. ...

Top college programs training facilities being better than average pro teams facilities is nothing new, they have been in stiff competition out building each other for at least 20-30 years, if anything NIL is plausibly reduced the demand to go as hard in the area.

It also seems unlikely for any of the more relevant institutions to have an interest in spinning off athletics, it is a factor in where some students choose to go, plus as long as using the schools branding will want to have control of operations.
Also generally the top twenty-ish are the few that really do make serious money for the school, it is the next tier that causes more question if it is worth what is being put in, which given they tend to be subsidized to some extend by the general budgets seems to indicate administrators think it is.

[Just the facts]

Is this all paid for by profits from the athletic department?

[Snowman]

Is this all paid for by profits from the athletic department?

Like most college athletics facilities will have significant alumi/fan contributions, but OU is one of the small number of programs that athletics (more specifically football/basketball) generates more than enough revenue for the entire department normal operations. Part of the conference move was to be able to keep it that way and going forward still have the budget to compete at the highest level.

[BoulderSooner]

Is this all paid for by profits from the athletic department?

largely donations .

[Pete]

Speaking of the softball stadium, when can we get more drone shots?

Here you go; taken today (Saturday):

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...62#post1237062

[Pete]

Oklahoma Sooners Plan $175 Million Football Palace Amid New Athlete Pay Rules
May 31, 2024

The evolving dynamics of collegiate sports are prompting Oklahoma to adopt a more deliberate approach to its infrastructure projects, including a proposed $175 million football facility project. The university’s Board of Regents greenlit the next phase for this football operations building, which will be situated next to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium but operate independently from it, about 15 months ago. This decision to fund the project and select a construction manager reflects the changing strategic considerations in college athletics administration, especially in light of recent legal and financial developments impacting NCAA schools.

Oklahoma Athletics Director Joe Castiglione expressed the university’s intention to proceed with the football facility plans while highlighting the adjustments in capital project strategies. The shift comes after the NCAA agreed to a settlement in the House v. NCAA lawsuit and similar antitrust litigation, leading to potential revenue sharing payments to student-athletes that could start as soon as next year. This agreement may see schools paying out approximately $20 million annually in revenue sharing to their athletes.

In response to these changes, Castiglione pointed out the necessity for a conversation about reallocating assets to manage the new significant expenses foreseen for Oklahoma and other athletic programs. The athletics department at Oklahoma, which reported a record $199 million in revenue for the fiscal year 2023 with profits of only $275,346, has proactively developed a financial model to gauge the impact of the $20 million annual expense. This model aims to forecast the effect on the department’s budget and guide decision-making on wide-ranging matters, from staffing and program funding to capital projects and operational costs.

Castiglione emphasized reevaluating all decisions with a primary focus on what benefits the athletes, underlining the indispensability of athletes to the existence of athletic departments. He advocated for prioritizing the improvement of talent assessment, acquisition, retention, and development as fundamental to correctly navigating the broader challenges.

Regarding the planned football operations facility, Castiglione assured that the athletics department is strategically planning the project’s timing and execution. This facility, designed to be a comprehensive home for Oklahoma’s football program and funded by private athletics funds and outside donations, is expected to feature advanced amenities, ranging from offices and locker rooms to practice fields and nutrition centers. Despite the current satisfactory condition of Oklahoma’s sports facilities, including the Switzer Center where football operations are presently housed, Castiglione reaffirmed the importance of including facilities development in their strategic planning to balance it with other priorities in athlete recruitment and overall program enhancement.

[soonergolfer]

Oklahoma Sooners Plan $175 Million Football Palace Amid New Athlete Pay Rules
May 31, 2024

The evolving dynamics of collegiate sports are prompting Oklahoma to adopt a more deliberate approach to its infrastructure projects, including a proposed $175 million football facility project. The university’s Board of Regents greenlit the next phase for this football operations building, which will be situated next to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium but operate independently from it, about 15 months ago. This decision to fund the project and select a construction manager reflects the changing strategic considerations in college athletics administration, especially in light of recent legal and financial developments impacting NCAA schools.

Oklahoma Athletics Director Joe Castiglione expressed the university’s intention to proceed with the football facility plans while highlighting the adjustments in capital project strategies. The shift comes after the NCAA agreed to a settlement in the House v. NCAA lawsuit and similar antitrust litigation, leading to potential revenue sharing payments to student-athletes that could start as soon as next year. This agreement may see schools paying out approximately $20 million annually in revenue sharing to their athletes.

In response to these changes, Castiglione pointed out the necessity for a conversation about reallocating assets to manage the new significant expenses foreseen for Oklahoma and other athletic programs. The athletics department at Oklahoma, which reported a record $199 million in revenue for the fiscal year 2023 with profits of only $275,346, has proactively developed a financial model to gauge the impact of the $20 million annual expense. This model aims to forecast the effect on the department’s budget and guide decision-making on wide-ranging matters, from staffing and program funding to capital projects and operational costs.

Castiglione emphasized reevaluating all decisions with a primary focus on what benefits the athletes, underlining the indispensability of athletes to the existence of athletic departments. He advocated for prioritizing the improvement of talent assessment, acquisition, retention, and development as fundamental to correctly navigating the broader challenges.

Regarding the planned football operations facility, Castiglione assured that the athletics department is strategically planning the project’s timing and execution. This facility, designed to be a comprehensive home for Oklahoma’s football program and funded by private athletics funds and outside donations, is expected to feature advanced amenities, ranging from offices and locker rooms to practice fields and nutrition centers. Despite the current satisfactory condition of Oklahoma’s sports facilities, including the Switzer Center where football operations are presently housed, Castiglione reaffirmed the importance of including facilities development in their strategic planning to balance it with other priorities in athlete recruitment and overall program enhancement.

Wow, $199M revenue and $275k net profit, seems almost unbelievable. Is there a balance sheet for the athletic department? Does the revenue include specific athletic donations?

[bison34]

Wow, $199M revenue and $275k net profit, seems almost unbelievable. Is there a balance sheet for the athletic department? Does the revenue include specific athletic donations?

You do realize that very, very few athletic departments even have a positive net income. Like, very few.

Running sports that constantly lose money (everything except football and maybe basketball) adds up.

[Snowman]

Wow, $199M revenue and $275k net profit, seems almost unbelievable. Is there a balance sheet for the athletic department? Does the revenue include specific athletic donations?

It seems like the budget tends to be what operations is planed around. Donations tends to be more for facilities/equipment upgrades.

[BG918]

Looks like there is plenty of room left for OU's new basketball arena (assuming it doesn't get built at UNP)

This is Auburn's 9500 seat arena super-imposed on the Brooks & Jenkins site north of the Football Operations Center and fronting Champions Plaza.

[bison34]

It seems like the budget tends to be what operations is planed around. Donations tends to be more for facilities/equipment upgrades.

Ding ding ding.

[mugofbeer]

Looks like there is plenty of room left for OU's new basketball arena (assuming it doesn't get built at UNP)

This is Auburn's 9500 seat arena super-imposed on the Brooks & Jenkins site north of the Football Operations Center and fronting Champions Plaza.

Where?

[BG918]

Where?

[caaokc]

Rumors that renovations to the football stadium (west side press box) are going to be announced at the next Board of Regents meeting,

[jedicurt]

Cool. so pony up a $100 million, or else it won't be done for the next 25 years

[BoulderSooner]

Cool. so pony up a $100 million, or else it won't be done for the next 25 years

the cost for that would be like 300+ million ...

and while it does fit there the better location would be across the street to the north ..

[BG918]

the cost for that would be like 300+ million ...

and while it does fit there the better location would be across the street to the north ..

Either location is infinitely better than by I-35. I like the SE corner better because it could tie into what OU has already proposed for Champions Plaza and clusters all of the athletic facilities south of Brooks. Architecturally, you close in the quadrangle created by the stadium, McCasland and Armory and connect it directly to the Brooks Pedestrian Mall.

Parking-wise you actually have more parking at this location than at Lloyd Noble Center if you include what would remain of the Duck Pond Lot, the lots to the north (some of which would likely go away in the future to build additional science/engineering buildings), the lot next to McCasland and the Elm Street Parking Garage, not to mention the Union garage, Jenkins garage, etc. And because the lots are not all in one spot getting into and out of them for games would be much easier.

I've also said this before but when (not if) Edmond-OKC-Norman get commuter rail there will likely be an OU stop at Brooks, which would be a 5 min walk from the arena. You could actually take transit to basketball games.

[bison34]

OU doesn't have the money for their own arena. Until they do, a public-private option is their only chance. LNC is an abomination of an arena, and needs to be hit by a meteor. But they have so very few options for a new arena.

[BG918]

OU doesn't have the money for their own arena. Until they do, a public-private option is their only chance. LNC is an abomination of an arena, and needs to be hit by a meteor. But they have so very few options for a new arena.

OU has plenty of money and will have even more moving to the SEC. When Norman rejects the UNP proposal they will have to figure out how to build this themselves.

[bison34]

OU has plenty of money and will have even more moving to the SEC. When Norman rejects the UNP proposal they will have to figure out how to build this themselves.

Not money for a new arena. And that SEC money is a fart in a hurricane in relation to the cost of a new arena. Do people not realize that extra money will help operations if the AD, but won't go to capital projects? Or do people just not realize how little money sports make, in terms of net profit?

If you don't, we can't have this conversation.

[jedicurt]

Either location is infinitely better than by I-35.

But no one is putting up the money for it at either of those locations... so they are not options. how many times do we have to go around this circle. the only two options are UNP, or staying in the falling apart lloyd Nobel for the foreseeable future.

[jedicurt]

the cost for that would be like 300+ million ...

yes, i know it would be more than $100 million. but i do know that if OU were to receive a donation of that size for that purpose, then they would actually work to find the money for the rest. that's basically how the new UT arena was started.