Love's Field (softball)

[LRSooner]

Love's will also have tiers of tables and chairs with umbrellas down both foul lines and the two areas on either side of dead centerfield will be tiered and grassy, which will likely allow people to bring blankets and chairs.

The concourses behind the main seating area are also designed to have good sight lines, as those will be the major circulation points for not only entry and exit, but concessions and restrooms. It's hard to see in my last photos but there are also smaller scoreboards mounted under the main canopy and of course the state-shaped main scoreboard will have full video capabilities.


I've followed this closely enough to know this facility is going to be very nice, it just currently looks like a mud pit right now. That area between Imhoff and the stadium itself has mature trees and will be nicely landscaped and there is tons of brickwork and other details that aren't obvious until you are inside.

Pete, have you heard anything about the renovations/expansion to L. Dale Mitchell? Man, does that place need some work as they head to the SEC. There's plans/pics on the drawing board but haven't heard of a timeline. Was hoping it would've been done or at least started by the time we enter the new conference - which obviously won't be happning now. The concern is once Love's Field is complete, all other facility upgrades will be an afterthought as the dept is having to focus most of it's attention and funds towards NIL. It's the reason the football program has put a pause on the much talked about football operations center.

[VanHammersly]

That's the only rational thing I can think of is Love's was built for larger crowds but not necessarily aesthetics. Again, makes no sense to have so many seats in outfield, which are worse seats. Should've gone more vertical in main stand. If you're going based off appearance, functionality and finishing touches, it's A&M by a mile. For pure capacity, Love's wins. Wish we would've strived for both.

If you go back and look at Pete's pictures from the first page, you'll see how they did a great job preserving the trees on the street side and in the outfield. Once the sod is put in and the trees green up, it's going to look beautiful -- much nicer than the slab at A&M. You've also posted professional, chamber of commerce type of photos. Check it out in street view and it's nothing special. It looks like it has cheap siding. https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1...NsiRhVFA&hl=en

[HillcountrySooner]

Love's will also have tiers of tables and chairs with umbrellas down both foul lines and the two areas on either side of dead centerfield will be tiered and grassy, which will likely allow people to bring blankets and chairs.

The concourses behind the main seating area are also designed to have good sight lines, as those will be the major circulation points for not only entry and exit, but concessions and restrooms. It's hard to see in my last photos but there are also smaller scoreboards mounted under the main canopy and of course the state-shaped main scoreboard will have full video capabilities.


I've followed this closely enough to know this facility is going to be very nice, it just currently looks like a mud pit right now. That area between Imhoff and the stadium itself has mature trees and will be nicely landscaped and there is tons of brickwork and other details that aren't obvious until you are inside.

@Pete. I believe with your new photos, as well as OU's stadium chart, the 2 sections on either side of dead center are being concreted and have section numbers.. The one in right center is already done in your pics from this weekend. As of now, they don't appear to be set up for standard rows like the right and left field sections. Interesting to see your next set of photos that should include the grass and turf and progress in the outfield, and concreting of the concourses behind the main canopied sections.
I sure wished OU would've set up a construction cam

[Pete]

@Pete. I believe with your new photos, as well as OU's stadium chart, the 2 sections on either side of dead center are being concreted and have section numbers.. The one in left center is already done in your pics from this weekend. As of now, they don't appear to be set up for standard rows like the right and left field sections. Interesting to see your next set of photos that should include the grass and turf and progress in the outfield, and concreting of the concourses behind the main canopied sections.
I sure wished OU would've set up a construction cam

I know they look like concrete but I believe it's crushed granite which will ultimately be covered with artificial turf.

I can see higher res on my original drone shots. May end up being paved but I don't think so and all the renderings show grass of some sort.

[Urbanized]

I would encourage you to wait until Love's is finished before you judge it.

And I happen to think the outside of that A&M stadium is hideous.

Honestly the outside of nearly every building on campus at A&M is hideous, the type of hideous you get when you let engineers play architect. But I digress.

[HillcountrySooner]

Here is the Love's Field map https://soonersports.com/documents/2...ap-General.pdf

[Pete]

Here is the Love's Field map https://soonersports.com/documents/2...ap-General.pdf

Those two sections on either side of center centerfield might be assigned but I'm 99.8% sure they will be grassy areas.

Look at my post above with a zoomed-in drone shot and rendering.

[Bill Robertson]

Honestly the outside of nearly every building on campus at A&M is hideous, the type of hideous you get when you let engineers play architect. But I digress.

Off topic and not saying it applies because I have no idea. But this post reminds me so much of one of the many disputes my BIL/best friend and I have. He believes that every building on my beloved OU campus is "hideous, disgusting and had to be designed as a joke ". I on the other hand think the buildings and the general layout of OSU is absolutely horrible. You can easily guess where we both went to school.

[VanHammersly]

@Pete. I believe with your new photos, as well as OU's stadium chart, the 2 sections on either side of dead center are being concreted and have section numbers.. The one in right center is already done in your pics from this weekend. As of now, they don't appear to be set up for standard rows like the right and left field sections. Interesting to see your next set of photos that should include the grass and turf and progress in the outfield, and concreting of the concourses behind the main canopied sections.
I sure wished OU would've set up a construction cam

yeah, I'm wondering too. They are being sold so I wonder if it's lawn chair seating or if benches will go in.https://s3media.247sports.com/Upload.../11820937.jpeg

[HillcountrySooner]

Pete, I bet they will be turf. so no maintenance or watering

[Pete]

yeah, I'm wondering too. They are being sold so I wonder if it's lawn chair seating or if benches will go in.https://s3media.247sports.com/Upload.../11820937.jpeg

We are all cross-posting.... haha

Look above at my zoomed-in shot and the rendering. Believe it will be tiered artificial turf terraces.

[Pete]

Pete, I bet they will be turf. so no maintenance or watering

Yes, and compacted crushed granite (which that material certainly is) is the base for any fake grass.

[HillcountrySooner]

the other thing. I could have sworn that section 7 directly behind home plate, where my tickets are, had 12 or 13 rows when I purchased tickets on row 11. In Pete's drone shots, I only count 11 rows. I wonder if they haven't added the last upper rows due to working on the press box outside walls? Vanhammersly's stadium chart looks like section 7 has more than 1 row than sections 6 & 8, but not by Pete's drone shots.
Pete, maybe on your next shots you can fly under the canopy and give us a more detailed look at the rows and seating under there.

[Urbanized]

Off topic and not saying it applies because I have no idea. But this post reminds me so much of one of the many disputes my BIL/best friend and I have. He believes that every building on my beloved OU campus is "hideous, disgusting and had to be designed as a joke ". I on the other hand think the buildings and the general layout of OSU is absolutely horrible. You can easily guess where we both went to school.

Haha clearly experience breeds favoritism. But I really do believe A&M is a bold standout as far as poor aesthetics go. I have every bit as much distaste for UT and Texas Tech as institutions, but I honestly like the look of the architecture of both far more than A&M; especially that of Tech. And I can freely admit that KU has the loveliest campus in the soon-to-be-very-different Big 12. And despite being an OU alum and lifetime partisan, I honestly like OSU's campus (possibly because I enjoy Georgian architecture), though not as much as OU's, to your point. I definitely do prefer OU's Cherokee Gothic, but I don't think it's only because I love OU. It just screams tradition and higher ed.

But A&M is some visually punishing, brutalist nonsense. Said as someone who actually likes a fair amount of brutalism. And I'm definitely not the only person who feels this way.

[VanHammersly]

We are all cross-posting.... haha

Look above at my zoomed-in shot and the rendering. Believe it will be tiered artificial turf terraces.

I wonder why they didn't use those areas for traditional seating instead of adding the metal bleachers. Also, it's nice to see the charibacks are the correct color of red. The renderings were hurting my eyes with Nebraska red.

[Pete]

the other thing. I could have sworn that section 7 directly behind home plate, where my tickets are had 12 or 13 rows when I purchased tickets on row 11. In Pete's drone shots, I only count 11 rows. I wonder if they haven't added the last upper rows due to working on the press box outside walls? Vanhammersly's stadium chart looks like section 7 has more than 1 row than sections 6 & 8, but not by Pete's drone shots.
Pete, maybe on your next shots you can fly under the canopy and give us a more detailed look at the rows and seating under there.

Looks like one or two more rows in Section 7 then those areas behind 6 & 8 will be concrete walkways.

[HillcountrySooner]

Pete, is row 1 visible, or is there 1 row hidden behind the field wall?

[Urbanized]

Looks like one or two more rows in Section 7 then those areas behind 6 & 8 will be concrete walkways...

Maybe a platform for overflow press, stats, etc., or maybe camera positions?

[Pete]

Maybe a platform for overflow press, stats, etc., or maybe camera positions?

Looks like that could be the case as the renderings show people both walking and maybe sitting?

I'm sure the people are included to indicate their movement in those areas would not obstruct the view from the press box.

[VanHammersly]

https://www.oklahoman.com/gcdn/prest...2d7f5c8-16.JPG

There are walkways that end in the middle because the middle section backs all the way up to the brick wall.65766fcd-871d-4bf9-9ea5-c81552d7f5c8-16.JPG

[VanHammersly]

New video on Twitter but it doesn’t appear to be any newer than Pete’s photos.

https://x.com/ou_softball/status/175...biAPJAxJhTwfZw

[Pete]

New video on Twitter but it doesn’t appear to be any newer than Pete’s photos. https://x.com/ou_softball/status/175...biAPJAxJhTwfZw

That vid was probably within a few hours of my photos on Saturday.

Haha... I keep posting progress, people keep sharing it, and now they finally have started to share some vid/photos.

I probably go down this weekend again as by then we'll be less than 14 days from the home opener.

[VanHammersly]

That vid was probably within a few hours of my photos on Saturday.

Haha... I keep posting progress, people keep sharing it, and now they finally have started to share some vid/photos.

I probably go down this weekend again as by then we'll be less than 14 days from the home opener.

Can’t wait, Pete. Glad you take the time to do it for everyone.

[Urbanized]

https://www.oklahoman.com/gcdn/prest...2d7f5c8-16.JPG

There are walkways that end in the middle because the middle section backs all the way up to the brick wall.65766fcd-871d-4bf9-9ea5-c81552d7f5c8-16.JPG

Looks like the camera positions will actually be in a nook above the press box, and on the wings.

[VanHammersly]

Standing room only tickets are now available for purchase. https://soonersports.evenue.net/cgi-...T24SBSROMARHFS