Love's Field (softball)

[Bellaboo]

There's only one softball complex in the world better than Love's Field, and it's up on 50'th street by the zoo.

[Pete]

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.

[VanHammersly]

Yeah, it's gonna be gorgeous when all the grass and trees are greened up. It will match up nicely with the Reeves Park area. I assume the areas behind Right Field will be landscaped for a Homerun Village tailgate spot?

My only nit-pick is the lack of windows on the outside walls of the buildings, like was originally in the renderings. Do you have any idea if those outside walls will be used for signage/banners etc instead?

[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.

[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.

[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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[HillcountrySooner]

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

[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]

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

[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

[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]

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.

[Bodie]

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.

You're the man, Pete. For those of us who live out of state the photos's by you are very much appreciated. It's really hard to drive 400 miles round trip just to see how the new stadium is going as far as being completed.

[citywokchinesefood]

You're the man, Pete. For those of us who live out of state the photos's by you are very much appreciated. It's really hard to drive 400 miles round trip just to see how the new stadium is going as far as being completed.

Adding on to this, OKCtalk is a fantastic forum that just does not exist for a lot of cities of similar size. I grew up all over the East coast, and have not found anything close to the quality of reporting and content. I spent a lot of my childhood in Charlotte and nothing comes close to OKCtalk's quality. .