The Oklahoma Sooners have waited a long time for football season to be back, and we’re just days away from that being a reality. OU enters the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] in 2024, a conference where “It Just Means More,” especially in football. The university’s athletic department announced some big changes to the gameday experience that fans will want to be aware of before the season officially kicks off.
The department said in a press release on Monday, “Many of the enhancements come as a result of postgame surveys the department issued to fans, seeking their feedback on game atmosphere, venue offerings and overall fan experience.”
Part of the decisions were made with the move to the SEC in mind.
“In everything we do from a fan engagement perspective, we’re thinking of the experience of all our stakeholders,” said OU Executive Associate Athletics Director Leah Beasley. “As new members of the [autotag]Southeastern Conference[/autotag], we’re mindful of the opportunities we have to elevate the game day experience, and we’re excited to have an even greater stage to showcase how we create Sooner Magic for our fans.”
First, the university announced the expansion of the public tailgating area, a big win for fans. Beginning fall 2024, OU is establishing new public tailgating areas at prime locations including Boyd Lawn, along Asp Avenue, and near the Oklahoma Memorial Union. Community and campus engagement will see increased activity with the introduction of “Crimson Fridays.” The new initiative will aptly debut on College Colors Day and OU Football’s season opener on Aug. 30. “Crimson Fridays” will feature a vibrant concert series on Campus Corner each Friday before home games, accompanied by retail and spirit activities. Sooner Nation is encouraged to demonstrate its support by wearing crimson gear each Friday throughout the year.
The Party at the Palace experience has also been elevated. The north side of the stadium will offer new opportunities for fans to participate in pre-game activities. With a larger footprint, now extending to the west of Brooks Mall, fans can expect an array of new food and beverage offerings, including food trucks, a brew garden and tastings; family-friendly activities; LED screens featuring games-in-progress along with live coverage of the Sooners’ arrival; and more.
In addition to increased concessions and merchandise opportunities and expanded Sooner content availabilities, there was one more item on this list that OU fans will enjoy.
“Fans will benefit from improved connectivity with AT&T’s 5G service and enjoy amplified band performances and enhanced in-game graphics with live 3D renderings of game stats. A new real-time decibel meter will measure crowd impact, encouraging fans to make sure the Sooners can hear and feel their support.”
But that isn’t the only in-game addition to the experience this year. According to the press release, “The Toby Keith Tribute 3rd/4th quarter break will celebrate the Oklahoma icon, giving 85,000 fans the opportunity to sing along with the legendary Sooner super fan.”
Hailing from Moore, Oklahoma, Toby Keith was a country music superstar and massive supporter of the Sooners. He passed away on February 5, 2024 after a long battle with stomach cancer. The university didn’t tell fans which song will be sung, but those in attendance will get the chance to honor a iconic Oklahoman at each OU home game.
Oklahoma will begin the 2024 season against Temple on Friday night. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the Sooners will battle the Owls, beginning at 6 p.m.