There’s a mystique to a game day at Gaylord-Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
The tailgating, the chants, the high-fives, the band, the pageantry of 80,000-plus fans packed like sardines to watch their favorite team play. But Saturday is going to be much, much different.
Oklahoma is hosting 25 percent of its normal capacity. Fans will be spread out amongst the stadium in two, four or eight person pods. Tailgating isn’t allowed on campus. Chest bumps and high-fives won’t be taking place amongst the crowd.
For fans who are attending the game are embracing the weirdness of what Saturday is going to be like, but are excited for the opportunity to be back at games.
“I’m looking forward to most just being being in the stadium and having that opportunity, because it’s just been a part of my life for at least 35 years,” said Ryan Schenk, who has had tickets in his family name for 40 years. “This time of year, early September, is always a time that means we’re going to be in the Palace of Prairie. And it was going to be strange to with the possibility of that not happening, and now of course, it’s going to be strange in the way that it’s going to play out with the capacity and the spreading out and some of the other facets of the game—tailgating concessions, all those things are going to change. But you know, that that is kind of the culture that we’re in right now that that things are different.”
“So I’m excited. It’s going to be strange. I’m wondering what it’s going to sound like for instance. I’m kind of eager really to to see what that’s gonna look like and what it’s going to sound like and and my expectation is by the time it kicks off I won’t really know.”
Joining Schenk in the crowd is Ernie deBernard, a season ticket holder for Oklahoma football for over 30 years.
“I’m looking forward to it, and seriously, I’ve got a text chain of people they’re like, ‘I want to know everything that’s going on,'” deBernard said. “So I mean, it’ll be fun relaying it to them, but it’s going be odd. I love Sooner football, so I’m going to enjoy being there. And hopefully, you know, they play well. Hopefully it can be entertaining, but it’s going to be extremely odd. No doubt about it.”
Both worried about not getting to watch Oklahoma football at all in 2020—in person or on television.
They were both unsure if they would receive tickets for the opener or for the season at all. Schenk and deBernard are thankful for the opportunity to be a part of it, even if that means their traditional seats were moved to be able to accommodate the social distancing guidelines.
“It’s kind of hard to believe because I didn’t think I’d be one of those (to get tickets),” deBernard said. “And I bleed crimson, so I’m extremely excited. I’m glad to do it. I think society needs it. I think it’s a good thing.”
How Saturday looks and feels is still to be determined. There’s typically over 100,000 people who make the voyage from their homes to Norman, Oklahoma, for an Oklahoma football game day.
The band won’t be as loud. The chants will not ring your ears. Less alcohol is going to be consumed. The atmosphere is just not going to be the same.
It isn’t something another fan of Oklahoma football has put too much thought into, but Lincoln Riley still thinks it’s going to be great.
“Honestly, we’ve been so wrapped up in this, I honestly haven’t,” Riley said on Tuesday during a Zoom call. “I watched my brother play the other day against Texas State and that was the one point I did think about it a little bit when you looked in the stands there. People spread out. So no, it’ll be different, but it’ll still be really good. It’s still a chance to play college football in one of the greatest places in the world to do it. It’s gonna be different, yes, but still great.”
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