Stadium changes to debut season opener
This season, Sooner football fans will notice some significant changes in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
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Several renovations were recently made to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, including the addition of a video replay screen and new lights for Sooner football games at night.
The scoreboard in the south endzone has been replaced by a Daktronics Large Screen Video display. The 166-foot long scoreboard includes a 23-by-32-foot screen in the middle.
The screen can provide instant replay from four different angles and in slow motion, as well as animation. It can also display scores from other games that are taking place across the country.
Lights also have been added so that the Sooners can host more night games.
OU has previously hosted only four night games for television because game broadcasters had to supply their own lights.
This number should change because of the installation of new 500 candle-power lights which are located at the four corners of the stadium and replaced the old 5 candle-power lights.
More wheelchair-accessible seating has been added to the stadium as well. Two sections of seating have been converted.
"There was a need for us to add some wheelchair-accessible seats in the yardlines instead of just the endzones," said Larry Naifeh, executive associate athletic director.
The 68 new wheelchair-accessible seats replaced about 400 regular seats.
The east side of the stadium has been paved. This area was covered with gravel, which could cause fans problems when dust from the gravel rose into the air.
Less obvious changes include a new sports medicine facility, new coaches' offices and new locker rooms that will be part of the $4.5 million Barry Switzer Complex.
Many of these renovations are already complete. The remainder should be done by the end of August, in plenty of time for the first home game against Syracuse.
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