After OU announced plans last November to reduce Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium’s capacity by roughly 7,000 seats, athletic director Roger Denny provided new details on Aug. 20 on the “Palace Project.”
There were mixed feelings surrounding the project when it was announced nearly nine months ago, with some season-ticket holders of 28 years or more set to lose seats in a place they have long called home.
Despite the initial pushback, Denny reiterated that while OU is still evaluating what the renovations will ultimately look like, the project itself is moving forward.
“When I tell people who are evaluating that project, I am in no way telling people we aren't doing that project, and so to the extent there is any confusion about that, I want to clear that up,” Denny said. “That project is going to happen. The question is just what it's (going to) look like.”
The expected reduction in capacity has caused a rift within the Sooner and Norman communities, especially as other Southeastern Conference programs continue to expand their stadiums while OU prepares to remove seats.
Denny believes the reduction in capacity will ultimately improve the game-day experience and benefit the broader OU community.
“A lot of the elements that are there are really, really good elements for that project, for our program, for our fan base and for our community,” Denny said.
For season-ticket holders who could lose their longtime seats, Denny said OU is working to ensure they still have a place inside the stadium.
“I would say we're doing everything we can to make sure that every season ticket holder to home football has a place in the stadium,” Denny said.
Denny, who succeeded longtime athletic director Joe Castiglione, also acknowledged that the changes will affect more than just where some fans sit on Saturdays.
“When we think about the idea that we're going to be moving seats throughout that stadium, I understand that's a concern for our fans and concern for people that have invested in that place and been in those seats for a long time and have, to some extent, identity in where they sit in the stadium,” Denny said.
Though Denny wants to preserve the game-day experience for longtime fans, he believes OU must adapt as the economic landscape of college football continues to evolve.
“I understand the difficulty that's associated with a reseating in the stadium, but at the same time, we have to make sure that we are staying economically viable because the one thing that we can't accept here is falling behind,” Denny said.
Denny further emphasized the economics behind the project, warning that without enough ticket revenue, OU could struggle to sustain the level of investment needed to compete for championships.
“This year, our ticket revenue will cover somewhere around 50% of our total football spend. And so, I certainly again understand the quality, emotion and dynamic at play,” Denny said. “But if we don't find a way to change those trend lines, we won't be able to sustain this program as a program that expects to go out and win championships year after year after year.”
Joshua McDaniel contributed to the reporting of this story.
This story was edited by Joshua McDaniel.
