OU sparks fan outrage with stadium update that trades seats for luxury

Oklahoma on Friday finally released renderings of the upcoming renovations coming to the west side of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, but the announcement was not as well-received as OU would have probably liked.

Sooner Nation was immediately frustrated by one key note from the plans: the renovations will erase 7,000 seats to basically make way for more suites, loge boxes and club seats. That would put the capacity of Memorial Stadium at 79,112, which would be the 11th-largest in the SEC.

According to OU's press release, the next set of renovations are scheduled to start after the 2027 football season and are expected to be completed by the start of the 2029 season. That means at least part of the stadium will still be under construction during the 2028 season, and although it might be worth it eventually, that will be another issue for fans during that time.

These new renovations to the west side will include new gates, concourses, elevators, concessions, seating, fan areas, expanded bathrooms and more. Most notably by fans, there will also be a new press box that will expand across the entire west side, as well as 47 suites, 64 loge boxes and 4,000 club seats.

OU's press release specifically mentioned the capacity decrease: As OU prepares for the west side phase, determining the right future capacity has been a detailed and data-driven effort. Working with industry experts, the university analyzed seating demand, market behavior, demographic trends, conference benchmarks and live-entertainment standards. Findings have consistently shown that a slightly smaller, more modern and comfort-focused seating model best meets long-term demand while still elevating the fan experience for everyone.

As part of this transformation, and in consultation with leading stadium architects, seating will strategically decrease by approximately 7,000. The capacity shift allows for necessary and cutting-edge enhancements for today's modern era of college football that are being implemented in stadiums across the country. While no timeline is currently noted, a future north end zone phase will offer the university another opportunity to evaluate the stadium's capacity and make necessary adjustments.

The renderings show 200-level seating disappear and be replaced by luxury seating. That sight and the news irritated the average fan that saw a long list of added luxury seating, but a decrease in normal seating, no matter the reasoning. It's also hard for fans to buy that capacity is an issue considering OU boasts that it has the second-longest sell-out streak in college football.

Season ticket holders are also questioning what happens to their seats, not just in 2028 during construction, but if they're replaced by suites and club seats. OU's release said season ticket holders will still have access to seats, but for how much more and where? There's already a waiting list for season tickets.

Regardless, right as the Sooners need home-field advantage the most the next two weeks, fans felt cheated on Friday by these new changes coming.

Oklahoma fans furious as new stadium design shrinks seating for more suites

OU athletic director Joe Castiglione eventually talked to George Stoia of SoonerScoop to defend the decision of reducing stadium capacity.