OU Announces Football Fan Experience Enhancements

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department has announced a series of fan experience enhancements ahead of Saturday's home football opener against Illinois State. The expansion of offerings and upgrades to services range from pregame festivities to in-game engagement, concessions and merchandise opportunities, family friendly activities and more.

Many of the enhancements are the result of postgame surveys the department issued to fans, seeking feedback on game atmosphere, venue offerings and overall fan experience. Read on for some of the improvements game attendees can expect this season at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Free, Public Tailgating on Iconic North Oval and Community Spirit Engagement

The university announced free, public tailgating on the historic North Oval, also known as the Parrington Oval. For the first time in university history, fans can set up their tailgates on one of the most recognizable places on campus, creating an electric atmosphere just steps away from the stadium. For general information on OU tailgating, click here.

Community and campus engagement will see a continuation of "Crimson Fridays," which will feature a vibrant concert series on Campus Corner each Friday before home games, accompanied by special offerings by local retailers. Sooner Nation is encouraged to demonstrate its support by wearing crimson gear each Friday throughout the year.

Elevated Party at the Palace Experience

The Party at the Palace on the north side of the stadium will offer new opportunities for fans to participate in pre-game activities. With a larger footprint that will extend west of Brooks Mall, fans can expect an array of offerings, including food and beverage trucks, family friendly activities, LED screens featuring games in progress and live coverage of the Sooners' arrival and more. The one-of-a-kind Red Rocket Ford Model T will also be on display for photo opportunities.

Enhanced Shopping Opportunities

The Jordan Shoe Box Pop-Up Shop returns to Party at the Palace for the second year, giving fans a convenient spot to grab the latest OU game day gear before kickoff.

On the bottom level of The Sooner Shop, located on the west side of the stadium, the all-new EA Sports College Football gaming lounge will take the shopping experience to the next level, letting fans play as the Sooners while they browse for their must-have crimson and cream gear. The lounge will be outfitted with sofas, chairs and three 60-inch TVs, each equipped with PS5 consoles and the newest release of EA Sports College Football 26.

In-Game Experience Upgrades

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. In order to improve clarity and volume in the stadium, the sound system received independent service, adjusting EQ levels with each individual speaker. The MidFirst Bank East Stadium Club also received an audio upgrade, with the common area speaker system being replaced to improve clarity and wireless performance.

Premium Area Enhancements

Premium area enhancements this season include the debut of the South End Zone Terrace Box (located at the top of the South End Zone), which features seating for up to 36 guests with in-seat food and beverage service. New club partners Evan Williams and Social Bird will also join the experience. Loge Box guests will now have the convenience of pre-ordering select food and beverage items before arrival. MidFirst Bank East Stadium Suite holders will enjoy a dedicated suite-only entrance and upgraded furnishings, with improvements rolling out throughout the season.

A premium full-service tailgate experience is also available through RevelXP, located southeast of the stadium. RevelXP manages setup and takedown of tailgate gear, and coordinates catering to ensure a hassle-free premium experience for guests.

Concessions Upgrades and Merchandise Additions

Two new concessions partners will be introduced this season: Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers and Conecuh Sausage. Freddy's will serve fan favorites including steakburgers, chicken tenders, cheese fries, chili cheese fries and frozen custard. Conecuh, the official smoked sausage of OU Athletics, will feature its signature products at Levy-operated stands throughout the concourses and in premium areas.

New menu highlights also include four specialty hot dogs, hot honey funnel cake fries, the Boomer Burger Basket and loaded tater tots.

To improve speed of service, fans will notice new self-checkout technology, expanded grab-and-go kiosks and additional enhancements to the point-of-sale system. Static menu boards have been replaced with dynamic digital menu displays for better visibility and easier navigation. Several stands have received visual upgrades, and a new concession stand on the upper west deck has been added to reduce lines and wait time.

Now in its second year, the exclusive in-stadium Simple Modern drinkware program will feature all-new, limited-edition tumbler designs available at Levy-operated concession stands for each home football game, beginning with a special release at Saturday's opener.

Commemorative Souvenirs and Experiences

Commemorative Tickets: Commemorative tickets for each game will be available for purchase this season. Each game ticket will feature one of Oklahoma's seven Heisman Trophy winners. Click here for more information.

Collectible Game Program: OU Athletics and Sooner Sports Properties are producing limited-edition, high-quality printed game programs for home football contests against Michigan, Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU – OU's four 2025 SEC home opponents – plus Big Ten foe Michigan. The 96-page souvenir game programs are available for preorder for $20 each, and the 220-page 2025 OU Football Media Guide can be purchased for $40 (limited stock).

Sooner Magic Memories: The all-new Sooner Magic Memories program provides fans the opportunity to upgrade their game day with unique, behind-the-scenes experiences. Fans can capture pregame photos on the field, secure VIP access for the team's Walk of Champions, high-five players as they exit the field from pregame warmups and more. Experience upgrades are on sale now for the Sooners' first three home games with opportunities for remaining games to be announced in September. More information can be found at SoonerSports.com/SoonerMagicMemories.

Sooner Salute Program: Fans can send a service member to a future game via the Sooner Salute program. A contribution of $50 or more will purchase tickets to an upcoming game, which will be donated to a veteran or service member through VetTix. More information can be found here.

Stadium Tours: Exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium are available on select days this fall. The walking tours start inside the Barry Switzer Center lobby and last approximately one hour. They include visits to the weight room inside the Devon Performance Lab, a walk across Owen Field, a stop inside the Harold Keith Memorial Press Box and an exclusive viewing of the Eddy Gibbs Family Locker Room. Tours cost $50 per ticket and are limited to 50 people. For more information, including dates, and to sign up for a tour of historic Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, click here.

Expanded Sooner Content Availability

Oklahoma fans now have more options to find their favorite Sooner content throughout the season, as SoonerVision productions are now more accessible than ever. Sooner Nation can tune in for free to Griffin Media, the official television partner of OU Athletics. "Sooner Football with Brent Venables" will air Sunday nights on News 9 in Oklahoma City and News On 6 in Tulsa, while all other programming will be over the air on weeknights on KSBI in the OKC market and on KQCW in the Tulsa area. Fans can also find this content at SoonerSports.com/watch, via the official Oklahoma Sooners YouTube channel or on SEC Network+. Highlights include fan-favorite shows such as "Sooner Football with Brent Venables," "Sooner Sports Talk," "The Huddle" and "Coaches Corner," alongside special additions like the "OUDNA" all-access series.

Programming includes:

• "Sooner Football with Brent Venables" – An exclusive recap of Oklahoma's football games, Sooner Football with Brent Venables is a continuation of the longest-running coaches show in the country. First started by Bud Wilkinson in 1953, the show is now hosted by Voice of the Sooners Toby Rowland and can be seen Sunday evenings on KWTV, KOTV and SEC Network+.

• "Sooner Sports Talk" – Live from Rudy's Country Store & BBQ in Norman, host Chris Plank is joined by head football Coach Brent Venables to discuss the previous and upcoming game.

• "The Huddle" – An entertaining one-hour roundtable discussion on OU Football featuring a rotation of former Sooner legends.

• "Coaches Corner" – Assistant football coaches join Chris Plank and Gabe Ikard to break down position groups and provide insight on the Sooners program.

• "Sooner Sports Pad" – In partnership with OU's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sooner Sports Pad takes viewers on a trip around all sports at Oklahoma. Featuring live guests and completely student-hosted and produced, the show offers an opportunity to know your Sooners in a unique way.

• "Sooner Game Day" – Hosts Chad McKee, Teddy Lehman and Gabe Ikard bring the official OU Football pregame show to fans with expert analysis on the Sooners and their opponent each week.

• Postgame Press Conferences – Exclusive streaming access to Oklahoma football postgame press conferences.

SEC Network+ is complementary to SEC Network and accessible with your TV provider credentials. It can be accessed through the ESPN App on smartphones, tablets, connected streaming devices or via espn.com/watch.

How to access KSBI and KQCW:

KSBI (Oklahoma City)

COX Ch. 7, U-verse Ch. 52, DirecTV Satellite Ch. 52, DISH Network Ch. 52, Over-the-Air Antenna Channel 52

A full channel listing can be found at www.news9.com/ksbi.

KQCW (Tulsa)

COX Ch. 7, U-verse Ch. 7, DirecTV Satellite Ch. 19, DISH Network Ch. 1, Over-the-Air Antenna Channel 19

A full channel listing can be found at www.tulsacw.com.

Updated Oklahoma Sooners App

The all-new Oklahoma Sooners app is your ultimate hub for everything Sooners – bringing all your fan essentials together in one powerful app no matter where you are.

At the game? Tap into Stadium HQ for real-time updates, schedules and everything you need for a seamless gameday experience, including your tickets.

Watching from home? Game Center turns your phone into a second screen with live updates, interactive game modes and updates that match the energy on the field.

When you update or download the app, make sure you turn your notifications to "ON" to receive team updates, ticket offers, giveaways and more.

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