Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
From NCAA Wiki
| |
| Facility Statistics | |
| Location | Norman, OK |
| Former Names | N/A |
| Broke Ground | 1921 |
| Opened | 1923 |
| Owner | University of Oklahoma |
| Operator | University of Oklahoma |
| Tenants | N/A |
| Surface | Grass |
| Seating Capacity | 82,112 |
| Seating Chart | {{{Seating Chart Link}}} |
| Cost (USD) | {{{cost (USD)}}} |
The Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is the home field for Oklahoma Sooners football team.
[edit] History
In 1921, University of Oklahoma students started a movement for construction of a student union. By 1925, the idea had grown to include a combined football stadium/union. In the original architect’s drawings, the north end of the proposed structure was strikingly similar to the present Oklahoma Memorial Union, which eventually was constructed separately after head coach Bennie Owen suggested it would be best to raise funds for a union and a stadium.
The very first game actually played at the stadium site was on October 20, 1923, before the stadium/union plan ever got under way. The field was later named Owen Field after Owen, who coached the Sooners from 1905-26 and became a charter member of the National Football Hall of Fame. In 1925, the first contest was played in front of the new stands on the west side of the field. The 16,000-seat stadium cost approximately $293,000 and was named Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to honor University-associated persons who died in World War I.
After several expansion and renovation efforts, it currently ranks as the 17th largest on-campus stadium in the country.
