OU's Big Red Rally Canceled Because of Funding

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- With football season about to begin at OU and OSU, the atmosphere is alive with traditions; traditional colors, traditional cheers and traditional songs. But down in Norman something unconventional is happening, or rather, not happening at all.

With the Sooners opening game only days away, Owen Field is ready, and so are the fans. But one piece of pre-game tradition will be missing this year; the Big Red Rally.

For years, decades, maybe since the earth cooled, the Rally at the stadium has been part of OU tradition. The band plays, the students cheer and the team takes a bow. That's how it was in the past. Not this year.

"With budget cuts and things like that for our student organizations, it was decided by the campus activities council to appropriate that budget towards several other activities instead," OU President Spokesman Chris Shilling.

So, there will be no rally this year.

Student reaction runs the gamut from indifference to disappointment and back again.

"What is the Big Red Rally?" said OU student Andrew Ligon. "You're asking the wrong person. I'm not really into sports."

"Well, it's a little disappointing," said OU student Daniel Cap. "It was always nice because all the freshman kind of live in all the towers right there and the rally's kind of right by. So, it was a thing for all the freshman to go to get everybody excited about the season.

"I have gone, I think, my freshman year and maybe by sophomore year," said OU student Jordan Dinkins. I think it's a nice concept, but I don't think as many students participated as they might have liked."

The Campus Activities Council will continue to support other student events, such as the Homecoming Rally. But, for now at least the Big Red Rally will be a tradition remembered and not relived.

OSU's annual rally, Orange Peel, is also canceled this year due to budget cuts, university officials said. Orange Peel has been running on and off for the past few years.