Sooners: GFOMS Recognized As One Of Best Stadium Experiences In US, Canada

Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium was recognized this week by Scout.com's Stadium Journey website as one of the best stadium experiences in the United States and Canada for 2016.

The University of Oklahoma's football stadium ranks No. 51 on the list of the 100 best athletics venues (the site reviewed a total of 761 stadiums and other sports venues) and is the highest-rated football stadium among Big 12 schools. It is also the highest-rated athletics venue in the state.

OU is nearing the completion of a $160 million stadium renovation phase that includes the bowling in of the south end zone, a 50-by-170-foot video board (second largest among college stadiums), the modernization of amenities and the construction of a 132,000-square-foot football complex that will feature a new locker room, training room, strength and conditioning facility, nutrition area, coaches' offices and player meeting rooms.

Thanks to the increased stadium seating capacity, the Sooners set an attendance record of 87,979 on Sept. 17, 2016, when it hosted Ohio State. It stands as the largest crowd in program history and the largest to ever witness a sporting event in the state of Oklahoma.

OU is in the midst of a 110-game home sellout streak that includes every home contest of the Bob Stoops era. The Sooners have been next to unbeatable under Stoops, racking up a staggering 101-9 record (.918) during the 18-year span. It is the best home winning percentage among Power 5 programs since 1999.

Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium was originally constructed in 1925 with a capacity of 16,000. It has since been renovated several times, including two major overhauls during the Stoops era, to reach its current official capacity of 83,489.

The stadium is also home to OU graduation ceremonies and has hosted major concerts for artists such as The Rolling Stones (1997) and U2 (2009). In 2013, it was the site of the Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert, headlined by superstar Toby Keith. The benefit attracted more than 60,000 fans, marking the largest known single-day concert attendance ever recorded in the state.