OU Athletics Releases COVID-Related Changes To Football Student Seating

To achieve greater compliance with the University of Oklahoma's COVID-19 policies in the Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium student sections, the university's Athletics Department is announcing additional measures that will be implemented for the Sept. 26 home game with Kansas State and for all games to follow. The changes are the result of meetings amongst university officials and student leaders following the disappointing behaviors by some at the season's first game.

New measures include:

1. Explicit designation of seating sections on student tickets to eliminate any previous confusion about the proper location for student attendees
2. Clearer concourse signage at the entry ramps for the student sections
3. Establishment of student seating clusters in groups of 2 to 10
4. Clearly delineated prohibited seating sections marked by flagging tape

Security personnel will also be significantly increased throughout the student section to provide direction, monitor locations and provide support. Staff will work with game attendees in an effort to achieve compliance with seating and masking requirements. Attendees who do not cooperate are subject to removal from the stadium and may have future game attendance privileges revoked.

Aside from the steps that are being implemented, the university is considering the possibility of a reduction or elimination of student tickets and seating. Those steps have been tabled pending an evaluation of the new measures that will be implemented for the upcoming game.