Boone Pickens Stadium has served as the home of Oklahoma State University football in Stillwater, Oklahoma, since the site first opened as Lewis Field on October 2, 1920. The venue was renamed in 2003 to honor OSU alumnus and oil executive T. Boone Pickens, whose gifts to the athletic department eventually totaled $165 million, described at the time as the largest single donation for athletics ever made to a U.S. university.
That money funded a sweeping ‘Next Level’ rebuild carried out between 2003 and 2009, which replaced the aging bowl with a modern brick facility that echoes the Georgian architecture found across the OSU campus. Today the stadium holds 52,202 fans and remains one of the few major college football venues built on an east-west axis rather than the typical north-south alignment.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Oklahoma State Cowboys (NCAA FBS, Big 12 Conference)
- Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma
- Opened: October 2, 1920 (as Lewis Field)
- Renamed/Rebuilt: 2003 (renamed); major renovation completed 2009
- Capacity: 52,202
- Notable Fact: Attendance record of 60,218 set on November 23, 2013, vs. No. 3 Baylor
A Rebuild Funded by Its Namesake
Unlike most college stadiums that carry a corporate or donor name slapped onto an existing structure, Boone Pickens Stadium was almost entirely rebuilt using its namesake’s contributions. Pickens’ gifts, which reached $165 million, paid for new brick facades, expanded end zone facilities, and a connection to the adjacent Gallagher-Iba Arena, transforming what had been a modest regional stadium into one of the Big 12’s premier venues.
An Unusual Orientation
The playing field has run east-west since the stadium’s 1920 opening, a layout chosen partly to reduce the effect of Oklahoma’s strong prevailing winds on kicking and passing. The orientation has stuck through every renovation since, making Boone Pickens Stadium one of relatively few major U.S. college football stadiums that doesn’t sit on a north-south axis.
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Boone Pickens Stadium FAQs
Who is Boone Pickens Stadium named after?
It’s named for T. Boone Pickens, an Oklahoma State alumnus and oil and gas executive whose donations to OSU athletics totaled $165 million, funding the stadium’s major 2003-2009 rebuild.
What was the stadium called before it was renamed?
It was known as Lewis Field from its 1920 opening until it was renamed Boone Pickens Stadium in 2003.
What is the current capacity of Boone Pickens Stadium?
The stadium’s official capacity is 52,202, though its all-time attendance record of 60,218 was set on November 23, 2013, during a win over No. 3-ranked Baylor.
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