Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium has hosted University of Oklahoma football on Owen Field since October 20, 1923, growing from a 16,000-seat memorial to Oklahoma’s World War I dead into an 80,000-plus-seat fortress fans call “The Palace on the Prairie.”
Whether you’re heading to Norman for your first Sooners Saturday or just want the practical details before you buy tickets, this guide covers the seating chart, bag policy, parking, gates, and address, along with the century-plus of history that built Owen Field’s reputation.
Quick Answer
Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is the University of Oklahoma’s on-campus football venue in Norman, seating 80,126 fans on Owen Field. All gates open two hours before kickoff, and OU’s clear-bag policy allows a clear tote up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″, a one-gallon clear freezer bag, or a non-transparent wallet or bag up to 5.5″ x 7.5″, plus bags necessary for medical equipment. Single-game parking is $30 at Dale Hall (A25), C1, CE1 and CE5, and concession stands are cashless.
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Gameday Guide (2026 Season)
- Bag policy: Clear tote up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″, a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag, or a non-transparent wallet or bag up to 5.5″ x 7.5″; one bag per person; bags necessary for medical equipment are permitted and screened at marked medical lanes at each gate
- Gates open: All gates open two hours before kickoff
- Parking: Single-game parking is $30 at Dale Hall (A25), C1, CE1 and CE5, first come, first served; Lloyd Noble Center shuttle is $5 round trip
- Tailgating: Free North Oval spaces (first come, first served, bring your own setup), reserved and paid Boyd Lawn turnkey spaces, and designated areas on North Asp Avenue, Brooks Street and Lindsey Street; see the official tailgating page for each area’s rules
- Payments: Cashless at stadium concession and retail stands; Apple Pay accepted
- Re-entry: Not permitted; see the gate supervisor for a medical or family emergency (2025 policy)
Policies checked against the official team and stadium pages in September 2026. Rules can change game to game, so confirm on the official game day parking and traffic page and the official OU tailgating rules before you go.
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Bag Policy (2026)
OU continues its clear-bag policy for the 2026 season. Approved bags are a clear plastic tote no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″ or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. OU also allows non-transparent wallets and bags no larger than 5.5″ x 7.5″. The limit is one bag per person.
OU’s published policy says no other bags or purses, including diaper bags, are permitted. The policy does allow bags necessary for medical equipment, which are screened at marked medical lanes at each gate. Fans may bring an empty, clear plastic water bottle smaller than 17 oz., and outside food and beverages are not allowed. The official pages ThrillZing reviewed do not list a bag check location, so check the official OU bag policy page before you go.
Gates and Entry
All gates open two hours before kickoff. Fans carrying medical equipment bags can use the marked medical lanes at each gate. Re-entry to the stadium is not permitted under the most recent policy ThrillZing could confirm (2025). Fans with a medical or family emergency should see the gate supervisor.
The official pages do not list gate-by-gate assignments for 2026, so check your ticket and the official gameday page for your entrance.
Parking at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
OU’s game day parking page lists single-game parking at Dale Hall (A25), C1, CE1 and CE5 for $30, with spaces allocated first come, first served. OU’s parking FAQs describe pay-to-park lots on the main campus and on south campus east of Asp Avenue, but they do not break down pricing by lot, so ThrillZing is not listing a price for other lots. Check the official parking page for the current lot list and rates.
Physical disability parking is at the Asp Avenue Parking Facility, and those permits are sold in advance. RV parking is offered at the Lloyd Noble Center as “SooneRVillage.” The official pages do not state whether general lots can be prepaid, so check the official parking page for current details.
Tailgating Rules
For 2026, OU’s tailgating page lists five areas: the North Oval, Boyd Lawn, North Asp Avenue, Brooks Street and Lindsey Street. The North Oval is free and first come, first served, with pre-marked 15′ x 15′ spaces. Drop-off is 5:30 to 7 p.m. the evening before and 7 a.m. to noon on gameday. Fans bring their own supplies there (tents, chairs, tables, food, power and so on).
Boyd Lawn is a reserved, paid, turnkey option. OU lists a reserved space in a premium location with a tent, tables, chairs, coolers with ice, a TV with DISH service and bellhop service, with catering available but not required. Drop-off is five to three hours before kickoff. Reservations go through OU’s booking link on the official tailgating page, which does not list a price. Tailgates on the North Oval and Boyd Lawn come down 45 minutes after the game.
North Asp Avenue, Brooks Street and Lindsey Street each have their own rules for when you can claim a space the day before the game, so check the official tailgating page for those times before you arrive.
Parking on the Oval without a University parking pass is prohibited until the official drop-off window begins. All tailgating equipment and trash must be removed by noon the day after the game, and the University is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged property. The official tailgating page refers fans to the Tailgating and Major Event Day Policy Guide for additional policies and the code of conduct, so check it for grill, alcohol and generator rules before you pack.
Getting to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Cleveland Area Rapid Transit (CART) runs a game day shuttle from the Lloyd Noble Center to a stop on First Street in the housing area south of the stadium. It costs $5 per person round trip. Check OU’s official game day parking and traffic page for the shuttle’s current start and end times. The official pages ThrillZing reviewed do not list rideshare zones.
Food and Drink
Concession and retail stands inside the stadium are cashless, and Apple Pay is accepted. Use a credit or debit card. Fans may bring an empty clear plastic water bottle under 17 oz., and water filling stations are located throughout the concourses (2025 policy).
Under the 2025 policy, alcohol service begins when gates open and stops at the end of the third quarter, with a limit of two alcoholic beverages per person, per ID, per transaction. Confirm the current rules on the official gameday page.
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Gameday FAQ
What is the bag policy at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium? OU uses a clear-bag policy. You can bring a clear tote up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″, a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag, or a non-transparent wallet or bag no larger than 5.5″ x 7.5″. The limit is one bag per person, and no other bags or purses, including diaper bags, are permitted. Bags necessary for medical equipment are allowed and are screened at marked medical lanes at each gate.
When do gates open at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium? All gates open two hours before kickoff.
Where can I park for a game at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium? OU lists $30 single-game parking at Dale Hall (A25), C1, CE1 and CE5, first come, first served. Other pay-to-park lots are on the main campus and on south campus east of Asp Avenue; check the official parking page for their rates. Disability parking is at the Asp Avenue Parking Facility, with permits sold in advance. A $5 round-trip CART shuttle runs from the Lloyd Noble Center to First Street, south of the stadium.
Can you tailgate at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium? Yes. For 2026, OU’s tailgating page lists the North Oval (free, first come, pre-marked 15′ x 15′ spaces, bring your own supplies), Boyd Lawn (reserved, paid, turnkey with a tent, tables, chairs, coolers with ice and a TV), and areas on North Asp Avenue, Brooks Street and Lindsey Street. Tailgates on the North Oval and Boyd Lawn come down 45 minutes after the game, and all equipment must be removed by noon the day after. Check the official tailgating page for each area’s claim times.
Stadium at a Glance
Team: Oklahoma Sooners (NCAA FBS). Location: 1185 Asp Ave, Norman, Oklahoma 73019. Opened: October 20, 1923. Capacity: 80,126 as of 2019. Playing surface: Bermudagrass, in place since 1994. Record attendance: 88,308, set against TCU on November 11, 2017. The playing surface itself is Owen Field, named for longtime coach Bennie Owen, and that name is still used alongside the stadium’s formal title today.
A Century on Owen Field
The stadium was dedicated in 1923 as Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, built for roughly $293,000 as a memorial to Oklahomans killed in World War I. It took its current name in 2002 after a $12 million gift from Christy Gaylord Everest, while Owen Field kept its identity as the playing surface itself.
Capacity climbed from about 16,000 seats in the 1920s to more than 55,000 by the late 1940s, past 70,000 in the 1970s, and up to roughly 83,489 between 2016 and 2018 after the south end zone was enclosed with premium seating. A 2019 aisle-widening reconfiguration brought it to the current 80,126. The venue’s playing surface has changed several times too, from natural grass to AstroTurf in 1970, Superturf in 1981, and back to Bermudagrass in 1994. Oklahoma celebrated the stadium’s 100th football season in 2024, the same year the program moved from the Big 12 into the SEC.
Renovations and Records
Major construction phases in 1980, 1997, 2003, and 2016 combined for well over $100 million in investment, adding seating, luxury suites, and modern amenities while preserving the historic Owen Field name. The stadium’s all-time attendance record, 88,308, was set on November 11, 2017, in a game against TCU.
Seating Chart & Best Seats
The lower bowl wraps the field in sections 1 through 46. Center sections 3-8 and 28-33 sit along the sidelines and offer the best sightlines to midfield, while end-zone sections 15-21 and 42-46 and corner sections 1, 2, 9-14, 22-27, 34, and 35 fill out the rest of the lower level.
The upper deck adds center sections 105, 129, and 130, corner sections 103, 104, 106, 107, 127, 128, 131, and 132, and end-zone sections in the 120s, 130s, and the south upper deck (226-236). Premium options include the enclosed Stadium Club, the South Club, and the Santee Lounge, a courtside-style setup built into sections 3-8. Because sun and shade shift by side and time of day, it’s worth checking an interactive seating chart before you buy if that matters to you.
Getting Tickets
Single-game and season tickets for Oklahoma Sooners football are sold through the OU Athletics Ticket Office, with mobile tickets delivered through the Oklahoma Sooners app once you’re logged into your account. The ticket office sits on the stadium’s west side at 1185 Asp Ave in Norman and can be reached by phone during weekday business hours for questions about seat locations, ADA seating, or transfers.
For current pricing, the schedule, and to buy tickets, use the official Oklahoma Sooners ticket page, since prices and availability shift by opponent and season.
Keeps chili hot from the tailgate to the fourth quarter.
Team-color face paint in a twist-up stick — no brushes, no mess in the car.
Sized to the NFL's 12x6x12 clear-bag rule. Fits snacks, a jacket and a rally towel.
Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium FAQs
How old is Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?
The stadium opened on October 20, 1923, and celebrated its 100th season of Sooners football in 2024, the same year Oklahoma moved from the Big 12 to the SEC.
Why is it called Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?
It was originally dedicated as Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to honor Oklahomans who died in World War I. It took its current name in 2002 after a $12 million gift from Christy Gaylord Everest.
What is Owen Field?
Owen Field is the name of the playing surface inside the stadium, honoring longtime Oklahoma coach Bennie Owen. It’s still used alongside the stadium’s formal name today.
What is the bag policy at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?
OU uses a clear-bag policy: a clear plastic tote up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag, plus a small non-clear clutch or wallet. All bags are searched at the gate.
What time do gates open on gameday?
Gates typically open two hours before kickoff, though exact times are posted per game on the official OU football game day page.
Where do I park for an OU football game?
Parking is limited to OU’s Norman campus on gamedays. General public lots are first-come, first-served for a flat per-vehicle fee, with reserved, RV, and accessible lots available separately. General public gates are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11.
What is the stadium’s address?
Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is located at 1185 Asp Ave, Norman, OK 73019, on the University of Oklahoma campus.
What is the current capacity and attendance record?
Capacity is 80,126 as of 2019. The all-time attendance record is 88,308, set against TCU on November 11, 2017.
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