Skip to main content
You have permission to edit this article.
Edit

Behind-the-scenes at Boone Pickens Stadium constructions; Upgrades fans will notice next season

  • Updated
  • Comments

The north side of Boone Pickens Stadium is off limits right now.

OSU Athletics doesn’t want anyone bothering the construction crew working on putting the multi-year, $55 million seating upgrades into place. That is why it pays to know Kyle Waters, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Facilities. Waters led a behind-the-scenes tour of the upgrades and explained what fans can look forward to next football season.

Upgrades are being installed on the north side of the seating bowl. The south side will be addressed next year. 

Construction Manager

Kyle Waters, OSU Senior Associate Athletic Director for Facilities, is leading the seating bowl upgrades at Boone Pickens Stadium. 

What will immediately jump out to fans is the four inches of added leg room in the 200 level on the north stands. A couple rows of seats were sacrificed to make 27 inches of tread into 31 inches, on par with the standard of most modern venues.

In some places of the north side stands, permanent chair backs similar to the ones in the south side will be installed. But, mostly, old benches in the 200 level will be replaced with a more comfortable concave bench, identical to the aluminum benches sitting in the west side of the stadium.

“It's a little more comfortable,” Waters said. “And as long as college football games take now, you know, it's a five-hour endeavor, so anything helps and just doing what we can shows that we care, and fans are important.”

Friday, a disassembled crane will be carried through a tunnel piece by piece and reassembled on the field. Waters said his crew had to remove a door to gain two extra inches to fit all the pieces through. The crane will assist with installing the new bleachers.

Chairback seats at Boone Pickens Stadium

Chairback seats in the south side are similar to what will be added to some sections in the north stands. 

Another addition is more aisles, which will make it easier to get to a seat in a crowded section. Some of the larger sections will be split into an “A” and a “B” with an aisle running down the middle. 

“When we come back in, we will add more aisles and handrails,” Waters said. “You know, if you've got that middle seat, previously, you might have to go over 28 people to get to your seat. Now we'll split that up and make it a little bit more fan friendly.”

North stands under construction

Looking at the north stands of Boone Pickens Stadium under construction.

The renovations will open up additional areas in the concourse for fans. The north concourse is dimly lit, but as OSU upgraded its concession stands the last few years, making that area an inviting space is becoming a priority.

Waters said proper lighting will be installed in the north concourse, the gravel areas with picnic tables will be made concrete and TV’s can be installed to make the environment more pleasant to hang out in.

Gravel eating area

OSU plans to upgrade the gravel floor eating areas with better lighting and concrete flooring to make the area more appealing for fans. 

“Now, it'll be a lot nicer and little by little will be able to kind of see what works and can add to it,” Waters said. “It gives us kind of a blank canvas to add to.”

OSU fans interested in seeing their season ticket seat installed or a crane fit through a tunnel can watch the live “Stadium Construction Camera” on okstate.com

sports.ed@ocolly.com