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Some OU football season-ticket holders notified SEC move will affect their tickets

NORMAN — OU this week sent out an email to some football season-ticket holders whose seats in Gaylord Family-Memorial Stadium would be affected by the upcoming move to the SEC.

Here's a breakdown on what the changes are and why they're happening:

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Why must some OU football season-ticket holders move?

In the Sooners' current conference, the Big 12, home teams are required to provide the visiting team with 2,500 tickets per conference game.

In the SEC, that size requirement doubles, and 2,000 of those 5,000 seats must be in the lower bowl.

In addition, the SEC requires student seating be outside the 30-yard lines, pushing the student section at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium north into other sections while freeing up some prime seating locations on the east side of the stadium.

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OU football fans cheer in the second half of a game against SMU on Sept. 9 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.
OU football fans cheer in the second half of a game against SMU on Sept. 9 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.

Which sections are affected?

  • Section 15

  • Section 16 (Rows 6-28, 57-72)

  • Section 20 (Rows 6-28)

  • Sections 22-25

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Where will the OU students be located?

The student sections will shift to the northeast corner, moving out of sections 29 and 30 and into the lower portion of section 20 in the north end zone and sections 22-24 in the corner. Sections 25-28 will remain student sections.

Where will visiting-team seating be located?

Visiting fans who buy their tickets through the schools will be seated in sections 15 and 16 in the lower bowl (2,000 allotted tickets), which will include space for the visiting band to access the field without disrupting the fan experience. The other 3,000 seats for visiting fans will be in sections 226-235, though seating in 229-232 — the mid-field sections of the east-side upper deck — will be in the back rows.

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How will affected ticket-holders be moved?

In October, affected season-ticket holders will have a window to select new seats before other ticket-holders.

To determine selection time, the affected group will be ranked by Sooner Points associated with their OU Athletics accounts. The points accumulate through lifetime season-ticket purchases, seat-related giving history and attendance. After affected ticket-holders have selected their seats, non-affected season-ticket holders will have the opportunity to move their seats, also ranked in Sooner Point order.

Ticket holders will be notified of their selection times by email.

Affected fans can select seats in the north end zone area (sections 11-21) at the same annual per-seat donation as their current seats. Other sections will require different levels of per-seat donations.

Important dates

Here's a look at important dates for OU season-ticket holders:

  • Week of October 10: Seat-selection process begins for impacted ticket-holders.

  • Week of October 17: Seat-selection process begins for remaining ticker-holders.

  • November: 2024 Sooner Club membership and football season-ticket renewals available

  • March 1, 2024: Commitment date for 2024 Sooner Club membership and football season tickets.

  • May 31: Final payments due for 2024 Sooner Club membership and football season tickets.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football season-ticket holders will be affected by SEC move