University of Oklahoma Athletics

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma and the OU Athletics Department are excited to announce plans to host a series of special, free public events celebrating the Sooners’ historic move to the Southeastern Conference, which will officially take place on Monday July 1st.

The celebration, sponsored by Riverwind Casino, will feature a full lineup of fun activities for fans of all ages on OU’s Normandy campus, including programming from the SEC Network, the department’s popular summer gear sale athletics and open houses at the Barry Switzer Center and Love’s Field, with additional morning events in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. It will conclude with a free, family-friendly “Party In The Palace presented by motorola razr” from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. inside the Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, featuring live music, appearances by the OU President, Joseph Harroz Jr. and OU Vice President and Athletic Director Joe Castiglione and a drone show above Owen Field.

“Entry into the Southeastern Conference marks a new era of transformation for the University of Oklahoma and all of Sooner Nation,” said Harroz Jr. “This day of celebration is a tribute to our iconic traditions , to our relentless pursuit of excellence and to the indomitable spirit of Sooner Magic We look forward to bringing our passion and pride to the SEC, and this event provides the perfect opportunity for the OU family to come together and. to celebrate all that awaits us.

“This day is years in the making, so it’s appropriate that we come together and celebrate,” Castiglione added. “We couldn’t be more excited to join the SEC. Our teams are poised for success and look forward to competing against many of America’s most notable universities. At Oklahoma, we have a story to tell and We are invigorated by the opportunity to share with the world what makes OU so special. Our strong commitment to our student-athletes and their success and to our fans and their experience will only strengthen with us. this decision We look forward to welcoming thousands of new people to our community and spreading Sooner Magic throughout the SEC.

Read on for more details about the celebration.

Race at the SEC 5K Glow Run

Celebration festivities will begin at 11 p.m. on Sunday, June 30 with a “Race to the SEC” 5K light run that will take participants through the heart of the OU campus. The 5K will begin at Brooks Mall immediately north of Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and end at the 50-yard line at Owen Field. For a registration fee of $24.25, race participants will receive an official OU x SEC t-shirt, official bib, glow sticks and a personalized medal. COOP Sooner Schooner All-American Ale will be available after the race, and at midnight – as OU officially becomes a member of the SEC – a “Flip the Switch” fireworks show will take place at the stadium. To register and for more details, visit www.runsignup.com/racetotheSEC.

Midnight Madness Sale

Also at midnight, fans will have their first opportunity to purchase officially licensed SEC merchandise OR through a Midnight Madness sale at a special OU x Jordan Brand Shoebox pop-up store located on Owen Field inside the stadium. Merchandise will also go on sale at midnight at shop.soonersports.com.

“Wake Up the SEC” Events in OKC and Tulsa

On Monday, July 1, the “Wake Up in the SEC” celebration events will take place in Oklahoma City and Tulsa from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., both featuring special guests. The Oklahoma City Breakfast will be held at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill (310 Johnny Bench Dr.) and will feature OU President Joseph Harroz Jr., Vice President and Athletic Director Joe Castiglione and other special guests from OU, including head coaches. In Tulsa, the breakfast will be held at Mother Road Market (1124 S. Lewis Ave.) and will include SEC Network’s Dari Nowkhah (an OU alumnus), OU Vice President Susan Bynum, the Former OU head football coach Barry Switzer and other headlining guests. and the schooner earlier. The Pride of Oklahoma and OU Spirit will be present at both sites.

Earlier final stops of the Schooner Roadshow

Fans will have the opportunity to take photos with the OU Conestoga official as he concludes the Oklahoma Sooner Schooner Roadshow. The final leg will include stops in Tulsa and Oklahoma City before returning home that evening to Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Norman Pep Rallies

From 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., The Pride of Oklahoma and OU Spirit will help lead pep rallies in seven different Norman business districts for 30 to 45 minutes each.

Summer equipment sale

OU’s popular summer sale of equipment, shoes, apparel and other items will return from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Mosier Indoor Track Facility, one block east of the stadium. Merchandise will include football helmets (traditional purple and white alternatives), football jerseys, cleats, Jordan Brand and Nike apparel and shoes, cold weather gear, baseball equipment (including a large choice of bats), practice jerseys for most sports and much more. . Additionally, the sale will include a large number of televisions up to 55 inches, as well as enlarged photographs that have been displayed throughout OU Athletics offices and facilities.

SEC Network Programming

SEC Network will broadcast from Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium from 2-8 p.m. “The Paul Finebaum Show” will launch the network’s coverage immediately north of the stadium from 2-6 p.m., and the first 300 fans at the show’s opening will receive a T- OR x SEC shirt free. “SEC Now: Live from Oklahoma” will air from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the north end zone inside the stadium with Nowkhah and Alyssa Lang. Former OU defensive lineman Dusty Dvoracek will also represent SEC Network, as will Haylie McCleney and Daymeon Fishback.

OU fans will also get a warm welcome to their new league, as SEC Network will bring them to an open house at Owen Field to experience everything the SEC will have to offer: live games, studio programming, original content And much more. Each room in the house will take fans on a journey inspired by the variety of programming and rich history of the SEC Network, giving them a taste of everything they will have to look forward to.

“Party at the Palace presented by Motorola Razr”

The athletic department is excited to host a special “Party at the Palace presented by Motorola Razr” event on the stadium grounds starting at 5 p.m., with numerous food and beverage options available. Fans will have the opportunity to enter Owen Field via the Sooners’ team tunnel, and the event will feature retail activations (including an OU x Jordan Brand shoe box pop-up shop), a Musical DJ, basketball court, bounce house, obstacle course, face painting, balloon artist, game trailer, mechanical bull, photo booth, the Schooner Sooner and more.

Open days

From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., OU Athletics will host open house events at the Barry Switzer Center (lobby and weight room) and Love’s Field, the Sooners’ new softball stadium. Fans will have the opportunity to take photos with select OU coaches and other influencers.

Live music, Pep Rally and drone show

Live music will be played inside the stadium from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and will be followed by a pep rally featuring the Pride of Oklahoma and OU Spirit, as well as short remarks from President Joseph Harroz Jr. and Vice President Joseph Harroz Jr. president and athletic director. Joe Castiglione. The evening will end with a drone show at 9:50 a.m. above the southern zone.

Shop and Skip Challenge

Oklahoma fans are encouraged to check out Norman by purchasing new OU x SEC gear throughout the day on July 1. Fans can take part in a “passport challenge” using the Visit Norman app. The more visits they make to participating stores, the greater their chances of winning one of five grand prizes by presenting their passport at the ‘Party In The Palace’ that evening.

Upcoming student-centered celebration

To ensure that students have the opportunity to fully participate in the festivities, the Academic and Athletic Department will host a celebratory event featuring a musical artist scheduled toward the start of the fall semester. Additional details are coming.