Oklahoma’s Athletic Director Joe Castiglione called for calm after the new stadium project cast doubts. The University of Oklahoma is overhauling Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium with a $450 million project called “The Palace Project.” The stadium’s total seating capacity will decrease by approximately 7,000. Fans didn’t take this well.

While some fans questioned the reduction in capacity, Castiglione met with college football insider George Stoia III. He explained the plan and prepared to steer the ship in the right direction. The goal was not only to add more seats but to create a better overall fan experience and build new premium spaces.

“We weren’t going to reduce the capacity at all. But to try to make this all work within the space allowance, we have to elevate the experience, to create these new premium areas, to improve and expand concourse areas to get chair backs, which people want,” said Castiglione in the interview.

By going through the design beforehand, they knew they would “lose some seats in the process in this phase.”

The renovation will focus on the west side of the stadium, adding luxury suites, club seats, premium lounges, a new press box, and upgraded fan amenities, including improved lighting, enhanced sound, expanded concessions, and wider concourses.

The decision was not based only on space limitations. Oklahoma also studied market trends, fan behavior, ticket demand, and pricing. They wanted to balance stadium capacity with what fans actually wanted to pay for. Castiglione doubled down and said that the stadium is designed to maximize revenue even with fewer seats, thanks to new luxury suites, club seats, and upgraded amenities.

He also teased the program’s long-term vision. Castiglione added, “In the future, we’re going to have another phase, which could increase the seating capacity by whatever number we think is meeting or reaching the demand that we can project for game days.”

To sum up, the Sooners fans do not need to worry about the seating reduction. According to the AD, the cut is not permanent, and Oklahoma could expand capacity again in future renovation phases.

Oklahoma season-ticket holders can rest easy

Notably, the construction is scheduled to begin immediately after the 2027 football season, and OU anticipates completing the project in time for the 2029 season. While crews work on the stadium in 2028, fans should expect limited seating. The athletic department will reseat all season ticket holders during that year.

OU is funding the entire project through private donations and revenue from the athletic department. Therefore, student tuition and state money will not play a role.

By investing in this upgrade, OU aims to transform “The Palace on the Prairie” into one of the most challenging home-field environments in college football. This gives the Sooners a competitive edge over their new conference rivals. The university also promises that even with fewer seats, season ticket holders will receive multiple upgraded options throughout the renovation.

The athletic department will reach out to every season ticket holder to help them secure new seating for the 2028 season and beyond. One-on-one meetings, set to begin by the end of 2027, will solve that directive. For fans worried about constant change, this isn’t the first time.

Oklahoma renovated the south end zone in 2016 and has made several upgrades since then, demonstrating that the program knows how to modernize the stadium while keeping fans’ interest on the side.