SEC Greg Sankey says OU softball stadium ‘sets on fire accidental issue see..S
EC Commissioner Greg Sankey didn’t hold back his thoughts on what Oklahoma brings to the Southeastern Conference.
It’s been a long awaited tra
nsition from the Big 12 to the SEC for the Sooners. Just three years ago it was announced Oklahoma and Texas would depart for a new conference that is seen as a tougher slate in nearly all sports, especially football. But amongst all of the drama and talking points of the football teams, the Sooners softball program earned a nod from
“If you look at facilities as you drive around,” Sankey said, “you see the softball stadium that’s been built. I think that sets a new standard in some ways.”
Sankey sat alongside OU President Joseph Harroz Jr., and OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione to answer a few questions during Monday’s festivities of introducing the Sooners to the SEC. It served as an exciting day for OU fans and an informative day to the other 15 fan bases across the conference, reassuring that Oklahoma is a special program deserving of any hype.
NORMAN — Soon enough, the field at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will be used for its intended purpose.
Football is for another day, though.
Monday’s day-long welcome-to-the-SEC celebration, which started and ended at the stadium, was much more about the fans than anything else.Several hundred fans spent Monday evening in the stadium, listening to live music, enjoying a variety of games and activities, shopping for new OU gear featuring the SEC logo and taking advantage of photo opportunities on the field.
The stadium’s video boards displayed the “OU X SEC” logo and the ribbon boards on the stadium’s east side displayed not only that logo but the SEC’s “It just means more” mantra.
The poles atop the massive video board in the south end zone featured flags of each of the SEC’s members, from Alabama to Vanderbilt.
The festivities kicked off late Sunday night with a 5k run that ended on the stadium’s 50-yard line, followed by a fireworks show at midnight when OU’s move to the SEC was official.