OU Softball: Oklahoma Announces Love's Field Policies, Procedures

The Sooners open their brand new field this weekend at the OU Tournament, but fans should be aware that not everything is completely finished.

By OU Media Relations

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department has announced game day policies and procedures for the 2024 softball season, as well as additional information related to the fan experience at brand new Love’s Field.

The Sooners open the inaugural season at their new home on Friday, March 1, against Miami (OH) at 2 p.m. CT and will follow with a contest against Liberty at 5 p.m. the same day. All tickets, including standing-room only areas, are sold out for opening day at Love’s Field. OU will also face Louisiana (11 a.m.) and Liberty (1:45 p.m.) on Saturday, and Louisiana on Sunday (12:30 p.m.).

To celebrate Love’s Field’s historic day on Friday, an Opening Day and Dedication Ceremony will take place outside the main stadium gate (Gate 1) at 11 a.m. Season ticket holders and the public are welcome to attend. The event will be standing room only on the south side of the stadium, off Imhoff Rd. Following the ceremony, stadium gates will open to fans who hold tickets to the 2 p.m. home opener.

The first 1,000 fans through the gates on opening day will receive a commemorative Love’s Field softball. 2024 season posters will also be available at the stadium.

Fans should be aware that Imhoff Rd. (immediately south of Love’s Field) will close on game days from Jenkins Ave. to Asp Ave. starting three hours before first pitch. Detailed parking information is available lower in this release.

As is typical, weather impacts throughout Love’s Field construction resulted in some unavoidable delays. Throughout the remainder of the 2024 season, the University of Oklahoma will apply finishing touches to the stadium and team facilities, working to achieve the whole vision for Love's Field and resulting in the premier game day experience in college softball.

TICKETING

• All tickets will be sent digitally and have Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled for the 2024 season.
• Fans will simply hold the back of their phone near the scanner instead of scanning a barcode, similar to tap-and-pay functionality with a credit card, allowing for quicker and more efficient entry.
• All digital tickets must be downloaded to Apple Wallet or Google Pay. To combat counterfeit tickets, screenshot tickets will not be scannable.
• Fans needing assistance with their tickets can visit the box office outside Gate 1. The box office will open 90 minutes prior to first pitch and remain open through the third inning of the last scheduled game of the day. The lone exception will be on March 1, when the box office will open two hours prior to first pitch of the Miami (OH) game.
• All seating at Love’s Field is reserved. The stadium features a spectating area in the northeast corner (right field area) for fans who purchase standing-room-only (SRO) tickets. Fans with SRO tickets will be prohibited from standing anywhere behind sections 5-9 on the infield concourse and section 17 in the outfield.
• For OU’s Friday and Saturday opening-weekend games (March 1-2), one ticket is good for both games each day. In other words, one Friday ticket is good for both games that day, and one Saturday ticket is good for both games that day.

STADIUM ENTRY

• Gates will open 90 minutes prior to first pitch each home date, except opening day.
• On opening day (March 1), gates will open two hours prior to first pitch (at noon; following the conclusion of the Opening Day and Dedication Ceremony).

CLEAR-BAG POLICY

• OU will continue its clear-bag policy this season. The approved clear plastic tote size is a maximum of 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches, or a one-gallon clear, plastic freezer bag. All bags, including clear bags, are subject to search.
• Clear fanny pack and clear crossbody bags are permitted.
• Non-transparent clutch wallets no larger than 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches are permitted.
• Bags necessary for medical equipment will be searched at marked medical lanes at each gate.
• No other bags or purses, including diaper bags, are permitted. The limit on bags is one per person.
• Fans may bring an EMPTY clear, plastic water bottle less than 17 oz. into the stadium.

PARKING

• Imhoff Rd. will close three hours before first pitch on game days between Jenkins Ave. and Asp Ave.
• General parking is located in the northeast Lloyd Noble Center parking lot, which should be accessed via the east entrance off Jenkins Ave.
• Limited ADA parking is located in the third-base reserved lot for fans with an ADA hangtag, as well as in the northeast Lloyd Noble Center parking lot.
• To view the parking map, click here.

SOONER CLUB PARKING

• Reserved parking is available for season ticket holders who are Sooner Club members and qualify in the following levels: Captain, All-American, Hall of Fame, 1895 Trust. Parking passes for eligible accounts will be available in the Oklahoma Sooners app by logging into your online account by the end of day Wednesday, Feb. 28. To view the parking map, click here.
• To access Sooner Club reserved parking, enter the northeast Lloyd Noble Center parking lot via the east LNC entrance off Jenkins Ave. and proceed to the southeast corner of the reserved area.
• For entry to the VIP parking lot, follow the instructions above. Then, from the LNC parking lot, cross Imhoff Rd. to the VIP lot, where you will show your digital parking pass.

FIRST AID

• First aid is located on the first-base concourse level. EMSSTAT personnel will also be on-site to assist fans.

CONCESSIONS

• Concession stands are located throughout the stadium. Click here for a stadium map and specific locations.
• Specialty vendors include Taste of Africa, HTeaO, Psycho Tacos, Shakes, Kona Ice and Poppin’ Okies.
• All concession stands in the stadium are cashless. Fans must use a credit or debit card when purchasing food and beverages.
• No outside food or beverages are permitted.

ALCOHOL SERVICE POLICY

• Beer and other newly offered ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages are available stadium-wide at portable concession stands.
• Service begins when gates open (90 minutes prior to first pitch) and is discontinued at the conclusion of the fifth inning.
• All guests must be 21 years of age to purchase an alcoholic beverage. A valid ID is required for purchase. There is a two-alcoholic-beverage limit per person, per ID, per transaction. Alcohol is not permitted to leave the stadium gates nor can outside alcohol be brought into the stadium on game day.

RETAIL

• Fanatics is a proud partner of OU Athletics and offers a wide variety of merchandise. The Sooner Shop is located on the third-base concourse by Gate 2.
• Fans must use a credit or debit card as all retail sales are cashless.

REPORT AN ISSUE/CONCERN

• The University of Oklahoma and Department of Homeland Security want you to enjoy your game-day experience. You play an important role in creating an enjoyable experience at Love's Field. If you see something suspicious, say something to local authorities located throughout the stadium.

LOST AND FOUND

• Lost items recovered during the game will be held by OU Athletics’ Event and Game Operations staff. After the game, all unclaimed items are turned over to OU’s Facilities Management Office (call 405-325-3060 during normal weekday business hours to inquire about lost items).