OU football fans heading to Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for the Sept. 4 home opener against UTEP will find a new AI concierge, relocated tailgate zones and expanded concessions waiting for them.
The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department announced Aug. 27 a sweeping set of upgrades for the 2026 season, touching everything from how fans get answers to questions to where they tailgate and what they eat. The department said the changes grew out of fan surveys on game atmosphere and venue offerings.
The headliner is "Bud," an AI-powered digital concierge built on the Relayed platform. Available through SoonerSports.com and the Oklahoma Sooners app, Bud fields questions about tickets, parking, venue policies and accessibility. During games, fans can use it to report spills, maintenance needs or safety concerns, which route in real time to stadium staff. A "Share a Win" feature lets fans flag exceptional service.
Tailgating shifts
Three tailgate changes stand out. The Champions Tailgate relocates to the northeast corner of Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue, steps from the Palace. It opens 2.5 hours before kickoff and closes 30 minutes prior, offering complimentary food and beverages to Sooner Club members at the Silver level and above.
A brand-new 1895 Trust Tailgate opens on the Energy Partners Training Surface at the stadium's southeast corner, exclusively for 1895 Trust members of the Sooner Club. It runs on the same 2.5-hour pregame window with complimentary food and beverages.
Fans who want a setup-free option can now reserve turnkey tailgating packages at Boyd Lawn, at the corner of Boyd Street and Asp Avenue, through REVELXP. The North Oval remains free and first-come, first-served for public tailgating.
Food, drink and faster lines
Two new concession stands open this season: one on the lower southwest concourse near Section 1 and another on the south end of the upper west deck near Sections 101 and 102. Every stand adds at least one new menu item. Dickey's BBQ brings bone-in wings, Freddy's adds dirty sodas, Corn Dog Company and Fletcher's Corny Dogs offer fried Oreos, and Shake's debuts a boozy cherry limeade. Select stands will carry Ben's Pretzels.
Canned beer arrives at most concession stands for the first time. Select portable stands will offer a 24-ounce souvenir draft, and premixed cocktails join the lineup at portable beverage locations. Self-checkout points double from 2025 totals, though the university did not specify the exact count.
Collectible 32-ounce souvenir soda cups will feature a different iconic moment in OU football history at each home game.
Merch and experiences
The Jordan Shoe Box Pop-Up Shop returns for a third season at Party at the Palace, west of McCasland Field House. The EA Sports College Football gaming lounge is back for year two inside The Sooner Shop's bottom level, equipped with three 60-inch TVs, PS5 consoles and EA Sports College Football 27.
The Sooner Shop expands to eight game day locations: two outside the gates and six inside. All are cashless.
Stadium tours launch this fall at $50 per ticket, limited to 50 people. The hour-long route starts in the Barry Switzer Center lobby and includes the Devon Performance Lab weight room, Owen Field, the Harold Keith Memorial Press Box and the Eddy Gibbs Family Locker Room.
Kickoff details
The UTEP game kicks off at 7 p.m. Sept. 4. Norman Public Schools and OU canceled classes that day, the Norman Transcript reported, citing traffic congestion, road closures and safety challenges tied to the opener. The security checkpoint for west stadium gates 1–3 now extends beneath the Asp Avenue Parking Facility, adding concourse space and concession points of sale.
OU's next home game after UTEP is Sept. 19 against New Mexico.
