Boone Pickens Stadium


               Home of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys football team, Boone Pickens Stadium has been the pride of Stillwater, Oklahoma since 1920. Originally known as Lewis Field, that stadium held 8,000 spectators. Then in 1930, a renovation increased it to 13,000, and in 1947, up to 30,000 capacity. The stadium increasingly became larger and by 1950 it stood at 39,000 after a $2,500,000 renovation. In 1980, the $1,800,000 press box was completed and was considered one of the best in the country for its time. In 2003, the stadium was renamed in honor of wealthy businessman, alum, and donor, Boone Pickens. Starting in 2004, the stadium went through yet another $74,000,000 renovation, added another press box, and finished the outside design with a brick that matched the rest of campus. The last major renovation was the completion of the west side of the stadium which increased the stadium capacity to over 55,000. 

Oklahoma State has a reputation for being one of the rowdiest places to play in the Big 12 and traditions play a large role in that. Since 1984 a horse named Bullet has emerged from the tunnel at the start of the game and on touchdowns. The students also get into the action by starting the paddle people club in which members bring paddles with the word “Pokes” to the game and slam them against the wall repeatedly while their team is on defense.  

An interesting feature of this Stadium is that it is one of the few college football stadiums that is on an east-west heading which allows sunlight-dependent advantages for a team depending on the time of the day and which side a team starts on each quarter. It is also the oldest FBS stadium west of the Mississippi.   

This stadium has been numerously considered the best football stadium in the Big 12 and this is because of its loud fans, amazing architecture, and timeless traditions. 

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