Oklahoma State fanbase could give Cowboys unique edge against Big 12 foes in 2024
- Aug 28, 2024 Updated 8 hrs ago
Tyler Waldrep
OSU Sports WriterSTILLWATER— Oklahoma State separated itself in the Big 12 before the 2024 season even got started.
Thanks to the fans, the school sold out every game this season 16 days before the season began. It was the first time Oklahoma State sold every seat prior to the first game in program history.
“I think it’s a combination of our long-term success here, but I also think the new league is contributing to this,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. “I think the fans want to see Utah play. The new teams that we play, I think it’s intriguing to them. We live in a world with our phones where everybody just goes to the next thing, and I think the newness of the league has actually generated a lot of interest in ticket sales.”
With so much turnover, the Big 12 feels like a brand-new league in almost every aspect but name this fall. It’s also widely considered to be the most competitive Power Four conference by both media personalities and oddsmakers. FanDuel Sportsbook lists nine Big 12 teams with +2000 odds or better of winning the conference. The SEC and ACC have seven teams considered as likely to win their leagues, while the Big 10 has only five.
The newness and the projected competitiveness of the league haven’t inspired the same level of passion in most other teams in the conference.
Four Big 12 teams open the 2024 season on Thursday, with the rest following on either Friday or Saturday. Yet, the Cowboys are the only one to sell out every game.
UCF is somewhat close on the Cowboys’ heels, selling out five of its seven home games this season as of Wednesday morning.
Colorado sold out its Big 12 opener against Baylor on Sept. 21 and its family weekend game against Cincinnati. Tickets remain for the other four home games, including the Nov. 29th game against Oklahoma State.
The Big 12 preseason favorite, Utah, has also sold out two of its six games (against TCU and BYU in the second half of the season.
West Virginia has only sold out its opener against No. 8 Penn State.
The other 10 Big 12 schools, ignoring Kansas, have not sold out a single game although Kansas State is down to standing room only for four games including Oklahoma State’s visit on Sept. 28.
Due to construction, the Kansas Jayhawks are playing this season at two non-traditional sites representing both ends of the spectrum in the Big 12 this fall. They have sold out both games, taking place at Children’s Mercy Park, expected to seat roughly 21,000 people, while tickets remain for the remaining four games, which will take place at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium, which seats 76,416.
Big 12 stadium capacities 2024
76,416- Kansas (Arrowhead)
63,470- BYU
61,500- Iowa State
60,229- Texas Tech
60K- West Virginia
53,599- Arizona State
52,305- OSU
51,444- Utah
50,800- Arizona
50,183- Colorado
50K- Kansas State
46K- TCU
45,140- Baylor
44,206- UCF
40K- Houston
38,007- Cincinnati
21,000ish- Kansas (Mercy Park)
Oklahoma State’s new capacity following offseason renovations is 52,305, which ranks seventh in the conference and just behind the average stadium size of 52,571, ignoring both sites Kansas plans to use.
Oklahoma State’s road games will largely take place this fall at the conference’s smallest stadiums in front of an average crowd of 50,959 people assuming those games all sell out.
Meanwhile, most visiting fans could find seating comes at a premium inside Boone Pickens this fall as Texas Tech, West Virginia and Arizona State fans will have to find spots inside a smaller stadium that is already sold out.
“This school has really come a long way in understanding the responsibilities for football, and the fans have bought into that,” Gundy said.
