Shaded Seats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is one of college football’s most historic venues. Primarily the home field for the Oklahoma Sooners, the stadium is renowned for its passionate fanbase and gameday atmosphere. Norman has a hot and sunny climate, especially during the early weeks of football season. Fans attending Sooners games can use this guide and the seating chart to identify the shaded seats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium:

• South End Zone: A small amount of early-day shade
• West Sideline: Mid-afternoon shade on the Sooners’ home side

And the seats in the sun at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium are mainly:

• East Sideline: Sun soaked on the away team’s side
• North End Zone: Sunny for most of the day

To accommodate the national TV schedule, Sooners home games usually kick off locally in the 11:00 AM hour, 2:00 PM hour, or 6:00 PM hour, with a few other start times occasionally mixed in. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is oriented north to south. By noon, the sun is high in the sky over the southeast corner near the end zone. Over the course of the afternoon, it curves and dips behind the west side of the stadium, where it eventually sets. This configuration generally makes the west side of the stadium the “shade side” for afternoon and evening games, but not for morning games.

The graphic below shows the approximate hour-by-hour position of the sun throughout the day on September 1st.

See an interactive seating chart for the next event at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Games

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is over a century old, but thanks to various upgrades and improvements, it feels like a modern professional football stadium. It features bowl-style seating on all sides of the field, plus additional upper-level seating on both sidelines. The press box towers over the upper-level stands on the west (home) side.

When the Sooners kick off early in the afternoon, or even in the morning, the sun is high, and shade is sparse. The best hope for shade in the morning and early afternoon is behind the south end zone, in rows as far from the field as possible. Shade seekers should focus on Sections 37-51. The luxury boxes behind them create a physical wall that blocks some sun from behind and casts a shadow over the back rows in these sections.

Fans arriving early for an 11:00 AM game may notice a bit of shade on the east side of the stadium before kickoff. Shade on the sidelines won’t last long, as the sun will continue to rise until it reaches its peak around halftime. By the end of a morning game, both sidelines will be sun-soaked, as will seats behind the north end zone.

Early in the day a small amount of shade can be found in the back rows of the south end zone sections.
Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon and Evening Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Games

When the Sooners are scheduled for a 2:30 PM or later game, shade is a bit easier to find. In the mid-afternoon, prefer the west side of the stadium for shade. The press box creates a physical barrier between the sun and the west sideline sections. Shade seekers should focus on Sections 1-10 and 101-109. As the sun descends behind the stadium, fans in these sections will have the sun at their backs and shade covering their seats.

The sunniest seats are on the east (away team) side of the stadium. Sections 26-35, 124-135, and 226-235 are sun-soaked at the start of a mid-afternoon game. As the game progresses, the shade line will cross the field and begin covering seats on the east side from lowest to highest. Lower-level seats will become shaded first, followed by the upper level before sunset. Bring your best sunglasses if you pick a seat on the away side in the 200-level!

Sooners fans are more likely to find shade in the south end zone than the north end zone. However, seats closest to the field, even behind the south end zone, will likely be sunny until the shade line crosses the field late in the afternoon. For a game that starts at 6:00 PM or later, both end zones should be mostly shaded or will become shaded quickly after kickoff.

By mid-afternoon seats on the west side of the stadium (left) are shaded while those on the east side (right) are still in the sun.
Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire

Ready to buy shaded seats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?

Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see the upcoming game list for Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.