OU tightens stadium security

By The Associated Press

Published: August 31, 2006

NORMAN, Okla. - Just as security has increased at airports, fans attending Oklahoma University football games might notice a difference on game day.

OU gameday information and parking

But that doesn't mean there will be metal detectors or fans being patted down for contraband, said Matt Trantham, Associate Athletic Director/Event Management.

"But we do have steps that we will take if there is information from law enforcement that there is increased security risks," he said Thursday.

One of the changes at the school this year is increasing the training and preparing the event staff to be aware of their surroundings and what is going on, Trantham said.

The additional staff training resulted after Joel Henry Hinrichs III, a 21-year-old engineering student died in an explosion Oct. 1, a short distance from the stadium during a game between the Sooners and the Kansas State Wildcats. The FBI found triacetone triperoxide, or TATP, which is composed of hydrogen peroxide and acetone when they searched his apartment.

The only change in what is not being allowed into the stadium this year is large stadium seats because they encroach on other fans, Trantham said.

"One of the biggest problems every year is fans trying to bring alcohol into the stadium," he said. "The other is bags that are too large.

"We will not check or hold those items that are prohibited. We will also have staff in the parking lots warning those attending the game they will not be able to enter with the prohibited items," he said.

OU junior Diana Davis, a football season ticket holder, said, "security can be kind of annoying, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

Davis said that she feels very safe on campus and thinks that metal detectors would be really impractical because of the large crowds that attend the games.

Last year, after the Hinrichs incident, security made the students attending the games to empty out their water bottles before they could enter the stadium, she said.

Trantham said that empty clear water bottles or even empty soda bottles will be allowed into the stadium, but food or beverages will not be allowed. Also not being allowed are baby seats or stollers; backpacks; fanny packs or large purses; balloons; banners and signs; beach balls; cameras that professional equipment or with long telephoto lenses; coolers or large drink containers; explosives; folding chairs or stools; ice chests; laser pointers; personal heaters; stadium seats with armrests over 16 inches wide; umbrellas; noisemakers or video cameras.

Kennette Hughes has been attending games for more than 26 years and has held season tickets for at least the last 20 years.

"Most of those policies have been in effect since Sept. 11," she said. "When you know what they are they really are not that inconvenient."

She said that she and her friends tailgate at the games, so they wait until the last minute before kickoff to go into the stadium.

"But we have never had any trouble in getting in due to security," Hughes said.

Freshman Ryan LaBouve, from Houston, has yet to attend his first Sooner football game but said he is not concerned about safety.

"I feel a lot safer here than I do on the Gulf coast," he said.

The Sooners will host UAB at 6 p.m.