Patty Gasso wants to reexamine the possibility of the Sooners hosting a softball game at OU’s football stadium after a new collegiate softball attendance record was achieved.

The legendary Oklahoma Sooners softball coach, a four-time national coach of the year and architect of one of the most dominant dynasties in collegiate sports, is no stranger to dreaming big. But now, in the wake of a new NCAA attendance record set in Utah, Gasso is beginning to imagine something even grander: hosting a Sooners softball game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium — the 80,000-seat cathedral of Oklahoma football.

“Why not?” Gasso said this week. “If we’re talking about growing the game, showing the world what softball can be, then this is the next step.”

The idea has simmered before, but it gained new traction after a seismic event in the softball world earlier this month. The University of Utah hosted a softball doubleheader at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the home of their football team, and shattered the NCAA single-game attendance record. Over 12,500 fans poured into the stands, far eclipsing the previous high of 9,145 set in 2023 when Oklahoma faced Texas at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

The message was clear: the appetite for collegiate softball is real, it’s growing, and it’s ready for a bigger stage.

Gasso, who was watching closely, immediately began thinking about what this milestone means for the Sooners and the future of the sport.

“I was so proud of Utah,” Gasso said. “They took a bold step. They showed everyone that with the right planning and the right support, you can do something historic. That’s the kind of energy I want to bring back to Norman.”

The Sooners have played in front of massive crowds before, but always at the neutral-site Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, where they routinely draw more than 10,000 fans during the Women’s College World Series. But a home game — on campus — would mark a first and open new territory for the sport.

The logistical challenges are significant. Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is built for football, with turf that’s rarely, if ever, repurposed for other sports. There would need to be temporary fencing, clay trucked in for the infield, and equipment brought in to create a regulation softball field on a surface designed for gridiron battles.

But Gasso, who led Oklahoma to seven national championships and helped elevate the Sooners into a national brand, is undeterred.

“I’ve learned never to underestimate what’s possible when this university gets behind an idea,” she said. “We’re not just a football school. We’re a championship school. And this could be a moment that defines us.”

Athletic director Joe Castiglione, who has long been a visionary supporter of OU’s non-football sports, has previously entertained the idea of hosting a game in the football stadium. With the program set to join the SEC in the 2025 season — a move that will bring unprecedented media exposure and competition — the timing could be ideal.

In a statement this week, Castiglione didn’t confirm specific plans but praised Gasso’s “forward-thinking leadership” and called the possibility of such an event “an exciting concept worth exploring.”

The Sooners’ home venue, Love’s Field, opened in 2024 and seats roughly 4,000 fans — already a significant upgrade from Marita Hynes Field. But the demand often outstrips the supply, especially during conference play and the postseason.

“Even with our beautiful new stadium, we’re turning fans away,” Gasso said. “If we had a football stadium game, we could give thousands more the chance to be part of something special.”

Gasso’s vision is about more than one game. It’s about changing the perception of softball on a national level. For years, the sport fought for exposure, recognition, and respect. Now, thanks to expanded television deals, NIL opportunities, and the explosion of social media, the sport is entering a golden age.

In 2023, the Women’s College World Series outdrew several NCAA men’s baseball regionals in television ratings. ESPN has committed to airing more regular-season softball games than ever before. And top players like Oklahoma’s Jordy Bahl and Jayda Coleman became household names, crossing over into national sports conversations.

“Women’s sports are no longer on the fringe,” Gasso said. “We are front and center. And it’s time our venues reflect that reality.”

A game at the football stadium wouldn’t just be a spectacle. It would be a statement — about where the sport is and where it’s going.

Early discussions, according to sources close to the athletic department, have included a potential “Bedlam” rivalry game against Oklahoma State or a marquee matchup against an SEC powerhouse like Alabama or Florida.

The event would likely be a one-off during a weekend series, with the remaining games played at Love’s Field. Gasso noted that spring weather could be a factor, as well as coordination with the football team’s offseason schedule. But those hurdles, she believes, are surmountable.

“You plan it like a major concert or spring game,” Gasso said. “You put the resources in place. You market it the right way. You get buy-in from your athletes. And then you let it rip.”

The Sooners’ players — many of whom already play in front of massive postseason crowds — are reportedly ecstatic about the possibility.

Fan reactions have been overwhelmingly positive as well. On message boards and social media, many OU fans have called for the university to seize the moment and become the first program to host a game in a football stadium and sell it out.

“I’ve got four season tickets, and I’d buy four more if they played at the stadium,” said longtime Sooners supporter Rick Langston, who has attended every home softball game since 2011. “Coach Gasso has earned the right to dream big. If she wants it, let’s make it happen.”

Oklahoma wouldn’t be the first to borrow from football’s massive reach to elevate another sport. Nebraska volleyball famously hosted a match in Memorial Stadium last fall, drawing over 92,000 fans and setting a global attendance record for women’s sports.

“It was unforgettable,” Nebraska coach John Cook said at the time. “It wasn’t just a match. It was a movement.”

Gasso took note.

“I watched every second of that Nebraska match,” she said. “And I thought, ‘Why not us? Why not softball?’ We have the passion. We have the base. We have the product. We just need the platform.”

If Oklahoma is going to do this, 2025 may be the year.

It will be the Sooners’ debut season in the SEC, a conference that is already viewed as the epicenter of college softball. The media attention surrounding the transition will be intense, and a record-breaking game could serve as a signature moment — a way to formally introduce OU softball to its new conference in style.

“It would be the perfect kickoff to a new era,” Gasso said. “A way to show the SEC what they’re getting — and to show the country what’s possible.”

Beyond Norman, the idea of football stadium games could become a new frontier for the sport. Arizona, UCLA, Florida, and LSU all boast large fan bases and football stadiums that could host similar events. If Oklahoma takes the plunge and succeeds, it could set a precedent for others to follow.

“I’ve always said that the best way to lead is by example,” Gasso said. “Let’s lead.”

Patty Gasso isn’t afraid of bold ideas. Her coaching career has been defined by them — from revolutionizing Oklahoma softball into a national brand, to embracing analytics, to setting new standards for excellence on and off the field.

This latest vision might be her most audacious yet. But it’s also exactly what softball needs right now — a push beyond the boundaries of tradition, into a future where 80,000 fans cheering for a college softball game isn’t a fantasy, but a reality.

“We’re not just winning titles,” Gasso said. “We’re changing what people think is possible. And to me, that’s the greatest win of all.”