Bedlam is packing up and heading downtown this winter, with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State set for a men’s-and-women’s basketball doubleheader at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Dec. 12, the universities announced Friday. The in-state rivals will square off in back-to-back games, turning one weekday date into an all-day hoops event.
According to The Oklahoman, the schools have locked in both the date and the downtown venue, with the Sooners’ women’s team riding a seven-game winning streak and the men’s squad on a four-game run heading into the matchup. The Oklahoman reported the news in a story filed by Colton Sulley.
Fans already got a taste of Bedlam in OKC last winter, when the Sooners’ women rolled past Oklahoma State 92-70 at Paycom Center, as noted by Oklahoma Athletics. That neutral-site meeting helped cement the arena as a high-visibility stage for the rivalry.
Paycom Center, tickets and logistics
Paycom Center’s event listings have featured Bedlam doubleheaders in recent seasons, and the arena has previously promoted a one-ticket setup that covers admission to both games. The venue’s event page also lists its downtown address at 100 W. Reno Ave. Fans planning the trip should factor in the arena’s guest-service policies, including small-bag rules and typical door times, as they map out their route into the city core.
What fans can expect
Organizers have leaned into concourse programming and family-focused attractions during past doubleheaders, turning the day into more than just a two-game slate. Paycom Center programming director Jordan Racine said the neutral-site approach was created to “keep the Bedlam tradition going,” according to KOCO. Midday tipoffs and the one-ticket format have helped shape the doubleheader into a festival-style rivalry stop for alumni and local fans.
The schools and Paycom Center did not immediately release television details or exact ticket on-sale dates in the initial announcement. Those updates are typically posted by the athletic departments and the arena as the season draws closer. For Oklahoma basketball fans, though, the date is already circled, with Dec. 12 offering a rare chance to catch both Bedlam showdowns in a single afternoon.
