By Cade Kennedy, Sports Editor
On Feb. 22, a shovel went into the ground in the fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, marking the beginning of the end for one of Oklahoma’s great venues.
Jim Norick Arena, known by many as the “Big House,” will officially be replaced in 2025 by a new, modern arena that will have 3,000 less seats, but will have a built-in restaurant and other amenities most people expect with modern stadiums. However, Jim Norick Arena will always have something that this new arena will never be able to have, the charm.
Once you step inside Jim Norick Arena, the atmosphere completely changes, and time stands still. For the next few hours, the arena teleports you back to the 1960s when the arena came into existence.
Since 1965, the “Big House” held state basketball tournaments, meaning the arena became the premier destination for basketball fans in the state. For most of the high school teams in Oklahoma, the season begins with one main goal: make it to the “Big House.”
The magic of the “Big House” does not just come from the arena itself, but it also comes from what it takes to make it there. After battling through several rounds of tournaments, the joy and pure happiness that comes from knowing that you have made it to the end of the road can bring a kid tears.
I would know, as that was the sight I saw last Saturday night in Woodward. Goodwell defeated Leedey to make it to the “Big House” for the first time since 1971, and the reactions on the faces of the players could only compare to a child running downstairs to see presents under the tree on Christmas.
Those 30 minutes of celebrating add to the allure of the “Big House,” as the arena it not just a place where games are played, but a representation of all the hard work and dedication it has taken to reach the top.
In 2025, the “Big House,” will turn into rubble, and a modern arena will stand over the fallen cathedral of high school basketball, and all the memories that came from Jim Norick Arena will go with it.
There is still time to see the old titan standing in the fairgrounds, and I encourage you to make the trek to the “Big House” yourself.