DOWN WITH THE MAYOR TODAY. MIKE GUNDY’S DEPARTURE FROM THE COWBOYS SIDELINE WAS MET WITH MIXED REACTION, BUT THERE’S NO ARGUMENT THAT HIS DECADES OF DEDICATION TO THE COWBOYS WILL LEAVE A LASTING IMPACT. HE WAS PRACTICALLY OUR FOOTBALL TEAM, SO IT’S BITTERSWEET. NCAA FOOTBALL IS CHANGING AND YOU KNOW, COWBOY FOOTBALL HAS TO ADJUST WITH THOSE CHANGES. GUNDY WAS ON THE SIDELINES AND FIELD FOR HUNDREDS OF VICTORIES, HELPING BRING IN COUNTLESS FANS AND DOLLARS INTO STILLWATER. OSU HAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON STILLWATER’S ECONOMY. EVERY DAY, WHETHER IT’S FOOTBALL GAME DAY OR NOT, HAVING STUDENTS HERE, HAVING PROFESSORS HERE, HAVING ALL OF THE THE ACTIVITY THAT OSU GENERATES IS, IS JUST PART OF OF STILLWATER’S ECONOMY. AND IT HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME. ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT FROM THE OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, OSU CONTRIBUTED OVER $3.82 BILLION TO THE STATE’S ECONOMY IN FISCAL YEAR 2024. THE CITY DIDN’T HAVE DOLLAR DATA AVAILABLE, BUT WILL JOYCE EXPLAINS, IT’S TOO EARLY TO SAY IF A COACHING CHANGE WILL IMPACT THE LOCAL ECONOMY, NOTING IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN A STAFFING CHANGE FOR YEARS OF FAN LOYALTY TO FADE. I THINK WE’LL SEE A LOT OF FANS WHO ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT HOLD FOR FOR OSU FOOTBALL. MEANTIME, AREA BUSINESSES LIKE ESKIMO JOE’S ARE SAYING THEY’RE ANTICIPATING FANS TO SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT FOR GAME DAY. WE’LL OPEN EARLY, WE’LL HAVE OUR REGULAR GAME DAY SET UP OVER HERE ON OUR NORTHEAST LOT, RUNNING FROM 10 TO 2. THE COWBOYS TAKE ON BAYLOR SATURDAY AT 230
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy’s departure leaves lasting impact on Stillwater
Oklahoma State University’s decision to part ways with football coach Mike Gundy has sparked mixed reactions, but his influence on Stillwater’s economy and community remains undeniable.
Updated: 10:24 PM CDT Sep 24, 2025
Oklahoma State University’s decision to part ways with football coach Mike Gundy has sparked mixed reactions among fans, but his decades long dedication to the Cowboys has left a lasting impact on Stillwater.>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel”He’s practically our football team, so it’s bittersweet.” Will Krieg, an OSU alum, noted. “NCAA football is changing, and, you know, Cowboy football has to adjust with those changes,” said Ronnie Peterson, a sophomore.Gundy’s presence on the sidelines and field contributed to hundreds of victories, drawing countless fans and dollars into Stillwater. “OSU has a tremendous impact on Stillwater’s economy every day. Whether it’s football game day or not, having the students here, the professors here, the activity OSU generates has just been part of Stillwater’s economy for a long time,” said Will Joyce, the mayor of Stillwater.A recent report from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education revealed that OSU contributed over $3.82 billion to the state’s economy in fiscal year 2024. While the city lacks specific dollar data, Joyce explained that it’s too early to determine if a coaching change will affect the local economy, noting that it will take more than a staffing change for years of fan loyalty to fade. “I expect we’ll still see a good crowd, and I think we’ll see a lot of fans who are optimistic about what the future might hold for OSU football,” Joyce said.Meanwhile, area businesses like Eskimo Joe’s are preparing for game day crowds. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.”We’ll open early, we’ll have our regular gameday setup over here in our northeast lot running from 10-2,” Kendra Burtrum from Eskimo Joe’s said.The Cowboys are set to face Baylor on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.Top Headlines2 detainees killed and another critically injured in Dallas ICE facility, Homeland Security saysNorman City Councilwoman Bree Montoya announces resignation after social media commentsGet the Facts: Fact-checking Trump administration link of Tylenol use during pregnancy to autismGet the Facts: Autism rates increased to 1 in 31. This is where the CDC got its numbersFarming accident claims life of young woman in Woods County
STILLWATER, Okla. —
Oklahoma State University’s decision to part ways with football coach Mike Gundy has sparked mixed reactions among fans, but his decades long dedication to the Cowboys has left a lasting impact on Stillwater.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
“He’s practically our football team, so it’s bittersweet.” Will Krieg, an OSU alum, noted.
“NCAA football is changing, and, you know, Cowboy football has to adjust with those changes,” said Ronnie Peterson, a sophomore.
Gundy’s presence on the sidelines and field contributed to hundreds of victories, drawing countless fans and dollars into Stillwater.
“OSU has a tremendous impact on Stillwater’s economy every day. Whether it’s football game day or not, having the students here, the professors here, the activity OSU generates has just been part of Stillwater’s economy for a long time,” said Will Joyce, the mayor of Stillwater.
A recent report from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education revealed that OSU contributed over $3.82 billion to the state’s economy in fiscal year 2024.
While the city lacks specific dollar data, Joyce explained that it’s too early to determine if a coaching change will affect the local economy, noting that it will take more than a staffing change for years of fan loyalty to fade.
“I expect we’ll still see a good crowd, and I think we’ll see a lot of fans who are optimistic about what the future might hold for OSU football,” Joyce said.
Meanwhile, area businesses like Eskimo Joe’s are preparing for game day crowds.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
“We’ll open early, we’ll have our regular gameday setup over here in our northeast lot running from 10-2,” Kendra Burtrum from Eskimo Joe’s said.
The Cowboys are set to face Baylor on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
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