ECISD hosts 100th Celebration at crosstown rivalry football game 

The crosstown rivalry football game between Odessa High School and Permian High School is always one of the community’s biggest events of the year. It gets even bigger this year as Ector County ISD celebrates its 100th birthday with a tailgate party and concert by the Grammy Award-winning performers the Gatlin Brothers. Larry, Steve and Rudy Gatlin grew up in Odessa and are graduates of Odessa High School.

In addition to the tailgating that normally takes place at the game, food trucks will be on site and the choirs from OHS and PHS will sing as the opening act before the Gatlin Brothers take the stage.

The gates to Ratliff Stadium will open at 4:30 p.m. Friday, the show begins at 5:20, with the Gatlin Brothers scheduled to perform around 6 p.m. The football game kicks off at 7 p.m.

School district leaders strongly encourage all fans to arrive early. Few seats remain, and the game is likely to be a sellout. Construction on the intersection of East Loop 338 and Yukon Road, near the stadium complex, is also likely to cause longer lines getting into and out of the stadium.

Odessa High School is visiting team this year and fans will sit on the east side of the stadium; Permian fans are on the west side of the stadium.

Additionally, the concert and food trucks will be set up in the southwest corner of the stadium parking lot meaning a number of parking spots will not be available this year. Each school’s buses will be parked in the northeast corner of the stadium parking lot which will reduce the number of parking spaces in that area.

Fans should carpool to the game if at all possible.