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Paycom Center (originally known as the Ford Center from 2002 to 2010, Oklahoma City Arena from 2010 to 2011, and Chesapeake Energy Arena from 2011 to 2021) is an arena located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It opened in 2002 and since 2008 has served as the home venue for the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s Oklahoma City Thunder. Previously, the arena was home to the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League (CHL) from 2002 until the team folded in July 2009, and the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of AF2 from 2004 to 2009 when the team moved to the Cox Convention Center (now Prairie Surf Studios). In addition to its use as a sports venue, Paycom Center hosts concerts, family and social events, conventions, ice shows, and civic events. The arena is owned by the city and operated by the ASM Global property management company and has 18,203 seats in the basketball configuration, 15,152 for hockey, and can seat up to 16,591 for concerts.[5]

Key Information

From 2005 to 2007, the arena also served as the temporary home for the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA when the Hornets were forced to play games elsewhere following extensive damage to New Orleans Arena and the city of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina. During the two seasons in Oklahoma City, the team was known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. The response from fans while the Hornets played in Oklahoma City was an impetus to the city being discussed prior to 2008 for the location of a future NBA team, either by relocation or expansion.

History

[edit]

The Paycom Center is owned by the City of Oklahoma City and was opened on June 8, 2002, three years after construction began.[6] The original Ford Center name came from a naming rights deal with the Oklahoma Ford Dealers group which represented the marketing efforts of the state's Ford dealerships, rather than the Ford Motor Company itself.[7]

The facility was the premier component of the city's 1993 Capital Improvement Program, known as Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS), which financed new and upgraded sports, entertainment, cultural, and convention facilities primarily in the downtown section with a temporary 1-cent sales tax assessed. Despite the "metropolitan" moniker of the improvement program, the tax was only assessed inside city limits.[6]

Originally billed and marketed as a "state-of-the-art" facility, it was only built to the minimum NBA and NHL specifications. The arena was built without luxury amenities because of local concerns about expenditures on an arena without a major-league tenant already in place. However, it could easily be retrofitted with "buildout" amenities and improvements if a professional sports team announced it would relocate to the city.

A plan for such buildout improvements began in 2007 in the wake of the acquisition of the Seattle SuperSonics by an Oklahoma-City-based ownership group in October 2006. Originally, city officials had hoped to include Oklahoma City Arena buildout improvements as part of a planned 2009 "MAPS 3" initiative. However, given the impending relocation decision of the Sonics ownership group in late 2007, the City Council of Oklahoma City placed a sales tax initiative on the city election ballot on March 4, 2008.[8] This initiative was passed by a 62% to 38% margin, and extended a prior one-cent sales tax for 15 months to fund $121 million in budgeted improvements to the arena, as well as fund a separate practice facility for a relocated franchise.[8]

Subsequent to the ballot initiative, City officials and Sonics ownership announced a preliminary agreement to move the Sonics franchise to Oklahoma City and the Ford Center. The deal included a provision for $1.6 million in annual rents to the city for use of the Ford Center (including marketing rights of luxury seating areas for all NBA and most non-NBA events), and a $409,000 annual supplemental payment in exchange for a transfer of arena naming rights and associated revenue to the Sonics franchise.[9] The franchise move was approved by NBA ownership on April 18, 2008.[9]

On August 26, 2010, the franchise, by then renamed the Oklahoma City Thunder, announced that it had begun negotiating naming rights to its home arena with new potential partners. The facility was called the Ford Center and signage throughout the building remained intact during the negotiation period.[7] The Thunder previously had discussions with the Oklahoma Ford Dealers; however, a new agreement could not be reached.[7] As a result of the failed negotiation with the Oklahoma Ford Dealers, the Thunder decided to terminate the existing naming rights agreement, which was allowed under the original contract.[7] On October 21, 2010, because of the ongoing negotiation for the naming rights for the arena, and because of its failed negotiation with the Oklahoma Ford Dealers, it was announced that the arena would be called the Oklahoma City Arena. The new name was used temporarily until naming rights were settled.[10]

On July 22, 2011, a 12-year naming rights partnership between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chesapeake Energy Corporation was announced. The agreement had an initial annual cost of $3 million with a 3% annual escalation.[11] As part of the deal, the arena was renamed Chesapeake Energy Arena.[11] Also, Chesapeake Energy was allowed to place its branding throughout the building, on prominent premium places on the high-definition scoreboard, and on new state-of-the-art interior and exterior digital signs. Most of the new signs were in place before the start of the Thunder's 2011–12 season.[11] The company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 28, 2020, with a debt of $9 billion, with the effect on the arena's naming rights not then known.[12] However, on April 20, 2021, the company terminated the deal as part of its corporate restructuring. The arena retained its name during the Thunder's search for a new sponsor.[13]

On July 27, 2021, it was announced that locally-based Paycom would acquire the naming rights for the arena for a 15-year period, renaming it Paycom Center.[14] On July 14, 2025, it was announced that Paycom would end their naming rights deal when the Thunder move into their new arena in 2028.[15]

Seating capacity

[edit]

Basketball seating capacity at the arena has adjusted with the venue configuration:

Years Capacity
2002–2006
19,163
2006–2008
19,164
2008–2009
19,136
2009–present
18,203

Arena information

[edit]

The 581,000-square-foot (54,000 m2) facility seats up to 19,711 on three seating levels with a fourth added during concerts and features 3,380 club seats, seven party suites, and 49 private suites. It also features The OLD NO. 7 Club, a full-service restaurant and bar. Several other exclusive dining options are also available at The Pub, a 1,576-square-foot (146.4 m2) "Irish Pub" themed bar, and at The Courtside Club, a 6,198-square-foot (575.8 m2) restaurant and lounge area, as well as at the Victory Club, Sunset Carvery, and the new Terrace Lounges.

Improvements

[edit]

On March 4, 2008, the citizens of Oklahoma City passed a $121.6 million initiative designed to renovate and expand the Paycom Center and to build a practice facility for the relocated Seattle SuperSonics team which is now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder. Financing consists of a temporary 15-month, 1-cent sales tax that will be paid by Oklahoma City residents and shoppers beginning January 1, 2009.

The city held the temporary tax initiative in March 2008 to facilitate the relocation of the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics or another relocation franchise. It is expected that the refurbishment will turn the Paycom Center into a top-tier NBA facility.

Some of the planned upgrades to the Paycom Center include upscale restaurants, clubs, additional suites (including so-called 'bunker suites'), office space, Kid's Zone, additional concessions, flooring upgrades, an integrated video and scoring system from Daktronics, view lounges, and upgraded 'general use' locker rooms.[16] NBA specific amenities include 'NBA ONLY' locker rooms and facilities, a practice court, media broadcast facilities, lighting, and sound, an NBA press room, an onsite NBA and team store, and ticket/staff rooms.[17] It is anticipated that the Oklahoma City Thunder team will lease the new office space.

Renovation work on the arena was delayed due to a sales tax receipt shortfall during the 2008–10 economic crisis; eventual tax receipts totaled $103.5 million rather than the projected $121 million.[18] The shortfall was accommodated by revising plans for certain features of the arena expansion project, including limiting the size of a new glass entryway, and eliminating a practice court planned for above the delivery entrance of the arena.[19] Major construction work on the arena expansion was also delayed from the summer of 2010 to the summer of 2011. Similar revisions were made to the plans for the Thunder's separate practice facility, for a total cost savings of approximately $14 million.[20] The Thunder's practice facility completion date was similarly pushed back to approximately March 2011.[21]

In September 2023, a new round of renovations came to the arena, including a new 28,000-pound scoreboard with wraparound video display that cost $7.5 million.

Events

[edit]

The Paycom Center hosts a number of games and events from Oklahoma City University, the University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State University along with those from local high schools and post-secondary organizations. It is also used for other events, including major concert tours, conventions, National Hockey League preseason and exhibition games, and notably professional wrestling shows.

College sports

[edit]

It hosted the 2007 Big 12 men's basketball tournament for the first time in 2007 (with the 2007 Big 12 women's basketball tournament held across the street at Cox Convention Center). The venue has hosted the NCAA Men's Basketball First and Second Round on several occasions (including 2010 and 2016) and is the permanent host of the All-College Basketball Classic. It hosted the 2009 Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. In March 2014, the arena played host to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

Starting in 2024 has hosted the men's basketball portion of Bedlam Series as non-conference game at a neutral site.

NBA

[edit]

New Orleans Hornets

[edit]
Main article: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans Hornets

After the city of New Orleans, and surrounding area was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the NBA reached a deal with the City of Oklahoma City which allowed the New Orleans Hornets franchise to temporarily move to the Paycom Center (then known as the Ford Center). The New Orleans Hornets leased the facility for the 2005–06 season and exercised the option with the city to extend for the 2006–07 season. The arena acquired a $200,000 renovation (primarily to lighting and sound) as part of the Hornets' lease. During this time, the team was known as the "New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets", giving Oklahoma City credit for hosting the 'home team'.[22] The Hornets played their last game in Oklahoma City on October 9, 2007, a preseason game.[23]

The hosting of the Hornets arguably gave Oklahoma City the edge it needed to land on the radar of professional sports. Long being considered by many as too small to host a major-league team for a variety of reasons, support for the Hornets during their two-year stay caught the attention of the NBA and other sports leagues. Attendance for Hornets games at the Paycom Center (then known as the Ford Center) averaged 18,716 fans in 2005–06 (36 games) and 17,951 fans (35 games) in 2006–07. David Stern was quoted as stating that "Oklahoma City was at the top of the relocation list of cities" and during the Hornets' last home game he all but assured local fans that "I look forward to the day that the NBA will return to Oklahoma City."[24]

Oklahoma City Thunder

[edit]
Main article: Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City
See also: Suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season
Oklahoma City hosted and defeated Minnesota for their first win.

Oklahoma City billionaire investor Clay Bennett of the Professional Basketball Club LLC purchased the Seattle SuperSonics and Seattle Storm franchises from Howard Schultz in 2006. The deal included a provision that gave Seattle officials one year to solve its arena situation or allow Bennett to seek relocation.

After an April 2008 league approval, it was announced on July 2, 2008, that the Sonics franchise would be relocating to Oklahoma City and would play at what was then the Ford Center.[25] The agreement retires the "SuperSonics" moniker, color, and logos, possibly to be used by a future NBA team in Seattle. On September 2, 2008, the team announced they would be called the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder have been a playoff mainstay since arriving in Oklahoma. Chesapeake Energy Arena hosted playoff games every year between 2010 and 2014, as well as 2016. In 2012, the arena became host of the NBA Finals for the first time, when the Thunder went up against the Miami Heat for the league championship. The Thunder won Game 1 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in convincing fashion, but lost the last four games and the championship to the Heat.

On March 11, 2020, a game between the Thunder and the Utah Jazz that was to be held at the arena was initially postponed after Jazz center Rudy Gobert was placed on the injury list due to an illness. After it was learned that Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, the NBA announced that the remainder of the 2019–20 season would be suspended immediately following the conclusion of that night's games. This incident would eventually result in the cancellation of all sports events throughout North America and the rest of the world, as the COVID-19 outbreak had been declared as a pandemic by WHO earlier that day.

The NBA Finals would return to Paycom Center in 2025, where the Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games to win the franchise's first NBA championship since moving to Oklahoma City.

MMA and professional wrestling

[edit]

The arena has hosted many WWE events such as Raw, SmackDown, and Unforgiven 2005. Raw came to the Chesapeake Energy Arena on September 25, 2006, and March 1, 2010, with Cheech & Chong appearing as the evening's guest hosts. During the show on September 25, 2006, the opening of the show suffered a blackout, but lights were restored shortly after the night began.

On September 16, 2009, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to Oklahoma with UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard[26] for the first time since UFC 4, which was at the Expo Square Pavilion in Tulsa on December 16, 1994. A mixed martial arts event returned to the arena on January 12, 2013, with the Strikeforce: Champions event.[27]

Other events

[edit]

The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) held a Premier Series event at the venue from 2002 through 2006, and again from 2009 through 2022. In 2007 and 2008, the PBR's Challenger Tour Finals event was held there. In 2022 and 2023, Paycom Center was the home venue of the PBR's Oklahoma Freedom during the PBR Team Series season held in the summer and autumn. In 2024, the Freedom moved to Florida and Oklahoma acquired a new team, the Wildcatters. Said team now call Paycom Center home.

The Center held the 2015 North American Youth Congress (NAYC) of the United Pentecostal Church International. The event sold out the arena, requiring the neighboring Cox Convention Center to be used as overflow with video streamed from across the street.[28]

Planned replacement

[edit]
Site of the new OKC arena. The Paycom Center is directly south.

The initial term of the 2008 use license agreement with the Oklahoma City Thunder expired in 2023. The Thunder exercised an option to extend the agreement for three years to allow time for the city to develop plans for a new arena. On December 12, 2023, Oklahoma City voters approved a 72-month extension of a one-cent sales tax to build a new, publicly owned downtown arena. This arena is slated to open no later than the opening of the 2029-30 NBA season, and the Thunder have committed to remain in Oklahoma City for 25 years following their move into the new arena.[29]

On May 17, 2024, the site of the former Cox Convention Center (originally Myriad Convention Center) was revealed as the location of the new arena.[30] The property, located north of the Paycom Center across Reno Ave., is owned by the city and was being leased to Prairie Surf Studios. In December 2023, the city notified Prairie Surf Studios that its lease would not be renewed when it expired on December 31, 2025.[31][32] In June 2024, the city and Prairie Surf Studios agreed to terminate the lease one year early to allow demolition to begin in early 2025.[33] The city plans to work with the team towards a " 'more aggressive' target schedule" to open the new arena as early as June 2028.[34] Once the new arena has opened, the Paycom Center will likely be converted to some other type of property.[35]

Transportation

[edit]

Paycom Center is served by the Oklahoma City Streetcar at Arena station.[36]

Preceding station EMBARK Following station
Santa Fe Hub
One-way operation
 Downtown Loop Scissortail Park
Next clockwise
Bricktown Loop

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Paycom Center

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Paycom Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in , , that opened on June 8, 2002, at a cost of approximately $89 million. Owned by the City of and funded through the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) initiative, it primarily serves as the home venue for the National Basketball Association's since the team's relocation in 2008. With a seating capacity of 18,203 for basketball games and expandable to around 20,000 for concerts, the arena hosts a range of events including sports, music performances, and conventions, establishing it as a central hub for entertainment in the region. The venue underwent renovations in 2009-2010 to enhance facilities, and its naming rights were secured by Paycom Software in a 15-year agreement announced in 2021, succeeding prior sponsorships such as Chesapeake Energy Arena. Despite plans for a new arena set to open in 2028, the Paycom Center remains operational for Thunder games and events through at least the 2027-2028 NBA season.

History

Construction and early years

The new arena in was funded through the city's original Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) initiative, approved by voters on December 14, 1993, via a temporary five-year increase of one cent on the dedicated to multiple capital improvements aimed at economic revitalization without relying on general obligation bonds. The arena project received approximately $89 million from these sales tax proceeds, positioning it as the centerpiece of MAPS efforts to upgrade infrastructure and attract visitors to the urban core. Construction commenced with groundbreaking in spring 1999, managed by general contractor Flintco Construction Co. and designed by architect The Atkins Benham Group, replacing the outdated Myriad Arena as a modern multipurpose facility capable of accommodating sports, concerts, and conventions. The project spanned about three years, emphasizing efficient build-out for a 586,000-square-foot structure to support downtown economic activity through event hosting. The arena opened on June 8, 2002, under the name Ford Center, with initial programming focused on games, concerts, and other events to demonstrate operational viability and draw crowds, thereby fulfilling MAPS goals of civic investment in entertainment infrastructure. Early usage prioritized diverse bookings to generate revenue and establish the venue as a hub for regional gatherings, underscoring its role in broader without initial ties to major professional franchises.

Naming rights evolution

The arena opened on June 8, 2002, as the Ford Center under a naming rights agreement with the Ford Dealers group, which provided the with $409,000 annually in exchange for branding rights representing statewide Ford marketing efforts. This local automotive sponsorship reflected early market partnerships tied to regional dealership networks and lasted through 2010. Following the expiration of the Ford deal, the venue operated briefly as the Arena from 2010 to without a corporate sponsor. In , Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma-based producer benefiting from the era's energy sector expansion, secured a 12-year agreement valued at $3 million per year, rebranding it as Chesapeake Energy Arena. This deal underscored the influence of the state's booming oil and gas industry on local corporate investments in sports infrastructure. Chesapeake terminated the agreement effective April 20, 2021, amid the company's bankruptcy filing, prompting the to seek a new partner. On July 27, 2021, Software, Inc., a locally headquartered and firm, entered a 15-year deal, renaming the arena Paycom Center and highlighting the rising prominence of Oklahoma's software sector in economic diversification. The partnership included prominent signage on the exterior, roof, and interior elements. In July 2025, and the Thunder announced that the company would retire its naming rights upon the opening of a new downtown arena in 2028, effectively shortening the original term that extended to 2036 and signaling the transient nature of such sponsorships amid planned venue transitions. This decision allows the Thunder to pursue fresh corporate alignments for the forthcoming facility, originally referenced as the New Arena project.

Key milestones and renovations

Following the relocation of the NBA's in 2008, renovations commenced in June of that year to adapt the arena for professional basketball operations. These upgrades encompassed the of bunker suites, loge boxes, and renovated club suites; enhancements to video display systems; refinishing of the upper-level concourse; addition of new terrace suites and lounges; and installation of upgraded retractable seating in the lower bowl. The work, part of a broader $121.6 million voter-approved initiative passed in March 2008 to support arena improvements amid the economic downturn, faced delays from shortfalls but concluded by 2010, enabling the facility to host NBA games at a capacity of approximately 18,203. In 2022, the City of engaged architectural firm Populous to develop a multiyear master plan for further enhancements, projected to continue through 2028, focusing on phased improvements to maintain event-hosting competitiveness. Initial phases addressed broadcast infrastructure with high-definition wiring and new lighting systems, while subsequent efforts in 2023, funded by $20 million from the MAPS 4 program, introduced a new grand entrance featuring a multi-story atrium and flooring near the I-40 and Robinson , alongside a full-service restaurant (Center Court Grill), new seating configurations, a digital scoreboard, and expanded 300-level concessions and bar areas. By 2025, Populous-led projects advanced with construction starting on new 300-level seating, elevators, restrooms, and additional concession upgrades, alongside ongoing refinements to suite experiences and concourse finishes. These interventions have empirically sustained the arena's functionality for high-attendance events, including NBA seasons averaging over 18,000 fans per game and major concerts, evidencing that incremental, cost-effective modifications—totaling tens of millions across phases—can defer comprehensive replacement by addressing wear, fan amenities, and operational efficiencies without structural overhauls.

Physical characteristics

Capacity and configuration

The Paycom Center maintains a fixed seating capacity of 18,203 for games in its standard basketball configuration. This arrangement includes provisions for additional standing-room patrons, allowing expansion to approximately 19,000 total attendees during high-demand events. For setups, the venue reconfigures to a capacity of 15,152 seats to accommodate the larger rink dimensions required for professional play. The arena's layout consists of three primary seating levels: a lower encircling the event floor, a mid-level with club seating and suites, and an upper deck for general admission. It features 3,380 club seats, 48 terrace suites (32 on the north side and 16 on the south), 29 private suites, and additional bunker suites on event and entry levels. This multi-tiered design supports flexible floor plans, with the lower providing close proximity to the action and upper levels offering elevated sightlines across the 581,000-square-foot facility. Concert and end-stage event capacities fluctuate based on staging and production needs, typically ranging from 16,000 to 19,711 spectators, with end-stage setups at the lower end and in-the-round or center-stage formats maximizing attendance. Recent upgrades completed in 2023, including refreshed seating and enhanced club areas, have improved patron comfort and visibility without modifying the core seating inventory or structural footprint.

Architectural and technical features

The Paycom Center's primary structure consists of 7,700 tons of and 53,000 cubic feet of , forming a durable framework suited for high-occupancy events. This design, engineered by The Atkins Benham Group and built by Flintco Construction Co. for $87.7 million, prioritizes load-bearing capacity for suspended elements like scoreboards and lighting rigs. Acoustic performance is enhanced by an 88,000-square-foot baffle system installed on the ceiling, which absorbs sound reflections amid the arena's hard surfaces, enabling sustained high-decibel crowd noise during games—often exceeding 110 dB in key moments, as recorded in playoff contests. The steel-and-concrete composition amplifies reverberations for energetic sports atmospheres but can produce echoes in configurations with exposed materials during music performances. Technical infrastructure includes upgraded LED video systems, such as a 360-degree ribbon board and multiple center-hung displays totaling over 6,300 square feet, installed to improve visibility and dynamic content delivery. Concourse areas feature modernized lighting fixtures for better illumination and energy efficiency, part of phased renovations enhancing operational flow. The facility integrates with downtown Oklahoma City's urban layout at 100 W. Reno Avenue, positioned directly adjacent to for streamlined truck and attendee access, minimizing bottlenecks in event setup and teardown. Loading areas, however, constrain simultaneous semi-truck operations to one or two vehicles, impacting turnover for productions requiring extensive equipment.

Events hosted

Professional basketball

The Paycom Center, originally opened as the Ford Center in 2002, first hosted (NBA) games as a temporary venue for the New Orleans Hornets following in 2005. The Hornets played the majority of their home games there during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, with the team officially known as the New Orleans/ Hornets during that period to reflect the relocation. In the 2007–08 season, the franchise returned primarily to New Orleans but continued to play select home games in , including nine regular-season contests at the arena. Following the Hornets' departure, the arena became the permanent home of the starting with the , after the franchise relocated from , where it had been known as the SuperSonics. This transition followed a settlement in a between the of and the NBA's purchase group, allowing the team to establish as its base. The venue underwent significant renovations in 2008 and 2010 to comply with NBA standards, including upgrades to seating, lighting, and infrastructure to support professional operations. The Paycom Center has played a central role in the Thunder's on-court success and fan engagement, hosting multiple playoff series and the team's appearance in the . Home attendance has consistently ranked among the league's highest, with averages exceeding 18,000 fans per game in recent seasons, often approaching the arena's 18,203-seat capacity for NBA configurations. For the 2024–25 season, total home attendance reached 754,832 across regular-season games, reflecting strong local support and sellout crowds for key matchups. Adaptations specific to basketball include configurable court setups for standard NBA dimensions and special events like the , featuring navy blue flooring with integrated team logos and tournament branding at center . Premium seating expansions, such as angled courtside chairs and added terrace suites, enhance spectator experience while maintaining flexibility for the lower bowl's retractable sections. These modifications have supported the Thunder's rise as a competitive franchise, fostering a vibrant home- advantage through consistent high-energy crowds.

Other sports and competitions

The Paycom Center has hosted hockey games as part of its foundational role in 's sports landscape. Originally constructed as the primary venue for the Central Hockey League's Oklahoma City Blazers, the arena accommodated the team's matches from its opening in 2002 until the franchise's relocation in 2009, drawing crowds for events that underscored the facility's multi-sport adaptability. In college athletics, the venue serves as a key site for men's basketball tournaments, hosted by the . It will feature the First and Second Rounds of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship on March 19 and 21, accommodating eight games across multiple sessions with capacities supporting thousands of spectators per event. Such events contribute to the arena's annual lineup of over 100 diverse activities, enhancing local through visitor spending on lodging, dining, and transportation. Professional wrestling promotions, particularly , frequently utilize the Paycom Center for live televised spectacles. The arena has scheduled events such as WWE Monday Night Raw on November 24, 2025, and sessions, attracting regional audiences with capacities nearing 18,000 for high-profile matches featuring wrestlers like and . These competitions highlight the venue's configuration flexibility for combat-oriented formats, distinct from traditional team sports.

Concerts and major entertainment

The Paycom Center has hosted a diverse array of concerts since its 2002 opening as the Ford Center, transitioning from initial post-construction events to a post-pandemic boom in bookings that underscored its role in regional entertainment. Early programming featured acts adapting to the venue's multipurpose design, with attendance growing alongside Oklahoma City's expansion as a tour stop; by 2013, it recorded 29 concert events, a benchmark later eclipsed amid rising demand for mid-sized arenas. In 2024, the arena set a single-year record with 41 events, exceeding the high of 37 and positioning it as the 38th highest-grossing U.S. venue and top in for ticket sales. This surge included standout performances such as drawing 18,000 attendees per night over a December weekend, contributing to four shows that established new venue revenue benchmarks and over 90,000 additional tickets sold relative to 2019 levels. The facility's basketball-optimized architecture has presented acoustic hurdles for concerts, including echoes and suboptimal sound distribution noted in attendee feedback for events like ' 2017 shows, prompting installations of over 88,000 square feet of ceiling baffles to mitigate reverberation. Nonetheless, its downtown centrality has facilitated logistical efficiencies, enabling rapid turnarounds for touring productions and drawing major acts—including Metallica and Taylor Swift's stops—that prioritize accessibility over specialized concert halls, thus sustaining high utilization despite competition from newer venues.

Operational and economic aspects

Management and funding

The Paycom Center is owned by the City of and has been operated by Legends/ASM Global (formerly ASM Global) since its opening in 2002. In June 2025, the city extended this management contract for a total of 25 years, with Legends/ASM Global overseeing the current facility through approximately 2028 and transitioning to manage the replacement arena upon its completion targeted for June 2028. The agreement includes a base annual of $350,000 plus incentives tied to revenues exceeding $11 million in adjusted gross arena income. Initial construction and related infrastructure were financed through the original Metropolitan Area Projects Strategy (MAPS) initiative, approved by voters in 1993 via a temporary one-cent increase in the city rate, which raised funds without relying on general obligation bonds or ongoing service. This self-financing model generated over $300 million for the arena project by 2002, covering design, building, and site acquisition costs estimated at $89.2 million. Ongoing operations involve public subsidies from the city's Public Property Authority, which provided $11.9 million in fiscal support to ASM Global in recent years alongside $1.5 million for other expenses. A October 2024 city determined that these subsidies exceeded ASM Global's operational expenditures at the Paycom Center (and the adjacent former Cox Convention Center) by $11.8 million cumulatively from fiscal year 2018 to 2024, with annual overages averaging nearly $2 million, including $2.1 million in fiscal 2019 alone. The highlighted discrepancies between budgeted allocations and actual spending, prompting recommendations for enhanced oversight of fund usage. Private sector involvement includes a 15-year naming rights sponsorship by Software, Inc., secured by the in July 2021 for an undisclosed multiyear sum, which generates revenue independent of taxpayer funds and supports facility enhancements without additional public outlay beyond the original MAPS commitment. This arrangement ends with the arena's replacement in 2028, after which new sponsorships are anticipated to offset operational costs similarly.

Achievements and records

In 2024, Paycom Center hosted a record 41 concert events, surpassing the previous high of 37 set in 2022, with four performances establishing new venue gross ticket sales benchmarks. This achievement positioned the arena as the 38th highest-grossing in the United States and the top-selling in Oklahoma, reflecting its growing prominence in live entertainment. Earlier rankings, such as Pollstar's 2022 year-end list placing it among the global top 50 arenas, underscored sustained increases in concert ticket sales, with over 90,000 more sold that year compared to 2019. The venue has supported consistent high attendance for Oklahoma City Thunder games, contributing to the franchise's relocation from Seattle in 2008 and long-term stability in the NBA. Thunder home games have featured extended sellout streaks, including 349 consecutive sellouts through 2018, with recent seasons maintaining near-capacity crowds averaging around 18,400 per game. In the 2024-25 season, total home attendance reached 754,832 across 41 games, ranking 14th league-wide and aligning with the team's competitive success, including a 68-14 regular-season record. Paycom Center's role in Oklahoma City's Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) initiative has driven measurable economic growth, with annual event attendance nearing 1.1 million visitors post-pandemic rebound, fostering job creation and tourism in the downtown district. The facility's versatility in accommodating professional basketball, concerts, and other competitions has amplified its cultural significance, directly linking to broader urban revitalization metrics such as increased visitor spending and sustained professional sports viability.

Criticisms and operational challenges

The Paycom Center has drawn criticism for infrastructural shortcomings stemming from its origins, including insufficient overall square footage and limited capacity that hampers efficient setup for large-scale concerts. Concert promoters have expressed frustration with the dock's small size and suboptimal design, which prolong load-in times and deter bookings compared to newer facilities. Seating arrangements have elicited attendee complaints regarding cramped conditions, with seats measuring approximately 19 inches wide in many sections—narrower than modern standards—and narrow aisles exacerbating discomfort during events. Renovations in expanded some seats to 21 inches, but legacy issues persist in upper and mid-level bowls, where steep stairs and obstructed views from handrails compound user dissatisfaction. A 2024 audit by the City of revealed operational inefficiencies, determining that annual subsidies to operator ASM Global for the Paycom Center exceeded actual needs by roughly $1 million, part of a $2 million overage when combined with the adjacent ; this prompted calls for tighter fiscal oversight amid broader debates on public arena funding. Debates preceding the 2023 voter approval of a publicly funded replacement project, totaling over $900 million via extensions and MAPS 4 reallocations with limited team equity input, centered on the current arena's viability despite strong recent utilization metrics, raising questions about burdens for upgrades amid from venues boasting advanced amenities.

Future and redevelopment

New arena project

The Oklahoma City New Arena project entails constructing a $900 million, 750,000-square-foot facility on the site of the former Myriad Convention Center, adjacent to the existing Paycom Center. of the Myriad site is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, with planned for the first quarter of 2026 and the arena set to open in late summer 2028. The design, led by as design architect in collaboration with TVS as architect of record, features a circular structure with a 360-degree curtain wall enclosing the , intended to enhance visual connectivity and event appeal. Key architectural elements prioritize improved fan experience, including a seating bowl engineered to amplify crowd noise beyond current levels at Paycom Center and seats positioned closer to the court for heightened immersion. The arena's capacity will be smaller than Paycom Center's 18,203 seats, focusing on premium configurations to boost revenue and competitiveness in hosting NBA games and other events. This modernization addresses the obsolescence of 2002-era technology in the existing venue, such as outdated video boards and structural limitations that hinder adaptability for contemporary productions and safety standards required for NBA franchise sustainability. Funding comprises public contributions through a 72-month extension of a one-cent , replacing the expiring MAPS 4 tax without increasing the overall rate, supplemented by $50 million from the ownership group. An additional $70 million is allocated from MAPS 4 infrastructure funds for related facilities. The initiative aims to secure the Thunder's long-term presence via a 25-year commitment while expanding the venue's viability for major concerts, family shows, and conventions, leveraging the new site's central downtown location to drive economic activation unfeasible with the constrained Paycom Center footprint.

Current facility's post-replacement role

The ownership group holds exclusive rights to purchase the existing Paycom Center site from the city within five years following the new arena's opening in 2028, positioning them to lead any redevelopment efforts on this prime downtown land. This option underscores the economic value of repurposing the 18.5-acre parcel, originally acquired and developed through the city's 1998 MAPS initiative for , over sustaining an aging venue built in 2002 that would require ongoing capital investments for maintenance and upgrades. Post-2028, the facility is expected to face to enable mixed-use , such as offices, retail, and potentially residential or components, aligning with broader revitalization patterns observed in prior MAPS projects that cleared obsolete structures like the Myriad Convention Center—demolished starting in to make way for the new arena. The Thunder's priority access reflects a strategic emphasis on maximizing the site's locational advantages in a high-demand urban core, where land scarcity and appreciation favor ground-up projects over a mid-tier arena no longer suited for top-tier NBA standards. No firm timeline for demolition has been set beyond the five-year purchase window, but precedents indicate operations could persist temporarily for secondary events until redevelopment commences, avoiding immediate vacancy amid the transition.

Accessibility

Transportation and parking

The Paycom Center is situated adjacent to in , providing direct highway access via I-235 North and Exit 1C onto Sheridan Avenue West, which leads into the Bricktown area. This configuration enables straightforward entry from major routes, minimizing initial approach delays for attendees arriving by car. On-site and adjacent parking encompasses multiple garages and lots, including the Arts District Garage (801 spaces), Sheridan-Walker Garage, Santa Fe Parking Garage, and others designated for events such as games. Additional options include street parking throughout , which is free after 6:00 PM on weekdays, and nearby facilities like the Century Center Garage. These collectively support high-volume events by distributing vehicles across the urban grid. Public transportation via the EMBARK system includes fixed-route buses such as Routes 009, 011, 012, and 013, with stops within a short walk of the arena. The OKC Streetcar complements this with loops through Bricktown and Myriad Gardens, facilitating seamless pedestrian movement from adjacent districts. Rideshare services, including and , utilize a dedicated zone at Second and Harvey avenues on the venue's west side for pickups and drop-offs. Event-day protocols promote efficient traffic handling through transit incentives and route planning, allowing the facility to manage peak arrivals—often exceeding 18,000 for capacity crowds—without widespread gridlock, as evidenced by consistent operational feedback.

Surrounding infrastructure

The Paycom Center occupies a central position in downtown Oklahoma City at 100 W. Reno Avenue, immediately adjacent to the site of the former Cox Convention Center, demolished in 2019 and redeveloped into Prairie Surf Studios, a city-owned property earmarked for further mixed-use expansion including a proposed new arena. This adjacency facilitates integration with remnant convention infrastructure and the broader downtown core, where street-level connectivity links the venue to office districts, retail, and the Myriad Botanical Gardens to the north. As a component of the MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) ecosystem—originally funded through a 1993 voter-approved penny sales tax—the arena synergizes with nearby attractions like the , approximately 0.5 miles east in the Bricktown entertainment district, and over a dozen hotels within walking distance, enabling multi-day visitor itineraries that combine sports, concerts, and dining. These developments, spurred by MAPS initiatives, have amplified pedestrian foot traffic and economic spillover, with Bricktown's canal district providing a vibrant extension of the arena's draw without relying on enclosed skyways. Urban walkability is bolstered by sidewalks and linkages to the emerging Oklahoma River trail system, though direct bridges to the remain absent; citywide MAPS 4 projects, including bridges over the river east of the site, indirectly enhance trail connectivity to horizons district amenities. Vehicular access ties into Interstate 40's Crosstown Expressway segment south of , approximately 0.5 miles away, supporting inbound traffic from regional highways without necessitating arena-specific federal overreach, as local ODOT maintenance ensures capacity for peak event loads.

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