I have started a partial list of companies capable of purchasing naming rights, thought it might be fun to come up with some new ideas. Since we are really talked out waiting for the team name.

This is not a complete list of those companies that could afford to buy the naming rights, but a pretty good start. There is at least a page or two of energy type companies alone.

Looking for some that may be sleepers.

1) American Fidelity Assurance Company

2) BancFirst Corporation

3) Chesapeake Energy

4) Chickasaw Holding

5) Devon Energy

6) Express Employment Professionals

7) Fred Jones Enterprises

8) GHS Holding Company(Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma)

9) Great Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Company

10) Hobby Lobby

11) INTEGRIS Health

12) Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores

13) Mathis Brothers

14) Midland Financial

15) SandRidge Energy

16) Sonic Corp.

17) Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Stores

I could see the Ford folk wanting to hang on, and I could see McClendon's company wanting to put their name on something downtown before Devon gets any more of the good spots :)

The rest of the list, I just don't see any likely players, bt then, I didn't see the Seattle settlement coming so my prognosticating isn't anything to write home about.

Midland, Chesapeake and Devon...are all owners of the new team...so it might be some kind of combo name...

That's what happens when you don't live in OKC. i someitmes lose track of the players and that copletely slipped out the mind.

Still, Devon is already branding a more significant new building in DT as it is. I can see the empire builders of the north side wanting their name on more than just a very nice boathouse (where Devon boats already dock) more easily than I can see Chesapeake letting another energy company grab the arena name. Maybe I am way off base, but to me, and to paraphrase AM " dinna support an arena election just to put someone else's name on it" :)

maybe that's unfair, maybe not. Frankly, I think it would be a hoot to see co-owners get into a somewhat public bidding war to name their own arena, and shoot, why stop there. Let them $$ wrassle over naming the court, the concourses, the parking lots too.

I'm weird like that.

Remember this is just a list of some of the Oklahoma Based companies that have the stroke to handle this kind of deal, not saying that any of them would want to get involved.

Also this is just a small sample of companies with pockets deep enough. Tulsa has two of the largest construction companies in the country, Manhattan Construction Company and Flintco. Plus the are several companies that are not even based in OK that might jump at the chance.

How about the "Five Tribes Arena", or maybe "Indian Nations Arena". These are just suggestions I'm throwing out.

Is the contract with the Ford Dealers coming up? I kind of hope they keep the same name.

Indian Nations Arena? I like the sound of that, but I have not a clue how interested any of the tribes are in doing that. The owners of the team are going to want to start getting some return on their investment, so I can't see them transferring money from one pocket to another pocket by buying naming rights.

FIVE TRIBES ARENA, yeah. Something non-gambling with their name on it.

It is the NBA, you could get some rich rapper to put down cash for the name.

Snoop Dogg Arena? :P

I've said it before but my guess is it will be MidFirst Bank Arena...Privately held and it's raking in cash quarter after quarter so it could easily afford the naming rights

Looking to expand in Arizona and also Oklahoma so look for MidFirst to copy what Bank Of Oklahoma did for the Tulsa arena...Makes the most sense to me

Is the contract with the Ford Dealers coming up? I kind of hope they keep the same name.


The Ford Dealers agreement allows that if an NBA team should come in that naming right will go to the team and the agreement with Ford will be voided. They do get the right to meet the highest bid, so they could retain naming rights.

The city, no matter what, will receive the same amount of money, no matter who has their name on the building.

I just thought we should throw out some new ideas. We don't have to conform to the same concepts all of the time.

Hey, if the tribes, with all of their gambling money, want to put their brand in the arena, why not.

I like the 'Snoop Dogg Arena', may be 'P. Diddy Arena'.

We forgot how about "The Gaylord Family Memorial Arena".

I think there would be big problems with the naming rights being purchased by a corporation in which the CEO has a personal stake as partner in the PBC.

Remember, with the PBC pocketing the profits of all naming rights money over the city 'minimum', I could see major ethical problems with the corporation (especially a publicly-held company like Chesapeake) buying the naming rights, in which the CEO benefits personally. In fact, thinking about it, not just ethical problems, but maybe legal problems with the SEC. Something to consider.

I've decided on a name I could probably live with

T Boon Pickens Arena - (It'll blow You Away)

hey, it could happen :)

I'm pulling for Sonic to buy the rights.

I would love the irony of it.

Ain't gonna happen but yeah, I could get behind that

Sonic Arena - Still Super, with just a bit less s to deal with

OK, toss me some tater tots and let's make some signs and call it a party

We forgot how about "The Gaylord Family Memorial Arena".

Has my vote

The more I read about how athletics has just become one huge business, the more I love the Green Bay Packers - municipally-owned and operated with all the profits paying for firemen and cops on the street. In fact, they are the only publicly-owned professional sports team in the United States. They went through a big controversy in 2000-2003 where the citizens were split in a vote, almost 50/50, over selling naming rights so the city could earn the extra income. Ultimately, they decided it wasn't necessary and it's still -- Lambeau Field.

I'll love the Pack till the day I die.

It would be a nice tribute to Seattle to name it Sonic Arena/Center.

Tribute... or UP YOURS SEATTLE!!! MUAHAHAHAH!

I'm behind it.

Ain't gonna happen but yeah, I could get behind that

Sonic Arena - Still Super, with just a bit less s to deal with

OK, toss me some tater tots and let's make some signs and call it a party

LOL! Love it!!

Loves's, Hobby Lobby, or Braum's have the money as stated above, but I can guarantee you they don't have the vision for this sort of thing. No question. Some other players that haven't been mentioned are Century Martial Arts (they are like the microsoft of martial arts, mma, and other sports gear) and based out of MWC, Paycom, Hertz, AT&T has a large presence in OKC, and then there are several statewide corporations that have the dough as well. Kicker is based out of Stillwater, Conoco-Philips has a LARGE presence in the state, then you have all the large Tulsa companies (probably not interested though). My bet is it will stay Ford Center or Sonic or one of the larger local companies will snatch it up. I suppose it's also a possibility that the Chevy dealers might want to start a bidding war as well. We all know this is "truck country" and the two like to battle it out.

I hope it doesn't sound as corporate as some of then do. The thing I really like about the Ford Center name is that it is short and could just as easily be anything BUT a corporation. It could be a civic leader, a donor, etc. It's short and sweet and simple...KISS. I would very much dislike something like American Fidelity Assurance Company Center...what a mouthful!

We could just as easily get something cool like Devon Park, Chesapeake Gardens, Express Pavillion....blah blah blah.

Midland, Chesapeake and Devon...are all owners of the new team...so it might be some kind of combo name...

Larry Nichols is NOT part of the ownership group.


Loves's, Hobby Lobby, or Braum's have the money as stated above, but I can guarantee you they don't have the vision for this sort of thing.

Agreed. Plus they would all sound really stupid.



Hertz, AT&T has a large presence in OKC, and then there are several statewide corporations that have the dough as well. Kicker is based out of Stillwater, Conoco-Philips has a LARGE presence in the state,

I can see Hertz going for it maybe, if they don't have another arena or stadium. Same for Conoco-Phillips. But AT&T ballpark and arena? NOPE.

I don't think it matters if they are from Tulsa or Enid or Lawton. The idea is to have your name on an arena that is seen and talked about by a lot of people that watch the NBA, sports on the news, ESPN, or FSN. Exposure.

May be stupid but how about the state, call it "Land Run Arena". lol

Yeah the exposure thing is much more significant now that we have the NBA permanently, which is why I think someone like Hertz or Conoco-Phillips might be interested.

How much money did Ford pay?

I believe it was $8 million although a quick OKCTalk or Google search could probably tell you in .1 of a second.

I believe it was $12 million although a quick OKCTalk or Google search could probably tell you in .1 of a second.

Good luck with that. I doubt it's that easy.

Okay, after a quick Google search, I found numerous sources and articles all pointing at $8.1 million for a 10 year contract. As others said, there is a clause that states if NHL or NBA comes, it can be renegotiated. Here is a good spreadsheet for other cities naming rights contracts as well:

Minor League Naming Rights (http://www.namingrightsonline.com/minor_leagues.htm)

WOW, now compare that to the Major League arenas naming rights, big money difference:

Major League Naming Rights (http://www.namingrightsonline.com/major_leagues.htm)

I can see Hertz going for it maybe, if they don't have another arena or stadium.I would be dumbfounded if this were to happen.

Their management group is too focused on their stock price right now, and while one could certainly argue that this type of investment would be phenomenal exposure, I personally don't see it happening. My husband works at Hertz and hears too much about cuts here and cuts there to make me think they're not very cash-rich right now.

Further, after all is said and done, their Exec. leadership is still in Parkland, New Jersey, and really hold few ties to this community, except for the cheap land they own for their corporate campus, half of which they are trying to sell off since they decided not to build additional office space there.

If it were to be a local company, MidFirst would be my choice. Outside of that, I'd have to think it would go to a much larger nationally-known investment group or company.

I prefer Ford Center.

the Ford brand is priceless! and known worldwide (a top 5 brand).

we want OKC to be well approved/known, so keep it with a top brand.

whatever the case, PLEASE don't change it to something stupid/corny/local like "land run arena" or "five-tribes arena". You guys need to remember that YOURE A MAJOR LEAGUE CITY now, no longer minor league.

So. Go with a Major League tenant and it doesn't get too much larger than Ford when it comes to worldwide branding/recognition.

whatever the case, PLEASE don't change it to something stupid/corny/local like "land run arena" or "five-tribes arena".

I totally agree.

HOTROD, at first I thought you were crazy when talking about keeping it Ford and not selling it to the highest bidder, but you're totally right from a credibility standpoint. It doesn't get much bigger than Ford or Coca Cola. Your average person watching an NBA game in Japan is not going to know what Chesapeake is or MidFirst bank, but they will know what Ford is and think it is a major market for Ford to be putting it's name on something in OKC. On the flipside, company's like MidFirst bank and Chesapeake can gain more worldwide recognition from something like naming rights. Either way it's fine, many major markets have stupid names for their sporting facilities.

Anything but Dunkin Donuts...

HOTROD, at first I thought you were crazy when talking about keeping it Ford and not selling it to the highest bidder, but you're totally right from a credibility standpoint. It doesn't get much bigger than Ford or Coca Cola. Your average person watching an NBA game in Japan is not going to know what Chesapeake is or MidFirst bank, but they will know what Ford is and think it is a major market for Ford to be putting it's name on something in OKC. On the flipside, company's like MidFirst bank and Chesapeake can gain more worldwide recognition from something like naming rights. Either way it's fine, many major markets have stupid names for their sporting facilities.

Metro, while I agree with your analysis of the Ford brand, MidFirst or Chesapeake could neither one buy the naming rights without serious questions, especially Chesapeake being a public company. McClendon couldn't approve a big naming rights package that he himself would profit from. The same ethical issues would be there for Jeff Records.

My vote is to keep it Ford (maybe Ford Corp. will pitch in this time) or make it Sonic. Both are short and sweet, and Sonic is becoming a national brand, and they already do a lot of sports sponsorships on national TV.

I do agree that a local company's name could help that local company - but Ford Center is OKC's best asset and it is what is making Oklahoma City major league (at the moment, in the 'near future', more things will help organic-ly, but right now - all we have is an arena and a team).

And Metro - you recognized what I was getting at. Who cares if it is really OK Ford Dealers Association whose paying for the tenant rights - it says Ford Center, and most people worldwide will think HIGHER of Oklahoma City with a top 5 brand label on the building.

I mentioned in another thread, but there were MANY Settleites who were impressed/jealous that Oklahoma City had FORD as a tenant for your building when OKC didn't even have a major league team.

Seattle got KeyBank, which most people dont know of. I don't want to see OKC make a mistake and lose a top brand.

I know it is up to Ford Motor Company and/or OK Ford Dealerships Association in the end (since they can match a top offer and retain the tenancy), I hope that they will do so - and perhaps the city could offer something else downtown for some local bidders to sponsor.

It could be something tied to the city or the NBA that is not necessarily the Ford Center 'building', like the 'MidFirst Bank half-court shot contest' or 'Bricktown Canal watertaxi, sponsored by Hertz Corporation' or Sonic sponsoring discounts based on ticket purchase.

something like that - just as long as it's announced/broadcast on tv during the games/events; it's as good as if not even better for the local company than tenant building rights (since they would have a more captive audience, while the building rights is more STATIONARY AND DEFINES THE CITY-SCAPE-IMAGE/VIABILITY). Therefore you want the building to be the highest profile you can get.

Ford does that for us very well (as you can see from my testimony about Seattle and Metro's observation worldwide/nationwide).

Have other cities sold naming rights to NBA practice facilities?

I hope some of you realize that some of those suggestions I made were more to get conversation going then actual possibilities.

I can't remember all the details, but I think all of the Ford dealerships were either purchase, or take over by Ford Motor Company, or some thing like that, several years ago in order to compete with mega dealerships. I believe that what ever that group that was, they were the ones that purchased the naming rights for the arena.

That being the case Ford may well be able to swing the higher price for the arena.

*I tried to run a search about the Ford Dealers, but they don't go that far back. It was between 1995 - 2000.

So, all I need to do is win a major lottery and bid to name it Thunderdome. lol

^ lame.

(sorry thunder. lol). :)

> Dunkin Donuts...

Thanks jbrown84, that laugh was just enough to finally get me awake this morning.

Poor Rhode Island...

Welcome to the Dunkin' Donuts Center! (http://www.dunkindonutscenter.com/)

Ford Center is just fine it could be worse.


The Wal-Mart Center (with a Supercenter on site)

The Depend's Center

Summer's Eve Park

Preparation H Pavillion

^ lame.

(sorry thunder. lol). :)

It may be lame, but if the team is named OKC Thunder, the nickname for Ford Center will catch on being Thunderdome.

oneforone, you forgot Welfare Center. lol