New Downtown Arena

[Bellaboo]

It's all (Funds) going to the new arena. IIRC there were some upgrades they could do with current Paycom Center but the 70,000 sq. ft of additional restaurant space was scrapped. Hope they could transfer some funds to Thunder Alley.

We'll know more when Mayor Holt announces plans for the new arena.

OMG: I'm feeling like I'm to miss the Paycom Center; yet we don't know how it's going to fit in OKC's plan--afterall
it was our first big league large arena.

This past season they replaced the seats in Paycom. Not sure if all levels but the lower bowl was done.

[Mountaingoat]

It's a shame they couldn't disassemble Paycom and move it down to Norman to replace Lloyd Noble.

[chssooner]

It's a shame they couldn't disassemble Paycom and move it down to Norman to replace Lloyd Noble.

OU can't fill an arena half the size, so why on God's green earth would they need the Paycom?

They need a smaller arena.

[BG918]

OU’s basketball needs and the Thunder are apples and oranges. OU needs 10k max and on-campus. They could potentially play a couple regular season games in the new OKC arena though, as well as the BOK Center. I’d love to see OU still play OSU in either OKC/Tulsa every season

[Bowser214]

10 Billion NBA arena in Las Vegas privately funded
https://frontofficesports.com/las-ve...-grows-to-10b/

[Mountaingoat]

OU can't fill an arena half the size, so why on God's green earth would they need the Paycom?

They need a smaller arena.

I'm more looking at it from the standpoint that Paycom is a perfectly good facility and OU needs to upgrade. Paycom SHOULD last 30 more years but thats not the reality. Its a waste.

[mugofbeer]

10 Billion NBA arena in Las Vegas privately funded
https://frontofficesports.com/las-ve...-grows-to-10b/

Vegas and it's casinos have virtually unlimited money for entertainment ventures.

[jn1780]

It's a shame they couldn't disassemble Paycom and move it down to Norman to replace Lloyd Noble.

That would put the extreme house movers to shame.

[PhiAlpha]

Vegas and it's casinos have virtually unlimited money for entertainment ventures.

And is one more reason voters had better approve whatever the proposal ends up being.

[Bellaboo]

I'm more looking at it from the standpoint that Paycom is a perfectly good facility and OU needs to upgrade. Paycom SHOULD last 30 more years but thats not the reality. Its a waste.

Not too sure that Paycom will go away, and can always be used for concerts, rodeos monster trucks and high school graduations in the least.

[Urbanized]

Paycom WILL go away.

[narrowexpanded]

Bill Simmons was, admittedly, stirring it up on his podcast yesterday, saying he wouldn't be shocked if someone threw 5+ billion at Clay and the ownership group to buy and relocate the team in the next few years.

(He mentioned moving them BACK to Seattle because, of course, its Bill Simmons)

He said, OKC is the smallest market with the smallest arena (or close to it) in the NBA and if voters don't approve a new arena, someone could overwhelm the owners with an offer, similar to what Ballmer did with the Clippers.
Now, I have never heard even a whiff of talk that the owners would sell. We know they wanted a team specifically for their home state, and its been wildly successful for the city.

(There is downtown pre-Thunder and downtown post-Thunder and the differences are dramatic)

But its not out of the realm of possibility and something to pay attention to.

[FighttheGoodFight]

I dont think an owner would buy the team and move them back to Seattle when the open secret is Seattle and Vegas are getting expansion teams.

[jedicurt]

Bill Simmons was, admittedly, stirring it up on his podcast yesterday, saying he wouldn't be shocked if someone threw 5+ billion at Clay and the ownership group to buy and relocate the team in the next few years.

(He mentioned moving them BACK to Seattle because, of course, its Bill Simmons)

He said, OKC is the smallest market with the smallest arena (or close to it) in the NBA and if voters don't approve a new arena, someone could overwhelm the owners with an offer, similar to what Ballmer did with the Clippers.
Now, I have never heard even a whiff of talk that the owners would sell. We know they wanted a team specifically for their home state, and its been wildly successful for the city.

(There is downtown pre-Thunder and downtown post-Thunder and the differences are dramatic)

But its not out of the realm of possibility and something to pay attention to.

be cause of course Bill Simmons doesn't realize that Memphis and New Orleans are smaller markets... typical for him.

[chssooner]

Bill Simmons was, admittedly, stirring it up on his podcast yesterday, saying he wouldn't be shocked if someone threw 5+ billion at Clay and the ownership group to buy and relocate the team in the next few years.

(He mentioned moving them BACK to Seattle because, of course, its Bill Simmons)

He said, OKC is the smallest market with the smallest arena (or close to it) in the NBA and if voters don't approve a new arena, someone could overwhelm the owners with an offer, similar to what Ballmer did with the Clippers.
Now, I have never heard even a whiff of talk that the owners would sell. We know they wanted a team specifically for their home state, and its been wildly successful for the city.

(There is downtown pre-Thunder and downtown post-Thunder and the differences are dramatic)

But its not out of the realm of possibility and something to pay attention to.

No one who actually knows anything has said OKC won't vote to support the new arena. It will pass with flying colors. So no, it isn't worth paying attention to. Dooming and glooming on this isn't worth it, in a situation that won't come to pass.

[Laramie]

Bill Simmons never recovered from The Professional Basketball Club, LLC purchase and relocation of the NBA Supersonics from
the Pacific Northwest to the Plains of Oklahoma.

He tore his draws (showed his A) with me as far back as 2008.

[caaokc]

Surprised he didn’t work in the Harden trade when mentioning the Thunder - and so generally like his pod! This just seemed really random

[Dob Hooligan]

Bill Simmons was, admittedly, stirring it up on his podcast yesterday, saying he wouldn't be shocked if someone threw 5+ billion at Clay and the ownership group to buy and relocate the team in the next few years.

(He mentioned moving them BACK to Seattle because, of course, its Bill Simmons)

He said, OKC is the smallest market with the smallest arena (or close to it) in the NBA and if voters don't approve a new arena, someone could overwhelm the owners with an offer, similar to what Ballmer did with the Clippers.
Now, I have never heard even a whiff of talk that the owners would sell. We know they wanted a team specifically for their home state, and its been wildly successful for the city.

(There is downtown pre-Thunder and downtown post-Thunder and the differences are dramatic)

But its not out of the realm of possibility and something to pay attention to.

5 billion dollars would buy any team in the NBA. Today. Including his precious Boston Celtics.

[BoulderSooner]

5 billion dollars would buy any team in the NBA. Today. Including his precious Boston Celtics.

nope

[Dob Hooligan]

nope

The NFL grossed $18 billion last year and the Washington Commanders are selling for $6 billion. The NBA grossed $11 billion. The Hornets are selling for a team valuation (not Jordans cut) of $3 billion. If $5 billion ain't all the money, it is sure close to it.

[BoulderSooner]

The NFL grossed $18 billion last year and the Washington Commanders are selling for $6 billion. The NBA grossed $11 billion. The Hornets are selling for a team valuation (not Jordans cut) of $3 billion. If $5 billion ain't all the money, it is sure close to it.

the knicks / lakers /celtics / are all worth significantly more than the hornets (who are one of the least valuable franchises ) .. the expansion fee for seattle is going to be more than 3 billion ..

[Dob Hooligan]

the knicks / lakers /celtics / are all worth significantly more than the hornets (who are one of the least valuable franchises ) .. the expansion fee for seattle is going to be more than 3 billion ..

That is the scuttlebutt. Nobody knows for sure. What we see on ESPN and other outlets should be taken with a grain of salt. A $3 billion expansion fee will incur at least $500 million in hard costs before the first tip off. That is with an arena deal in place. And 2 years minimum from franchise award to then. They probably won't get a full revenue share for 5 years after that.

Seattle is a good sports town, but they have 3 leagues currently (NFL, MLB & NHL), and you could even make an argument that MLS and WNBA add up to between 3/4 and a full share of another major league. I think after all those years and money the new SuperSonics will still make less profit than the Jazz, Trail Blazers, Spurs, or even the Thunder.

[BoulderSooner]

That is the scuttlebutt. Nobody knows for sure. What we see on ESPN and other outlets should be taken with a grain of salt. A $3 billion expansion fee will incur at least $500 million in hard costs before the first tip off. That is with an arena deal in place. And 2 years minimum from franchise award to then. They probably won't get a full revenue share for 5 years after that.

Seattle is a good sports town, but they have 3 leagues currently (NFL, MLB & NHL), and you could even make an argument that MLS and WNBA add up to between 3/4 and a full share of another major league. I think after all those years and money the new SuperSonics will still make less profit than the Jazz, Trail Blazers, Spurs, or even the Thunder.

lol no and if you think you could by the knicks lakers warriors celticis for 5 bil you are dreaming ..

[Bellaboo]

Paycom WILL go away.

The Oklahoman
https://www.oklahoman.com › story › news › 2023/04/17
Apr 17, 2023 — “If we do move forward with another arena, it's anticipated Paycom will still be active, and still be utilized for concerts and other types ...

This is fairly recent ?

[Dob Hooligan]

lol no and if you think you could by the knicks lakers warriors celticis for 5 bil you are dreaming ..

I'm curious how much you think they are worth? I notice you mentioned the Knicks and Lakers, but not the Nets or Clippers.

You know, young man, it wasn't that long ago that the Clips and Celts got traded for each other. ;-)